I had a dog growing up but I never thought I would be a dog owner. When I broke up with one of my ex-boyfriends I think I started to miss the dog more than him so I wanted to get a dog out of spite and the possibility I would run into him at the dog park to show off. You all know you’ve been there and wanted to do crazy stalker-like things to your ex. No? Ok…maybe that’s only me! But let’s stay on topic, shall we?
Harley was a sweet little 3 month old pumpkin when we got him and since then it’s been a wild ride with our million-dollar dog. We call him that because he’s always sick and our vet bills are always through the roof with surgeries and the like. How many of you have had a dog eat a sock at 3 months old only to have surgery done that cost $1400!!! INSANE! Anywho, he will be 2 years old in February and since he’s been sick these past few days I thought it would be good to write about him. (He’s snuggling with me right now as I write this to make sure I don’t give out any false information or leave anything out!)
Patience is a Virtue
I can be patient only in circumstances where I have to be on my best behavior. For example: in a meeting, teaching, meeting new people for the first time, dinner parties, etc. However, most of the time, I’m a loud mouth and when I want something done I speak my mind until it’s done. I suppose that would make me annoying. Once Harley came along and during his “puppy training” he had to learn how to sit for X amount of time before he could be rewarded with treats or love.
Harley waiting to get his ball
Every day there is some reason I tell him to “wait” or “stay” and he does just that. He doesn’t complain, he just does it. So now when someone is asking me to “hold on a sec” or “I’ll do it later,” I try very hard to hold my tongue and allow things to happen as they are supposed to. I know eventually I will be rewarded too!
Beggars Can’t Be Choosers
Harley is a labrador…that means two things to me. 1. The absolute best looking dog there is (I’m biased) and 2. He’s the goat of dog breeds. He wants to eat everything he can find. This proved to us in his first 3 months (as mentioned above) when he ate a delicious smelly black sock of Toblerone’s. We always vowed we would never give him people food since the day one lady told us she keeps all her Lab’s alive until the age of 17 by not feeding them people food. Makes sense but we give in to those puppy dog eyes and he LOVES potatoes. So, he gets to have a snack here and there and we soothe are worried minds by telling ourselves that he gets a lot of exercise and gets to have a really good doggy life by eating really yummy food! I’m welcoming your criticism with this, I know.
Back on topic, as he begs for food, he doesn’t care what it is normally unless it’s kidney beans, cucumbers, or bananas. He doesn’t whine about it when we give it to him (which is not all the time by the way), he just accepts it (obviously…like I said…a goat.) For me, I’ve learned to be the same. When I don’t see that giant pink diamond ring I’ve been waiting for…I won’t be upset. I’ll just take it ( and at this point, I’ll rip it out of his hands!)
Stop and Smell The Roses….Every Rose
Every single day that we go outside he has to lick every rock, eat every piece of grass, and smell the ground every 4 feet. Walking with him is atrocious so now we just let him run and he does his own thing. Whiplash is so not worth it for me! I take him out a lot every day even though I don’t need too but I like to. He loves to go out and run around and play and he’s in a great shape…so wish I could be!
After a day at school or when Toblerone comes home from work, we take Harley outside to play and it relaxes all of us. We take a moment to chill out and to get ready to relax for the evening together. It’s a nice way to cool down and Harley taught us that sometimes all you need is a little bit of time and some fresh air to get your mind stable. Who needs meditation???
This also taught us to definitely not sweat the small stuff. He doesn’t worry about bills or if the water is too cold in his morning showers. He simply just lives. The simple life…we start to appreciate that more and more each day.
You’re Never Too Big To Be A Lap Dog
Every time I sit on the ground for whatever reason Harley always comes and plops himself into my lap. Literally his fuzzy butt is on my leg. It’s probably the sweetest thing he does. Perfect for snuggling with him. Reminds me that no matter how old I am, I’m never going to be too old to snuggle up to my mom and rest my head on her shoulder or lay my head on my dad’s stomach.
You’ll Never Walk Alone
Harley follows me every where. He snuggles up to my legs as I’m cooking or as I’m putting on my makeup. He’s my little…I mean BIG sidekick. When I moved from the US to Germany I felt really alone at first and as if I had no part of me here. No family, no friends, etc. I had my materialistic things but what I didn’t have was the companionship of familiarity.
Somewhere along the line I had forgotten that Harley came from the US with me. He was just as much apart of the change as I was and he was and is the family I brought with me. I talk to him all day in English….sometimes German since he’s a bilingual smart ass and he loves me. That’s all I need in the world.
What have you learned from the fur balls in your life?
This lesson is brought to you by the letter H and the number 1 1/2 🙂
Until next time, Readers!!! xoxoxoxoxo
The Diary of Sugar and Spice 
