15 Life Lessons I Learned From My Dog

Posted on 16. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in animals, my life

When my sweet dog Genevieve died just over a year ago, I cried for days. Ever since we’d adopted her over 11 years before, she’d been my constant companion. She was rarely more than five feet from my side, and she was my office mate who sat on the couch as I did all the work. She lived a good, long life – perhaps 16.5 years – but in the end an enlarged heart did her in. It was only fitting, because she captured everyone’s heart.

We honored Genevieve and the place she had in our hearts by adopting another dog within eight days. As I look back on it, I can’t believe we adopted another dog so quickly, but Genevieve left a big hole, and I wanted to try to fill it quickly. I went to five local animal shelters, and at each one I asked them to show me their friendliest small dog. Some of the dogs they showed me didn’t show much interest in being social, and at other shelters the workers and volunteers had so many animals on hand that they didn’t know enough about them to help me. Finally, at the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society, several workers independently pointed to an adorable little guy whom I’d passed by the first time I saw him. They were right: he’s a love sponge, and a year ago today we brought him home with us. We named him Ricky, and he’s brought great joy to our family and to all who have met him. He’ll never replace Genevieve, but he honors her by filling in his own way the role that she played in our family.

Here’s what Ricky’s taught me in the last year:

1. Life goes on. I miss Genevieve dearly, but Ricky has helped me to focus on the present, not on the past.
2. Don’t judge someone by their looks. I thought I’d wind up adopting another terrier, but I’m very happy we brought Ricky home instead. I don’t know what breeds are mixed in him, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s on the inside.
3. If you show love, you’ll get love. I’ve never known a dog who licked as much as Ricky does. It makes you want to pet him all the time.
4. If you ask for love, you’ll get love. Ricky loves to lie on his back, look at us with pathetic eyes, and shake his legs until he gets a belly rub. He’s irresistible.
5. Be persistent. The more you chew on that toy, the more likely you’ll be to break it down. Also, see #4.
6. Everyone is a potential friend. Keep trying.
7. Lead a balanced life. There’s a time for belly rubs, a time for chasing squirrels, and a time for sleeping in the sun. All are important.
8. Life is a journey: enjoy the ride. Ricky loves to go for car rides, and gets upset when I don’t bring him along.
9. Express yourself. If you’re bugged by the fact that someone dares to walk on the sidewalk across the street, bark and let them know it.
10. Be true to yourself. Just because the neighbor dogs like to swim doesn’t mean you have to.
11. Appreciate the blessings of life. Anything beats being in a cage at the Humane Society for a month and a half.
12. Live each moment to the fullest. One of my greatest joys is seeing the extra-high leap that Ricky loves to take when he jumps up the stairs after playing in the backyard.
13. Being small has its advantages. If he weren’t so small, Ricky wouldn’t fit on my lap or under the bed.
14. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun. Even an old sock can provide great enjoyment.
15. Seize the opportunity when it’s available. As soon as the bedroom door opens, rush in to grab any socks that may be on the floor. (see #14)

Ricky is like a 9-year-old boy. He’s bright, sweet, energetic and playful all at once. He makes life exciting and rewarding, and we’re blessed to have him in our lives.

I wish Genevieve could meet him.

When a big heart is actually a bad thing

Posted on 27. Aug, 2008 by kchristieh in animals, health, my life

When I adopted my sweet dog 11.5 years ago from the Humane Society, she was sick as a…dog. She had just given birth to a litter of puppies (none of whom survived), she had giardia and an inflamed uterus, and she was about 20% under her ideal weight. She was in really bad shape. But she captured our hearts, and we nursed her back to health. Until today, we thought she was the healthiest 15-16 year old dog in town.

We were wrong. She was having a hard time breathing today, so my daughter and I took her to the vet. The vet says that she has congestive heart failure, and an extremely large heart. She gave her an injection of Lasix, and sent us home with some pills. So far, the drugs are working, but it’s just a matter of time until they don’t.

We lost our last dog to cancer. It was a long and painful process, and since I thought I was going to make some substantial money from eToys at the time (I didn’t), I actually paid for her to have radiation. It bought her a few more months, but they weren’t very pleasant.

I’m not sure how much I should spend on this dog. I’ll cross each bridge when I come to it. I know the money could be better spent on humans in third-world countries, but I have an ethical obligation to take care of this wonderful creature who has showered us with so much love.

At least she’s not a chimpanzee actor.