Doggie Time

This Friday I have nothing witty or interesting to say, so I'll just babble about what is foremost on my mind.

You see, we have this fantastic dog-not a pet, really. He's more of a companion, protector, therapist, and heated blanket rolled into one. That is the wonderful-ness we call Scout. He's big (about 120 lbs) and hairy, has the most gentle amber eyes. On the farm we always had one or two just like him rolling around, and they always had the run of the house. They were under the table during dinner, followed us as we did our chores, slept closely by our sides. My childhood pet, Hugo is credited with rescuing me from a vicious neighborhood dog and a possibly rabid woodchuck-I swear. He also took on a few cars head-on and lived to tell the tale. He was a toughie.

It has become natural for me to awake and listen for anything unusual if I hear Scout get up and check the front window in the middle of the night. While I do respect the leash law, it is the dog's primary purpose to protect and alert us to danger-how is this possible if they are confined or not by our side constantly? So its a family habit to have a big lug next to us at all times, like a shadow.

Well, I am reluctant to accept another dog this time, but I know it is for the best. Phil has brought up the subject of bringing the next generation of canine into our house, so that some of the Scout-ness may rub off and be perpetuated. The only way I can be open to this is to think of another big, dumb, gentle giant by my side, so Phil has found the American Mastiff as our next buddy (unless fate steps in like it did with Scout). One look at the photos at the Flying W Farms website, and I saw tiny children with their arms wrapped around these big brutes. I thought about Hugo, and his big ugly face and his gentle nature. We have a long time to wait before the next litter is ready, so I can get used to the idea (and brace myself for a puppy and the chewed shoes, poops and problems they bring), but its still a hard fact to swallow. But maybe Scout will really like being the alpha dog around the house...we'll see.