Change

Our pets change us, and we change with our pets. It seems silly to say that I am a different person now than I was even 2 years ago because I have different dogs, and yet, I am.

We changed after Moree died, and we had regrets about not taking them on very many walks. So with Smokey and June, we went on daily walks. It was good for us and them. Not only did C and I get exercise, but it gave us time to talk every day.

After we lost Smokey, C regretted not going to the dog park more. And especially with Larry needing so much exercise, we now dog park daily.

And it’s not just that we’re now dog park regulars, its that we’re different at the dog park, too.

With Moree, all he wanted to do was run. We’d get into the park and let he and Smokey off leash and off they’d go. They’d stay within sight of us. Or if they go out of sight come running back to check and then off they’d go again. They wouldn’t come close enough for us to put a leash on until their tongues were hanging past their knees.

We generally walked the circuit, starting at the top of the hill, heading down to the soccer field, then pausing at the picnic tables for a while before heading back up.

Moree had no interest in socializing with other dogs, and we were a little paranoid about how Smokey reacted to some dogs. (Comes naturally when your dog is a Pit.) It helped that any time Smokey wanted to go investigate the scrum, Moree would herd him away from it.

We rarely talked to other dog owners, except for the Border Collie Lady, since Moree actually played with her dogs.

Now, we pretty much spend our entire time at the dog park in the scrum, if there is one. We throw the ball for Larry, but we also encourage him and June to play with other dogs there. We have dog park friends. I am more likely to know the dogs’ names than the peoples’, but so is everyone else. Really, we introduce ourselves by our dogs.

June especially loves to be in the middle of what is going on, chasing or being chased, or barking at the big dogs to get them to play with her. With Moree and Smokey, I would have been nervous and uncomfortable. With Larry and June, I’m laughing at my dogs.

Don’t get me wrong- there’s not a whole lot I wouldn’t give to have my boys back happy and healthy. But I like the new dog park us. And I’m glad my dogs have friends.