My dog Hiro is pretty funny. My mom says he kind of looks like an alien. He does, a little. But I think he's incredibly adorable, even if no one else does. He was abused, we think, before I got him, so he is pretty scared of most men and often growls at people before he gets used to them. It could be nice to have a "normal" dog, but it's not a big deal to me, I just tell people don't try to pet him and they back away pretty quickly!
He and I are pretty intuitive with each other. One time, my almost-niece-to-be asked, how did you learn to speak dog? She had just witnessed me training Hiro and my shared dog, Shelby, and was intrigued. I guess I started learning to speak dog a few days after I got Hiro. He was pretty timid at first, but then as the hours went by he slowly crept closer to me. By the next day he was jostling my hand while I was on the computer begging to be petted. How could I resist? At first, he had accidents in the house, probably because of being in a new environment AND because he and I still didn't know each other well enough to get that I-have-to-pee signal across. And I'll admit, there were several times over the first few months where I'd glance in his water dish and notice it was completely empty, with no way of knowing how long he'd had a dry throat.
But now, he is pretty well aware that he has me wrapped around his left front paw. I know that when he gets excited all of a sudden, I go through three possibilities and ask, hungry? thirsty? outside? Whichever one he needs, he wags his tail, jumps up and twirls around and gets all excited. Whichever ones he doesn't need, he either stops wagging his tail or just does a fantastic ice sculpture impression and freezes in place. It's pretty impressive, I think.
Later at night though, he can get a little cryptic because he's hungry, thirsty AND has a full bladder, but isn't sure which is most important. Like a few minutes ago, he ran outside, but then ran inside right before I closed the door. I got him food and he ate two kibble bits then looked at me pleading. So I put on my shoes (muttering "sheesh the things I do for you.." not really minding so much though) and walked out into the front yard with him, which has his favorite spot to mark. Then we went inside and I gave him a piece of leftover pork (he's been a good dog today, he needs a lot of meat, he's a boy), which prompted him to race around the house about two times after finishing it, then he went and finished his dry dog food (gross) and slurped half the water bowl. Of course, now he's back on the sofa and trying to wedge himself between me and the computer. Thanks buddy. You're welcome on the food by the way.
But there is nothing like having a dog as a companion. Yes, humans talk with you and sometimes make YOU food, but the loyalty and unswerving love and dedication a dog has for you is unmatched by any human. I don't know that I'd want a husband as dedicated as my dog is to me, but I'll take my dog any day. I've had a tumultuous few years, and he's lived with my aunt for a while, he's lived in Seattle, in Deer Park, with my parents, in Idaho, and now in Spokane with a crazy cantankerous dog who alternates between sucking up and growling at him for no reason. And yet he never trades me in for a newer model. Even though he loves my parents now too and jumps on them to be petted, I'm always his priority when I walk in the door. If I had a husband like that, I'd feel selfish and perhaps a bit guilty, but with a dog I just feel loved and wanted. There's a dog shirt at Target I thought about getting that says "Better than a Boyfriend." Got that right.
Hiro sleeping. Look at his little paw tucked under his chin and tell me that's not adorable. A mother's love..
haha you crack me up! I'm glad you have a little buddy to hang out with :) if I didn't have brinkly, I would SO get a dog too! but a kid AND dog AND baby on the way, HA! I don't think so! maybe when brinkly is a little bit older!
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