Once again, I’ve been reminded why I picked the career I picked. I just started school on my way to becoming a licensed veterinary technician. I spent the past 8 days dog-sitting 6 dogs for a friend of mine. Boy, what an adventure! I’ve watched them for one night here and there, but never for this long. We had a lot of fun together, and I wanted to share a little about each of them with y’all. Where to begin with these crazies? Alpha first, I suppose.
Moody is an old man, but he a wise old man. He is incredibly protective of me. As the alpha, he’ll occasionally give a warning growl to those of the pack who are misbehaving in general. However, when I am eating, he plants himself on my lap and will growl at anyone who comes near me; this includes the giant standard poodle. Even though he’s 14-15 years old, he jumps up on the couch with me (sometimes needs a boost) and follows me everywhere, even if I’m just grabbing something out of the bedroom. When we are outside, he does his business and sometimes wanders, but mainly he stays up on the deck right beside me. Moody is fiercely loyal and supervises the rest of the pack with serenity and dignity.
Next in the pack order is my main man Drogon. Drogon has wise eyes as well. He is a Standard Poodle, as is my dog, which is one of the most intelligent breeds of dog. There is nothing he loves more than playing fetch, and he catapults himself right off the deck to go get the ball. Despite being full of energy, he is the first to stick his nose into my chest and want cuddles. He gets up right next to me on the couch and sprawls out his massive form as close to me as possible. Just like my poodle, Drogon loves to eat his own eye boogers. He gets one massive horse pill twice daily, and you can literally just open his mouth and stick it down his throat. He’s a big ole baby, forever the perfect gentleman, but I’m firmly convinced he would kill for the sake of protecting those he loves. Drogon was also the first dog I ever held for a jugular venipuncture.
We enjoy going out on the town and visiting coffee shops. One thing I discovered during our dates is something I think many women will appreciate: When I walk with Drogon by my side, not a single stranger approaches me. There is no cat-calling and there are no random men coming up to me trying to start conversation. No one asks to bum a cigarette from me, either.
Then there is Arwen. Oh, Arwen. The sheepadoodle escape artist. She will always find a hole in the fence, go out for a wander, but comes back and patiently waits at the front door to be let in.
One day I was right on the edge of a panic attack, crying and almost hyperventilating (from my own issues, not the dogs). When I get like that I can hardly move and it’s hard to snap out of. Arwen came to the door yet refused to come inside. 4-5 times she approached, and each time as soon as I opened the door she ran away again. Eventually, I grabbed a slip lead and followed her. Arwen led me down the street, keeping a fair distance ahead of me. Finally, I gave up and turned around to walk back. I felt much better, however, and my “moment” was over because Arwen forced me to move and snap out of it. After I turned back, she followed me happily, approached me, and let me put the slip lead on. She walked like an angel right beside me and back inside.
Arwen will lick you in the face, in the mouth, and in the ear for as long as you will let her. She has zero comprehension of the fact that she is too large to be a lapdog and will climb right up and lay her entire body on top of you. She loves playing ball just like Drogon, but she has a little more trouble handing her toy over so you can throw it. She is hyper as hell, and you must watch her carefully to avoid her ingesting anything she shouldn’t.
A few months ago, Arwen swallowed a sock and got very sick. She had to have foreign body surgery, and when her mama brought her in, I’d never seen anything like it. Immediately, I went to her and held her for the IV catheter insertion. She could barely walk, was almost flat, and I had to support her entire body weight throughout the catheter process as she leaned hard against me. I spent the surgery in a state of lowkey panic, but she pulled through and is back to bouncing off the walls. A dog’s capacity for recovery, both physically and mentally, is simply incredible.
Leia, I have known her since she was just a baby. From day one, she stole my heart. We call her our little “lamb chop” and it’s impossible not to love her. I watched her potty train, learn to play, get spayed, and grow into the sweetest, most cuddly pup I have ever encountered. When you sleep with her, Leia will lay directly against you (sometimes on your face) and let you snuggle her as much as physically possible. She has an old soul and possesses emotional depth beyond her years. She is as loyal as can be and loves her mama very, very much. Out of the pack, she’s the closest one to being a lone wolf. Leia has a strong sense of independence and a stubborn streak that rivals mine.
Lucy is still young, but she has matured a lot since I last saw her. She is a lot like Leia with her sweetness, but is more aggressive about licking your face until you put her down. Lucy and Moody had some conflict early on, and occasionally she still annoys the shit out of him, but she’s truly been accepted into the pack now. Her hobbies include chewing on things she shouldn’t (sticks and rugs especially) and barking incessantly until she gets what she wants. Lucy loves her toys and will sometimes throw the ball for herself. She is incredibly attached to every member of the pack and will follow wherever her siblings go. Lucy truly has the most genuinely innocent and pure heart I have ever encountered.
The newest addition to the family is little Mulan. I met her for the first time when I arrived for this visit, and right from the get-go I could tell she has a very sweet disposition. Mulan is a Puli, an incredibly intelligent breed of dog bred for the purpose of herding sheep. She loves to settle down directly on top of the air conditioning vent. Going down the stairs was something she struggled with, but we practiced with me holding her and putting her paws down a step at a time. Now she will race right down them, and I am very proud. I have taken her back to potty training ground zero and she is picking it up amazingly well. Mulan is most attached to Lucy and will go wherever her big sister goes. She plays hard, but when she wants to cuddle, she’ll never leave your lap. There’s a reason I’m currently covered in red dirt. Being a puppy, she tries to explore the world with her mouth, and you must watch her closely. When it comes to breakfast and dinner, she will jump three feet off the ground with excitement. The girl has some springs on her, and boy is she quick when she runs. We truly bonded over the potty training, and she gets soooo excited when I praise her for going potty outside. As food motivated as she is, I think love and affection are more important to her.
As I write my conclusion, I’m actually tearing up over how much I love these dogs. After I took a few weeks of FMLA a few months ago due to health issues, I came here to dog sit for a night. Being around these pups with all their separate and distinct personalities yet endless capacity for love, I remembered why I do what I do. They reminded me of the purity animals possess. They reminded me that there is goodness in this world. They reminded me that animal companions are one of the most important parts of life. I consider them family, and I would do anything for them as I would for my own fur baby.