My Two Favorite Doggies

     So they are actually the only dogs we have right now, so they automatically gain favorite status. I'm not their main human, that honor belongs to my sister in law, but I'd like to think that in our "pack" I do rate a niche in the hierarchy. And although my most favorite animal is feline, not canine, I do love these dogs in all their silly, playful, sometimes neurotic glory.

     Snoopy is the full blooded beagle who arrived as a rescue at the age of three. From what my husband has told me, he was seen by hubby's coworker at a pound or store (I forget which) and being drunk at the time he took pity on the puppy and brought it home. This coworker apparently already had a houseful of cats who were pretty territorial. This sounds bad for the cats but they bullied Snoopy and used to swipe at his ears. For one reason or another, Snoopy couldn't stay with them any longer and hubby, on hearing the story, decided to take him in. Snoopy is now a very confident, rather spoiled eight year old. He's grown obese and is now on a diet that keeps getting sidetracked. But he absolutely has to lose weight so his joints won't get any more damaged. He's actually had one knee surgery already and the vet says he'll need another one later on if he doesn't slim down. He has tons of toys and other equipment that's been lavished on him over the years. He loves to eat, sleep, then eat some more (sounds kinda like Garfield the cat, hehehe). He was pretty stand offish at first when I arrived five years ago, but by now we have formed our own bond based on food and play. He's not the clingy type in relation to me, and he definitely tries to assert that he's the boss. Like when he sighs and fidgets in his sleep to let you know you're disturbing him. Or muttering and grumbling during our meal time to let us know he's getting impatient for his treat. He's one smart doggy for sure, knowing how to open cabinet doors, getting at peanut butter jars, luring you away from food so he can get at it, jingling the bells to let us know he wants to go out - those are just some of the antics that amuse and exasperate us in turns. Sometimes, the things he does makes him seem like a small human - burping after eating, snoring while sleeping, trying to sit at the kitchen table to eat. Braver than our other dog, Snoopy is also pretty chill for the most part. Just don't let him hear thunder, cracks of lightning or fireworks going off; that sends him scrambling under the bed, cabinet or into a closet to hide, poor thing.

     Our other dog, Nonee, is a mix of unknown breeds. We think he has some beagle in him, with perhaps some whippet or jack russell terrier. He is also a rescue that my sister and mother in law saw when they went to a dog show. About two years old at that time, he was shivering in his cage and looked so pitiful that my sister in law's heart melted and took him home. He was very stinky when they brought him home so they gave him a shower. Unfortunately, this seemed to aggravate a kennel cough that he already had. Coughing and wheezing, he was brought to the vet and had to take meds for a while. I guess Nonee just has a relatively weaker immune system compared to Snoopy, since he's been to the animal hospital more than Snoops. But in general, he's a happy, healthy doggy who also loves to eat and play. Thankfully, he's not like Snoopy who will do everything he can to grab any food that's within his reach. He tends to be more clingy, always preferring to be in the company of any of the humans at home almost all the time. One of his favorite things to do is lie across your legs while on the bed so you can't move without him knowing it. Although a little less playful than Snoopy, he does have his silly side, like when he rolls around the bed like a canine pinwheel til his body has turned a full 180 or 360 degrees. He can be a bit neurotic, as he will bark and his body will shake when anybody comes to our house whether it's a friendly face or not. It also doesn't matter if you've been here more than once. If even a short amount of time has passed since he last saw you, he'll bark and shake again. But he's also smart in his own way - he'll bark so you'll open a closed door for him, he'll wait and see where you'll enter the house before standing there to wait for you, he'll sound the alarm then come to get you when he sees any strangers approaching the house.

     Two dogs with different personalities, both lovable in their own ways. Life sure is livelier and more interesting with them around. Now if only we can somehow add a cat to the mix.

© Margj Castillo, Between You and Me, 2010 - Present.