A Dog's Love - Might be one of the saddest things I've ever seen
Every night when I get home from work and relax in my recliner, my dog Dakota wakes up from his all day nap so he can play hedgehog with me. Hedgehog is a game wher he grabs his favorite hedgehog stuffed toy the honks when he squeezes it, brings it up to me and flips it onto my lap which means I'm supposed to throw it across the room to fetch it. Keep in mind that when I rescued this yellow lab about a year and a half ago, he had no idea what it was to retrieve something or chase a toy. That alone is pitiful.
So anyway, last week I went camping with my son in the woods of Northern MN for 4 nights. Night 1 was dreadful for Dakota, he stared at the door waiting for me to come home, went outside and stared at the end of the driveway hoping my truck would roll in. When Mrs. BRL finally got him to come back inside (he normally insists on being inside all the time) he paced and paced in circles around the living room, driving her nuts. He wouldn't eat and would go to bed.
The next night same thing, still hadn't eaten was chewing his leg raw from anxiety, pacing again. I texted some voice messages to him telling him he's a good boy, we'll play hedgehog, time for nite-nite. This worked great! He soon settled down, are his dinner (from last night) and curled up in his bed.
The next night he was on to it and didn't fall for any of it. He ignored the voice messages and went to work on his leg.
Then she sent me a picture and video that just broke my heart.
The picture of him staring at the hedgehog in my empty chair
And then the video of him playing with the missing man
I'd have loved to take him with but it was more of a fishing trip. I only have a 12 foot boat and we anticipated possibly taking a canoe and portaging into the wilderness. He wouldn't have fit in the boat and I didn't want to leave him alone kenneled.
He get's to go up with us in a couple weeks again th the north shore of Lake Superior.
I am not BIPOLAR. I don't even like bears.
June 28, 2017, 09:32 PM
archerman
Hahahahahaaaa
Now that is one happy boy...
Great for all involved.
Archerman
June 28, 2017, 09:37 PM
beltfed21
He needs a girl dog......
******************************************** "On the other side of fear you will always find freedom"
June 28, 2017, 09:49 PM
Rey HRH
Nice.
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
June 28, 2017, 09:53 PM
Skins2881
I hate dogs, only ever had one as an adult (barely). Honey. She was a golden that someone dumped on my Mom, and I adopted her Dude said he was going to Miami, can you watch for the weekend. Never came back. She looked just like yours and behaved just like yours. She had cancer and bad joints. She'd play fetch in the front yard with me after work until I had to carry her in.
Typical lab, she had food and hunting craze. She'd fetch until immobile and tried to retrieve everything. Loved her so much, which says a ton since I hate dogs. She was special.
Luckily I was away and Mom was watching her when she needed to be put down. I don't think I would have been able.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis
June 28, 2017, 10:08 PM
jbcummings
I guess Dakota gets to go camping next time, hmmm?
———- Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for thou art crunchy and taste good with catsup.
June 28, 2017, 10:26 PM
chellim1
Nice! And glad you had a good fishing trip.
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown
"The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth." -rduckwor
June 28, 2017, 10:40 PM
tatortodd
quote:
Originally posted by BRL: Satisfaction!
Nice!
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity
DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
June 28, 2017, 11:03 PM
Spiff_P239
Glad you're back home to play with him. It's amazing how much an animal can love you. It's something that people who have never had a pet simply cannot ever understand.
June 28, 2017, 11:30 PM
83v45magna
It is sadly gratifying isn't it? He wuvs you lots.
I love how the voice mail worked the first time but not the second I have this mental picture of Dakota, laying on his bed awake thinking. " I was so tired, I miss Daddy but I can't believe I fell for that. I'm just too tired, that's all. If he's not back tomorrow, ain't no way I'm going for that tinny voice recording BS again. Nope. Not gonna do it. I wasn't born yesterday. I am so tired."
June 29, 2017, 02:22 AM
KevinCW
There is nothing stronger than the love and loyalty of a good dog.
Give some pets from me please.
Strive to live your life so when you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, the devil says "Oh crap, he's up."
