Thursday, May 28, 2009
Another First
Last Saturday there was a break in the rain for a few hours, so we hurried outside and cut the grass. At that point, we had had so much rain, that as soon as the sun came out you could pretty much sit and watch the grass grow. Because we knew it was going to start raining again we hurried and got the lawn in tip top shape in record time.
When we cut the grass, the pugs always watch. They peer out the front door when we are out front and shift to the back part of the house when we move to the backyard. Even though we are never out of their site for more than a few minutes they always give us a big greeting when come back inside the house.
On this occasion, they were super excited to see us because they had a week's worth of energy stored up since they hadn't been on their normal walks because of the rain. And in all the excitement, the highlight of my Memorial Day weekend happened. Sol played! For the very first time since she has been with us!
Since Sol has been with us, she has shown no interest in any of the toys here and she has not even pretended like she has even considered joining in when Benjamin, Henry & Luna get to romping around the house. I have always just chalked this up to her age and at this point in her life she has other things that are more interesting to her - like napping.
Benjamin, Henry & Luna are pretty playful and chase and wrestle with each other on a daily basis. But when it comes to playing with us, they each have different games that are their favorite. Benjamin's favorite game is tug and if a person is going to play with him, that is what he wants to play. Luna, is very cat like in how she likes to play and she likes it when you stick your hand under a blanket or throw rug and move it around. Henry is a classic chase kind of guy and loves to be chased around the living room. We tried each of these games with Sol, along with a slew of others and she just looked at us like we were crazy.
But on Saturday, when we came inside from cutting the grass, she charged at me and then ran in the other direction. At first I didn't catch on, but then she did it again. I stupidly, stood there, probably turning my head side to side like a confused pug, thinking, "Does she want to play?"
So, I did what I love to do, I took off running after her. She saw me coming and quickly turned her head and took off running around the couch. She turned the corner around the couch and I was just a few steps behind her. As soon as I turned the corner, my heart melted as I saw her drop down into a play stance. Her chest flat on the floor and her wiggling butt high in the air. I took my hands and smacked them against the carpet and she lunged forward and then spun around and was off and running past the living room table. I followed in pursuit and she made a big loop through the kitchen and then back into the living room. We made a few more laps around the living room, wiggling in between the furniture, and then she was tuckered. She walked up to me, plopped on the floor, rolled over, showing me her belly and letting me know that she would like nothing more than a belly rub. I happily obliged and as I was petting her I was grinning from ear to ear.
We played a five minute game of chase around the living room. Most people will probably think what's the big deal? But, to me this was much more than a game of chase, this was me getting the chance to do something I never thought I would do with Sol. Something I thought I had missed out on with her.
I have said to several people that Sol today acts like she is 5 years younger than the day she came to live with us. She could barely walk and heavily favorite her right shoulder, her eyes were cloudy and we later found out that she had a tumor in her mouth. She just didn't have the spunk that she has now. Ever since we had the tumor removed from her mouth, she has been a different dog. Her energy has increased and she loves to go walks, loves to chew bones and now she even plays!
Sol's arrival had done a good job of stirring my biggest fears with the pugs - that they are not going to be here forever. I don't spend much time dwelling on it, but I know things will one day be different here in the OBP household. It will be so incredibly hard for me, like it is for anyone who loses a beloved pet, because my life is so intertwined with theirs. Working from home allows me to include them in a huge part of my life that would normally be pug free. They snore away on conference calls and take lunch with me everyday. Because most of the stuff I like to do on the weekends is dog friendly they are always with when I am out. I probably don't spend more than 4 hours a week without the pugs around.
I will admit that Sol being 13 scares the hell out of me. But it is the little things, like this 5 minute game of chase, that help me see Sol as dog that she is and not just as a number. She may be 4 months older than the day she arrived, but she sure doesn't act that way and at this point that is all that matters to me.
And congrats on a wonderful Sol moment! Hugs and kisses to all the pugs.
Chris
05/28/2009
I’m so happy for you! Like you said, to an outsider, it may not seem like much…but it’s a bond. A wonderful thing. ‘Gratz :D