Believe in Retrievers

It’s raining out this morning.  I suppose that is better than the massive amounts of snow we received this passing winter so for that I am of course very grateful.  I don’t have to get all bundled up and go outside and shovel rain and that is good.

But I do have to take the dogs out.  Out there.

The kids are on Spring Break and my wife is getting ready for work so they will not be available to take the dogs out when the dogs need taking out.  Dogs can be patient for some things but they need to be taken out after a long night of hard sleeping.  In a moment one of them will begin to let me know that it is time.  The other will be watching, listening, watching…waiting.

If it was the weekend then, well, it would still be up to me to take the dogs out.  I think they like me.  You see, I am usually the first one up and besides no one else in our house seems to be very interested in taking the dogs out early in the morning.  In the snow.  In the cold.  In the rain or in the darkness.

I think that everyone else who could do it see taking the dogs out as a real hassle.  Especially when it is raining.  Like this morning.  And even more so when it is cold, or snowing, or both.  Like most of the last 120 mornings or so.

The dogs see it as a good thing because they won’t get themselves into trouble by having an accident inside the house.  It would be okay if they cleaned up after themselves but they really don’t do that much.  Unless it’s cleaning up some rare remnant of food in each other’s bowls.  They work really hard to leave none in their own. They know how to do that; they actually seem to enjoy it very much.  And I am fine with them doing it as it makes cleaning their bowls a lot easier.

That reminds me of another reason they like to go out in the morning.  Food.

Never, ever, do anything nice or special for a dog unless you plan on doing it again.  And again.  And again.  Do they like to remind you?  Well, it’s more like they never, ever let you forget.  They will stand and wait for something good or fun or special for a very, very long time.  If it’s a treat then they will wait forever.  Be careful on this.

The dog understands that after it finally gets to go out in the morning and take care of the necessary business at hand then it is time to eat.  She knows it and you also know it.

Our dogs will break through a stone wall to go out in the morning because, for them, relieving themselves in the morning really means it is almost time to eat.  It’s an interesting connection.  Maybe they know they have just rid themselves of something they need to replace.

So they go out.  I take them.  Then they eat.  I feed them.  Then they seem to get very tired and want to lie down again and rest.  It is a difficult and tiring life they lead.

In the end it is all done because of love.  Not just love for our dogs but love of the kids and my wife and family.  I never had a dog when I was growing up and I never realized how much a part of the family they can become.  I only have to see my kids playing with them on the floor or in the yard to realize how important and loving these bonds are for the kids and, for sure, for the dogs.  In the end, for all of us; all of the family.

Would they let anyone take them out?  Sure.  Feed them?  Sure.  But would they love anyone else like they love us?  Gosh, I hope not but they are very friendly.

It’s hard to stay mad at a dog, especially a Retriever (in my opinion the best dogs in the history of the world along with Labs), and it’s sure hard to not be a nicer person after you’ve been around them for a while.  They are all about just being happy, having fun, and enjoying life.  But they don’t like to do it alone.  They want to do it with you.

We could all learn a lot from dogs.  And I keep trying and learning and if that means taking them out in the mornings and getting their food ready and, yes, even scooping up the mess they leave in the yard then I am fine with that.  I do it for them and I do it for my family.

Come to think of it, I guess I also do it for myself because I think that in the end it makes me a bit better of a person when I live a few happy, carefree moments.

Just like a dog.