A Dogs Life

 A Dogs Life                  1/3/17

Diana, has been my wife for 35 years

And I love her, 

Maybe not every minute of everyday,

But well over 90% of the time.

Rose had been part of the family for years

Between Homer, Rose and Doobie

We’ve had at least one dog,

For the last 25 years…until today.

None of those friends was perfect,

But all of them added to our lives.

Homer was first and surely the most handsome.

A tall 85-pound brown/white Dalmatian,

He understood his nightly trip to the backyard.

Peeing was mandatory. But if the well were dry

He would lift his back left leg and pretend.

That was enough to gain him reentry. 

Rose lived 15 years, and was a 40 pound black runner.

She could accommodate upwards of a 10-dog chase.

She was always the target,

With long legs and excellent eyesight she could hunt squirrels,

Never successfully, from over 200 feet away.

For years she shared our bed, always as family, never as guest.

She had 2 female buddies, both substantially larger.

Her German Sheppard buddy discouraged any interest from males.

Doobie was 9 when we adopted him. 

A quiet fat mutt with legs designed for a 5 pound body.

He weighed upwards of 17 pounds, would bark whenever he was

Hungry, and was always hungry.

He was not designed for, nor interested in,

Playing with Rose, or any other dog.

In his last month Doobie’s walk

Was transformed into a daily stroller ride.

He never asked out of a chauffeured tour.

Do we get another dog?  There are many dogs that need a home, and we are not accustomed to a house with out an occasional bark.

Will see