Happy Birthday Lex!

Ten years ago today, a little brown puppy entered this world along with his litter mates.  He didn't have a name on that day and won't take on his moniker as "Lex the crazy dog" for another 8 weeks when I picked him out of a scrum of puppies running madly around a small room.  What caught my eye about him as opposed to all the other puppies was that he was the most hyper-active, crazy of them all.  He ran around that room so fast, that he couldn't keep his footing and slid head first into the wall.  Yes - he was truly the puppy for me!

We brought him home with us that day and he has been part of our family from that day.  Even when he did extremely crazy and wild things we loved him and cherished him.  Some of the things that Lex has done over the years have indeed been crazy and out of control, but they were never done with a bit of anger or malice.  He did what he did just because he was and still is a pup who loves life and thinks that world is his to own.  If I could tally the expense for all things that he has destroyed or damaged, I am sure it would be enough to buy a nice car.  But it doesn't matter one bit as he has continually brought happiness and joy to our lives.

Even during the dark times we went through between 2006 and 2008, he was always there waiting to greet us when we came in the door.  Wagging his tail so hard that if it hit you a welt would immediately appear on your skin, Lex has made us know everyday that we are the most important things in life and he loves us no matter what.

Unfortunately we don't know how much longer we will have our "crazy boy" in our lives.  The cancer he was diagnosed with in June is a very bad cancer and there are no guarantees.  Yet he is still a very strong dog and he has an unbelievable determination to live.  He should have died that day in June when the tumor pierced the blood vessel in his spleen.  But he didn't, even despite losing over 2 liters of blood.  Regardless of the prognosis, Lex is alive and enjoying his 10th birthday.  Even as I sit here writing this post, I can hear him in the living room chomping on his rawhide chewy that I gave him for his special day.  Lex, my crazy, wonderful, happy, always hungry dog may you have many more years to spend with us!  We love you puppy dog!

(Lex arriving at our house for the first time.  Wasn't he such a cutie-pie!)  

 (It's almost hard to see Lex as he is practically being smothered by our older Lab Bailey.  What is so funny is that when we brought Lex home, all Bailey wanted to do was hangout with Lex and play with him.  Years later after Bailey died and we got Finnegan, when we introduced the two of them - Lex and Finnegan, Lex wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with Finnegan.  Of course all of that has now changed as Lex and Finn are the absolute best friends.  They can't stand to be apart!)

 (Bailey watched out for Lex so much when Lex was a pup.  Lex showed Bailey his "gratitude but torturing him with bites,nips and constant pestering.  Actually, I think Bailey loved it because he just wanted to be with that little puppy at all times.)

(As you can imagine, a certain little boy became fast friends with Lex!)

(This is an utterly classic picture of our boy!)

(This is one of my all time favorite pictures of Lex.  I took this about 3.5 years ago when we were out for a walk at Cherry Creek State Park.  It shows Lex's true spirit and his joy of life.  He is an unstoppable force that embraces all that life has to offer and enjoys every single second of it.)

I tried to get a birthday picture of our crazy boy, but he is just too absorbed in his chewy to listen to anything I say.  Well - I'll just have to update this post once he has devoured the whole thing and will pose for a picture!

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.

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.