Well, if you know any little thing about me it is that I am a dog person. I have no bones (see what I did there, BONES! Oh ho! And we are speaking of dogs...university education at it's best...right there!) about sitting in filth and playing games, consequently picking burrs out of their fur or in some cases even watch them shed their mortal coil. I love dogs. I love purse dogs ( I pity the fools) little dogs, muscle dogs, family dogs...hell I have even sprung a guard dog. I worked with and at the SPCA and in a hospital. I have seen cruelty, joy, boredom, pain and the most fragrant bouts of diarrhea fountain out of some of the smallest creatures. However, before 2000, I was phobic of dogs. PHOBIC. Not just leery of, but class schedule changing, white knuckle bearing, bad dreams having...dog phobia. Especially in the dark. Oh, and the very thought of Rottweilers sent me spiralling into thoughts of panic and not just perceived danger but I felt that it was guaranteed.
The year 2000 was the year that I moved out on my own and met that who I had feared most....face to face.
A giant schnauzer crossed with a border collie. I was picked up at the ferry terminal by my then partners parents and was given a spot in the back bank of seats shared by the dog. She barked and panted and planted her big paws on my lap and gave me the once over with her schnozz. I was so terrified; shaking, over stimulated and trapped!
On Quechua's end, I was a great if not odd new friend. Quiet, obedient and wreaking of rodents. ( I had a guinea pig)
Finally, at our destination, I flung open the doors and hid in the den. She couldn't find me in there, I shut the french doors....oh damn! There were another pair leading from the den into the living room. She found me!
The question "Can someone walk the dog before dinner?" then echoed from out of the kitchen.
I was returning to pouring over whatever non canine distraction I could find. It might have even been Utne reader (quite out of character), when I realized that assignment was directed at me! Or perhaps it was my polite upbringing laced with martyrdom. Either way, I felt as though the task fell before me.
And I picked up the leash.
The attaching the leash to the collar may have been the most teeth gritting part of the whole supposed ordeal. She was a live one; bucking and jostling with excitement over the very sight of the leash and plastic bag combination. And I was barely hanging on. I felt as though I was a bullrider, hanging on for dear life while this fractious animal rounded and arched her back. *Click*
Thank god.
Now we were attached...now we were out the fuckingdooratapaceneverusedbeforebymyself. Omigodlookatthatlookaroundthecornerlookatthatpieceofgarbageandbushletssniffeverythingyah!
She walked me to the closest park and took me to all of her favourite places; using her urine for emphasis. "Now this slide is my FAVORITE! See how many precious drams I drained there?"
She had an excitement of life that I loved and that I felt in some place deep inside my soul connect with hers. We were both silly girls. On a sunny day. With some pocket money! Away we went.
We snuck a snack before dinner, we loitered, we even peed in front of strangers. Well, she did.
It was so fun; fun being an understatement of epic proportions, because what had just taken place had been of epic proportions. I had found someone that shared my very pure joy with.
That night, we played some more games, games that she crafted to test my quickly melting level of fear.
Her favourite being: "I'm going to stare you down, then charge at your face and then actually lick you Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"
She knew. She Soooooo knew.
I know have my own schnauzer, and I have the pleasure of walking her whenever I please.
Thank You, Quechua.
Oh, this is such sweetness! It literally made me laugh out loud! Partly because 'til about 1998 I was dog phobic until I got a job at a place where the owner had several dogs that seemed to think I was the best thing ever----and partly because I've walked a fair few dogs like that, including my own! Her joy for life, ability to live in the present, and to gracefully deal with any challenges that come her way inspire me daily. How lucky we are to have met sweet, kind dogs who saw our potential and found us worthy humans to befriend and help work through our fears.
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