A Dog’s Life
By Terry Baxter
During my home confinement, I gained twelve pounds – overnight! No, it is not the home cooking, I am the same svelte, dashing figure that I have always been. It’s that we welcomed a new little puppy to our family. And in the process, we’ve become the latest cliché. This week’s Wall Street Journal’s headline read, “Households stock up on puppies.” Uncontaminated, unconditional love is in demand everywhere. The story asks, “what do you do when you have to postpone your wedding and cancel the honeymoon?” Why, of course, you buy a puppy. Popular new puppy names are reportedly Fauci, Dr Birx, and Tina (short for quarantine). Ours is “Winston.” Litters are being sold out.
Social distancers longing for companionship.
Luckily, we were a little ahead of the curve. We decided to get a small dog last summer, and Pat started searching in earnest after the holidays. She brought home our little ball of white fur almost two months ago. I found an online video of a well-trained dog chasing Frisbees, shaking hands, heeling, dancing, and listening to his parent. I made Winston watch it — he was unimpressed. What do I know? I am merely the person tall enough to reach the dog treats in the pantry, a can-opener with legs. Fair Patricia is Winston’s person. He follows her everywhere, the very definition of a “Velcro dog.” If we start to hug or kiss (horrors), Winston scampers around us in a frenzy, dancing on his little hind legs, growling and barking, and trying to squeeze between us (he achieves the desired result when we both dissolve in hysterics).
Winston’s comic routines bring joy from morning to night. He waits each morning, head on his paws, staring patiently at my face. If I open my eyes, he is immediately transformed into wiggling, squirming, licking machine – nothing has ever been so exciting in his entire life! Unless it is the ride to the Inn to get the morning papers. He dances at the sight of his little vest where we attach the leash. Being the co-pilot of the golf cart must be the most thrilling career a dog can have, unless perhaps serving as the test dog for the Bell Stand’s puppy treats. The tail wags nonstop.
None of these observations are news to the legions of Ocean Reef dog owners. I know your dog is cute, loving, brilliant, and the life of the party too. He probably even catches frisbees. What a perfect time to enjoy their companionship. We are simply thankful for your example and happy to have joined your Club.