A Dog's Life Part IV....

I may not be a mommy (yet) but I have experienced what it's like to be the "mommy' of a puppy.  It can't be that different, right!?  In today's installment of A Dog's Life, Bailey and I discuss how we first met and how hard it is to be disciplined sometimes.

Me: Thank you for joining me today, Bailey girl! I'm glad that we can meet out here in the back yard so that you can bark at our neighbors and snap at bugs that fly near your butt.

Bailey: It's my pleasure!  I always look forward to our talks.  You know that I don't get a lot of time off from work, so I thought it would be best for you to meet me at  my place of business.

Me: Um...so...this is your place of business?  I mean I know you "do your business" out here, but I didn't realize that you considered this your workplace.

Bailey: Of course I do!  My job never ends.  This back yard is where I "do my business", bark at potential trespassers, and bite at annoying bugs. Anyway...enough about work.  Let's get down to the nitty gritty stuff....

Me: Alrighty then!  I wanted to talk with you today about the day that I adopted you!  That is the day that I became your mommy!  Do you remember that day?

Bailey:  Oh man, are you going to be getting all sentimental on me!?  Well...I actually do remember the day pretty well.  I had been taken away from my dog mommy a few days before you got there.  I remember the first time I saw you.  You came over to my cage and you looked in at me and my brother and sister.  Your eyes welled up and you pointed to me and you said, "I want her!!"

Me: (wiping tear away quickly)  I remember that day so well.  There were so many dogs, cats, kitties, and puppies at the Cabell-Huntington animal shelter that day.  Each sad face had a story.  Each animal in desperate need of some love and a home.  I knew I wasn't leaving there that day without an animal in my arms.  It was just so hard to choose. I felt overwhelmed by the need.  When I walked by your little cage I saw you sitting in the very back.  You little tummy was all puffed up from the worm medicine they gave you.  You had eaten all of the dog food yourself and your brother and sister didn't get any of it. :)  There was just something in your eyes when I looked at you that said to me..."This is her!"  When they handed you to me, I instantly felt that I loved you.  You were only a few weeks old...probably too young to be away from your mommy.  I wrapped you in a towel and held you against my chest and your little eyes fell closed and you sucked your tongue while you had little puppy dreams.

Bailey:  I'm glad you didn't leave without me that day.  I have always remembered that you saved me. I just hope that my brother and sister got saved as well.  The reason I am so overprotective you guys and that I bark all the time is because I know that you saved me.  I know that if someone wouldn't have saved me, then I would have died.  I know how awful I acted as a puppy and it always makes me wonder why you didn't just give up on me and get rid of me.  I chewed your favorite shoes, I peed and pooped everywhere, I bit everyone and everything...I was completely out of control! 

Me:  I can't imagine our lives without you!  You are right where you are supposed to be.  Every puppy does the things you do before they grow up and learn how to act.  We love you even when you mess up or you do bad things.  Because we love you, we have to teach you and discipline you. 

Bailey:  Yeah, discipline kinda sucks.  Even though I'm supposedly grown up I still mess up and do bad things.  Remember what happened the other morning!??? 

Me:  I remember.  You stole an opened can of tuna from dad and tried to hide out in  my bedroom and eat it.  You knew you were doing something wrong and thought you could run away and hide.  When I came over to take the can out of your mouth so that you wouldn't cut yourself on the sharp edges you growled at me and tried to bite me.  Why don't you tell the rest of the story....?

Bailey:  Do you understand how yummy tuna is!!!???  I don't get that stuff on my special diet!!  It was like I won the lottery when dad walked away from the can for long enough for me to jump up and steal it.  I wasn't really going to bite you...I was just trying to get you to leave me alone so that I could have what I wanted.  You weren't scared of me at all and you reached right in my mouth even though my teeth were showing and you took it out of my mouth.  Then you smacked my butt and I rolled over on my back and showed you my tummy.  I knew that I was wrong for stealing the tuna, but I wanted it so bad and all you do is give me that gross dog food.  I realized after that incident that I can't scare you away by showing  my teeth or running away.  You were going to do what was best for me no matter what I did...because you love me.  AND that there are consequences when I try and bite you instead of letting you help me.

Me:  And do you understand why it was what was best for you?

Bailey:  Yes, I do.  I am only supposed to have certain food because I am on a special diet that keeps me healthy.  AND the tuna can could have cut my mouth open.  I wasn't thinking of either of those things when I went for the gold.  I guess you know what's best for me even when I don't think about it or don't care.

Me: I don't like punishing you, Bailey, but I have to sometimes.  You need to learn.  When I tell you not to do something or not to eat something, it's not because I don't want you to have fun.  It's because I know what's best for you and I want you to be around for a long, long time. 

Bailey:  Yeah...that makes a lot of sense.  I don't know why I try and hide stuff from you guys.  You can see everything I do.  I always get caught.  It's NO FUN AT ALL!!!

Me:  We aren't trying to ruin your fun.  We want you to be happy and have fun.  But your well-being and life mean more to us than your having a few moments of fun that could harm you.  All that we do is because we love you.  You are such a good doggie! *scratches behind Bailey's ear

Bailey:  You guys are pretty awesome.  I'm glad that I have people like you watching out for me.  I see other dogs that live tied up outside and never get any love.  That makes me sad.  They don't feel any freedom.  They don't feel what it's like to be loved no matter what.  They don't get to have any buddies that pet their tummies and bring them toys.  It's just not right.  I wish all the doggies in the whole world knew what it was like to have someone watching out for them and loving them.  It's so much more relaxing to know that I'm taken care of and loved.

Me: I wish the same thing too, Bailes.  Every doggie and every person deserve to know they are protected and loved.  It's my life's mission to make sure they know that as much as possible.

Bailey:  Me too! What do you think I'm saying when I'm barking so much?  It's just noise to you, I suppose, but my buddies know what I'm saying.  I'm telling them that as long as I'm on the beat...they're safe.

Me:  Yeah...safe from peace and quiet....


Thank you all for joining Bailey and I again today!

Loves,

Katie and Bailes

Bailey's game face