Not just today, but over the past month or more, our dog comes running up to me when I return.
This seems like a small thing and many experience this several times per day, but this is the fourth "used" dog (abused dog?) we have gotten in recent times.
It always felt like our dogs were terrified of me at first. Possibly some evil, redneck, yard ape, alpha mother fucker who hated little dogs had already shown their colors to our beloved new pets.
It feels like I am finally winning this little guy over, after about eight months. He meets me at the door, smiling, tale wagging, jumping for joy, so excited to see me return, just like a regular dog does.
I don't know what it is about big ugly alpha bastards that have need to abuse small dogs. Or any animal for that matter.
I do believe that we as Humans were intended to be guardians of all "lesser" creatures. The use of that word "lesser" is open to debate, for I can tell you how most animals are superior to us in many ways, except a few, which we have mastered as "crown of creation/top of the food chain" beasts. We plan more definitively, especially toward our own gain.
Some we take as companions, some we eat, some are burdened by our needs and some we just enjoy to have them do what ever they do.
We are supposed to take care of all of them and give them the best lives they will ever know due to our care.
Sometimes that means getting out of their way, allowing them to just do things they want and to me that always means don't kick them, scream and berate them or hurt them in any way, bastards.
In the old days you could just get a puppy and raise it to know only love and respect. These days, unless you are willing to pay huge dollars for some purebread that will probably have massive health detriments from all the inbreeding, you are going to have to choose an animal which has already been cast off ungraciously and possibly abused from a previous owner., all from a shelter somewhere.
These animals need love too, so I am not saying don't go get a rescue animal! But you should be prepared to exercise some patience as your relationship with them develops. It has taken me a long time to win this little fellow over!
Anyway, I am very happy to report that our fourth dog of late has begun to accept me as more than some yard ape alpha asshole that only means him harm.
The sweet girl dog we lost recently to accident accepted me from the start and I was so fond of her.
This eight pound Chiweenie is coming around, though.
Makes me feel special.