Learn From Your Dog

            With a dog’s fierce loyalty and unconditional love sometimes comes some pretty protective behavior over their owners. It’s this devotion and dedication that can make a dog a good watch dog, and man’s best friend. My mom feeds Buddy and Magic, and for that Buddy will follow her to ever corner of the house to make sure that she is never alone and always safe. Buddy is a bit over-the-top in his adoration, but Magic keeps a special eye on the hand that feeds too – although not nearly as clingy! If my mom leaves they wait by the door and perk up to the sound of a car pulling in. They exhibit some of the same behavior to me too, now that I am forever associated with their walks! But they don’t limit themselves to their loving owners. Buddy protecting his ball from an eager Magic! Buddy and Magic can get fiercely protective of our yard! They run rings around the yard - chasing cars and warding off deer.  But when you take them outside of the confines of the yard, th

             Have you ever thought about all the crazy smart things your dog can do? They persuade you to rub their belly and give them a treat with one look! For all the times Buddy runs into walls and bangs his head on the kitchen table, even he is a brainiac when it comes to getting his way.             When we first got Magic, she wised up very quickly to the fact that she would be sleeping in a crate. Every night she would run laps around the house with us chasing her to come inside. We were desperate and she had us wrapped around her paw! She knew we’d bribe her with lots of treats and she caught on to every new trick we tried. In all honesty, she could have run us ragged for a long time if she had never had to compete with Buddy. She knew how to keep us on our toes! Knowing looks from my best buds! At one point we had to fence off our front yard so that we could regrow grass in the muddy path Buddy and Magic had created, and they were not pleased! No matter how hi

                     It isn’t too hard to find a movie about a dog. There is the Beethoven series, 101 Dalmatians, Lassie, and Bolt. If there was a dog in the plot line, chances are that I watched that movie growing up! Three influential fictional dogs in my lifetime were Air Bud, Balto, and Snoopy. AIR BUD:             Who wouldn’t love a pudding-eating, basketball-playing golden retriever? While Air Bud gave me unrealistic expectations about my dogs’ athleticism, it also taught me that dogs are good friends in tough times. I might not be able to play basketball with Buddy or Magic, but I can still play games with them and talk to them. It might seem weird talking to my dogs out loud, but don't knock it until you try it! They don’t talk back and are always happy to see you – what better audience could you ask for? Air Bud taught me that your dog is your friend! Whether you’re trying out for the school basketball team, or venting about a bad day, your furry friend will always