Well here I go again with Dogs. Dogs are and have been a part of my life from the very beginning. When I was barely old enough to walk we had a Collie Dog named Lady. She was a real special dog too. Dad used to take her fishing with us and basically everywhere we went that you could take a dog to in those days. She got something wrong in her hips which rendered her unable to stand up. So she would scoot along after me as I went down the sidewalk in Gladstone. It used to break my father’s heart to see her like that, so he curtailed my walks. Poor Lady had most of the hair on her haunches and legs scraped off. It wasn’t too long after that, they had her put down. Since that time dogs have been in my life continually.
All sorts of dogs, mutts, Austrailian Shepherds, Border Collies, Collies, Huskies, labs, last but not least German Shepherds. All equally good dogs in their own ways. Each breed has it’s own personalities and quirks but I never found any of them to be faults. I also never thought much of breed snobs either. You know, people that look down their noses at mutts and other dog because they don’t have papers? Not important to me.
I have learned patience, loyalty and humor from my dogs. I’ve learned that if my dog doesn’t like someone that came over to the house there was a good reason for it. I’ve also found that if someone didn’t like my dogs, then I made it a point to not be friends with that person. Something wrong with a person that doesn’t like dogs in my opinion.
You can tell how much interaction people have with their dogs if you see them in their vehicles. When I lived in Willamette I would see JR with Max in his truck, and most of the time Zeph would be in my truck. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. One dude told me one time, “I wouldn’t let my dog trash the interior of my truck it’s too nice for that.” Really. First of all I wonder if he brushes his dog? Zeph gets it a couple of time a week. He don’t trash my dually either. True I might have to use the shop vac a little more often but the truck gets filled up with fir needles up here anyway so keeping the truck clean isn’t a big deal. Zeph doesn’t chew anything up in the truck either because he knows I’m coming back. I tell him so too. Every time I got someplace with him.
Having your dog in your vehicle is the best theft, and break in deterrent there is. Who in their right mind would break into a car with a medium to large sized dog inside? Having your dog in your car in parking lot also brings some interesting experiences with it. I drove up to Theftway in Welches last summer. Zeph was in the front seat. It was in the evening and I left the passenger window down just far enough for him to get about half his snout out of it. He’s not one of these dogs to get crazy when someone walks by. But I keep the windows up far enough so that he can’t get his snout out of the vehicle. I had the dually parked right in front of the store. I got the last stall on the left hand side of the entry way. There’s a handicap stall on the south end but nothing else. I was in the checkout stand when I heard some commotion outside. I recognized the bark as Zephyr. Then I heard lots of swearing, and could tell someone was swearing at Zephyr. I went outside and here’s this dude and his wife standing back about 3 feet away from the truck yelling at Zephyr. Now the dog was really pissed as well he should be. So I’m looking at this prima donna standing there. Braided long gray-yellow hair, shorts, sandals, bullshit baseball hat on backwards. This guy is loosing points with me just the way he’s dressed let alone his behavior.
So I open the drivers door and install a small bag of groceries. The douche’ bag directs his anger at me now. “I suppose that’s your f__king dog right?” “That son of a b–tch almost gave me a heart attack!” People coming out of the store are stopping and looking at him. So I close the door and walk around the back of the truck and walk up in front of him. “Yeah he’s my dog, so what?” “Well he almost gave me a heart attack!” ” I see your still standing up right?” “Well I might not have been!” “I’m sorry if my dog scared you, he’s just doing what he’s supposed to do.”
“And that means barking at me?” “Well you probably did something he thought was suspicious.” “What were you doing around my truck anyway?” “I wasn’t around your G_d truck .” ” Well here’s the way this is gonna work out, you can take this up with me, or, I can let the dog out and you can take it up with him, which I think would be a real bad idea for you, or you can just go home.” “Now come on Bud, lets just go home.” Wifey says. Bud chose door number three. Fast forward into October. Same exact scenario, dually parked out front same spot, Zephyr in the back seat. I’m in the store down by the TV Dinners. This dude comes into the store down the aisle I’m in and he’s the same age as Bud. He smiles at me and says “is that your black dog in the dually?” “Yeah he is.” The man starts laughing, he says, “well I got a dog at home just like him and he does the same thing.” ” I hope he didn’t scare you?” “Nah he was just doing what he is supposed to.” So I go outside and him and this other guy, musta been neighbors come out, and they’re looking at Zeph thru the window. Both of them start talking to me, nicely though. The one guy says how much Zeph looks like his dog, about three times and finally his buddy agrees with him. So I open the passenger door and introduce Zeph to these guys. They were a little cautious at first. Zeph liked them when he saw me talking to them. What a difference between Bud and these two guys? Wow. Some people go looking for trouble and others side step around it.
I’ve found that most folks that live up here are like the second set of guys. It’s fun just to go to the store, you can start up converstation with any of the locals, men or women and they’re genuinely nice. I doubt if Bud was a local. He might have been but sure didn’t act like it.
I have lots of gals comment on Zephyr. He’s a chick magnet. Wish I was. LOL! “Is that a wolf?” Nope, ” what is he bred with?” Nothing he’s pure bred. “He can’t be he’s black.” They have black German Shephers. “Well he’s got long hair too.” German Shepherds have three basic coats, standard, plush and long coats. Zephyr is a long coat.
“well I just never seen a German Shepherd that looks like that, are you sure he isn’t a wolf?” About as sure as I am that you aren’t Little Red Riding Hood.”
Having a dog I think makes you a better human being. Just my opinion here. They can teach you things no other animal can. I’m really proud to say that I’ve had dogs in my life for almost 66 years. Am I better for it, well I think I am. You tell me. Smile.
Dave
David W. Proffitt 