Monday, September 23, 2013

Remarkable joy

Its been a rough 6 weeks around here. I picked up a contract and am working @ 60 hrs a week, traveling some, and awake at 5 most days.
Bugsy isn't too happy about this development but we've been making the best of it.

It is beyond remarkable how happy he is to awake at 5 and be out walking down the road in the pitch black soon after.
He's bouncing and excited and RARING to go. We fly down the road, me struggling to stay upright while he trots and hunts as happy as can be.
Our walks are brief but he doesn't care - he's happy.
He does become morose when I switch the shower on, but he somehow makes it through the day without me LOL
Then the larger than life greeting when I get home. He's bouncing again and tossing toys around and trying to steal something from my work bag to instigate a chase.
He asks outside and ZOOMS around trees and bushes, dodging and darting.
Then he settles in the area near the patio, where we got into the habit of providing him with an huge ice cube that has some cheese or meat in it. He will sit there patiently, no noise, no movement just waiting with a look of hope. "I know they will bring it to me soon!"
Having finished his ice cube treat he was back in again.  This time I told him to go chew his new bone, and off he shuffled to find this horn thing I bought over the weekend. Once found, the chewing began and the next time I looked over he was on his back, holding the chew with his front paws, tail thumping the ground.
Completely and utterly joyous.
After eating my dinner I needed to walk down the road to deliver something to a neighbor.
I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk, he pretty much reacts with more excitement than I would if I won Powerball.

I am just - especially considering my flagging energy - completely stunned at his energy and JOY!
Once again he's bouncing down the road, jaunty with that silly gait caused from his surgeries; he sees some dog buddies and off he goes me in tow!
Isn't the world marvelous?

Joy. The unbridled, carefree, tint-free, cartoon-esque, innocent happiness that only children know and sometimes I think these days we've intruded on their experience of this perfect joy.
I am thankful to have such a wonderfully happy boy in my life and also happy that I can stop everything else in my life - even if only for a few moments - to enjoy his joy.


Sunday, September 8, 2013

zen moments with a hyper dog

Yesterday Steve & I headed to a 'beer' place that is fun to hangout at. It isn't a food establishment so dogs are allowed inside and we usually see at least one in there.
I have visions of Bugsy in a tiny shop with narrow aisles stacked with glass bottles.
OK no I don't - I have visions of smashed bottles and him licking up beer.

Yesterday and older gentleman with a smallish old dog came wandering out of the shop. The dog was unleashed but never more than a few feet from the owner, who kindly waited while holding the door for the old dog to wander out of the shop
The dog slowly followed the gentleman and then laid down next to him when he sat at a table outside near where we were sat.
I sighed and thought how I wish that Bugsy could enjoy downtown excursions in such a calm, peaceful manner.
I know he won't but I can dream.

Fast forward to this morning.
I took him for his weekly swim and I realized that when we are out on the lake, we are the dog and human others admire. Bugsy has gotten so well-behaved down there and now swims so far, we regularly have people in an assortment of boats that comment and wave and want to say hi to the dog.
This morning it was young people from a local university sailing team that were thrilled to see the happy dog swimming along.
I get such a kick out of him swimming, its usually (all but bird chases) very peaceful and calm. He's holding his beloved toy, looking around and he has this rhythmic and smooth stroke now.
I often just smile watching his legs going in constant motion, chugging along, never seemingly out of breath. And calm.
Bugsy and calm don't often coincide.

Don't get me wrong, he isn't that calm slow-moving elderly dog, never a few feet from his owner - at least once a swim session I have to grab his drag line and pull him in the direction of my choosing. And he is so comfortable now he feels no need to be at my side. But he is by-and-large 'off-leash' and exploring the world as he wishes.
He can't swim faster than I can paddle so he can't disappear, therefore he has freedoms he will never have on land.

Anyway, I get joy from thinking that people look out at us and admire our bond. And I love when people want to boat over and say hi. Fortunately Bugsy isn't spookable on water - today he nearly got run over by a novice on a small sailboat. All he did was look at them like Whoa! and then wiggled and waggled as they started talking to him.

All a good reminder that as I looked at that dog yesterday and wished I had a dog that could be so calm and docile that others may look at my dog and think it would be cool to have a dog swimming next to their kayak.
Like us, they each have their own unique personalities and its our job to love them for who they are