Wednesday, February 22, 2012

If Dogs Could Talk

This evening I came to bed at 11:30PM to find that I was going to have a sleeping companion.  Finnegan had gone to bed with Zack at 8:45PM and curled up right beside his boy.  The other pup - Lex - who I am starting to call "old man" because he is starting to act like he is an old man, didn't make himself available to go to bed with Zack tonight.  While Finnegan usually can't wait to go to bed with Zack, Lex is more particular and tends to find someplace quiet to sleep in the house.  As a result, to get him to sleep with Zack, I normally have to call and scream for him.  Tonight I decided he could stay where ever he was.

After Zack went to bed, I went back downstairs to do some additional work and then watch TV.  I did keep any track of Lex.  But as I entered my room in total darkness except from the glow of my laptop as I carried it upstairs with me, I knew there was a puppy in my room.  I could hear Lexie softly snoring as I entered the room.  Sure enough, once I turned the light on I found him lying the entire way across my bed.  Needless to say I needed to re-arrange him so I could actual get into the bed and assume my normal sleeping place.

As I plopped down on the bed I started to wonder if each of the dogs could say just one word, what would it be.  I thought about this for 30 seconds and I knew exactly what Finnegan would say.  His word was so obvious it really didn't take any thought.  Finn's word would be - Love.  There seems to be very little other than love that drives and inspires Finnegan.  Though I have owned dogs for almost my entire life I have never met a dog that so seeks out love more than Finn.  He craves love and he wants to give love.  It is as if he really understands how mistreated he had been as a puppy and just wants everyone to know how grateful he is for getting a good home and a chance at life.

The story of Finnegan's early life is not a pretty story.  I am not sure if I have mentioned it here in the blog before or not.  Finn's entire litter was abandoned, basically thrown out like trash.  Some very nice person rescued the pups and took them to the Max Fund, a no-kill shelter in Denver.  Though because they were so cute those puppies would have been adopted anywhere.  For whatever reason Finn seems to sense what his original fate was and now appreciates every second of life.  His ability to display love and receive affection is remarkable.  So I am pretty sure if he could say one word it would be love.

Now as for Lex, that is a much harder story to tell and a much harder effort to figure out his word.  As I think about it I think his word would be his name.  He would just say "Lex".  I think this because he is such a unique dog.  I have never met a dog that has such a unique personality as does Lex.  He can be very loving and affectionate, but at the same time he is aloof and likes to go his own way.  There are very few words that can describe him as he is totally his own character.  So I really think his word, said with a little bit of snobbishness to his voice would be "Lex".  No other way to put it than that.

The puppy who we lost back in July of 2010 was named Bailey.  His word if would have been fun.  Bailey was all about having a ball or a frisbee in his mouth.  He lived to be a dog's dog and to have fun.  This may sound a bit funny but he took being a dog very seriously and was so strong.  But his goal in life was to have fun - to chase the birds, to catch a ball, to go swimming in a river - that's what Bailey was all about!

I love each and every dog I have ever had.  Life just won't be life with out these beautiful souls in my life.  If you have dogs stop and take a look at them.  Try and imagine what one word they would say if they could say a word.  It's a fun exercise and makes you think of what the essence of your pup is.

With that four-legged thought for the evening I will leave you.  Though I know so few of my readers like to leave comments, if you have a dog and can think of what word it would say if it could say one word, leave a comment and explain what they would say.  I'd love to hear what you all have to say.

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.

7 comments:

Johanna said...

We have three Chihuahuas. Molly wandered into our yard a few years ago after being left in an orchard near our house. She is very sweet and quiet so her word would be "gentle". Her puppy, Mitzi, would be "bounce" because she just bounces all over the place. Then there's Haley and she's constantly barking at EVERYTHING - so her word would be - "talk". This was hard...never thought of it before. I did come up with a word for the new year for myself, this year and last...that was easier:) Funny you should post this today, a little while ago I was reading in my women's devotional and it was about animal communication and human language. Have a good day.

NanaRose said...

Together! My 14 year old schnauzer wants to be with me everywhere I go. She walks in my foot path and I step on her so many times. She lights up our lives.

tcsTenor said...

My female Golden Retriever, Missy's word would be "peace-out". She is SUCH a couch-potato. :-) But she so loves to please. If you drop *anything* on the floor, no matter if it's plastic (like a remote control) or metal (eating utensil), Missy will get up from wherever she is,pick it up, bring it to you and lay it in your lap. So sweet! Our male Golden Retriever, Sonny's word would have to be "play". He ALWAYS wants to play fetch and he HAS to have a toy in his mouth at all times. Sometimes *more* than one toy. One time we found him with SEVEN toys in his mouth! We counted as we pulled each one out of his mouth. He's such a toy hog. LOL!

Rilly said...

I was going to comment on your story but realized my comment would take up too much room....so I've decided to do a blog on it and send you a link. It's impossible to talk about animals in just a few words.

K said...

HI-Just read the post about your "Who" and read another to find it about dogs. I don't know you; I just hit "Next Blog" after checking my own and liked your posts. Good luck with your surgery. Not sure if you like to read, but while recovering you might enjoy two books I have read recently (both tremendously about dogs): Merle's Door and The Art of Racing in the Rain. Both are sad but beautiful and capture what I know you know. I am a dog lover too. My dog of 13 years, Luna, who died this past Summer, her word would be "ski" - she loved Winter and loved X-C skiing with me above all of our adventures. My current dog, Dixie, her word would be "Thanks" - she was an abandoned pup in Houston, TX, living in a drain pipe before a really good person rescued her. She now lives with me in Western Maine and also has a true affinity for snow and her new life. I know she is thankful. Thanks for asking.

Rilly said...

this is the link that answers your question...if your dog could talk what one word would it say.

http://rilly-momsnotepad.blogspot.com/2012/03/tale-of-two-dogs.html

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