It’s been a few years since our dogs have gone. I have since acquired a Cockatiel. Cool bird, a rescue bird. I am her 3rd owner and it has taken her about a year to really get comfortable with us. I enjoy that she cuddles up to my neck and hide under my hair. She’s sitting on my knee right now with her face tucked into her feathers between her wings on her back. Comfortable and sleeping. Nice. God, though, how I miss my dogs.
I miss taking them for walks. Calla would walk close by while Cosmo would pull on the leash. If they saw a squirrel I would have to rein them in or I’d be on my butt. Cosmo was always so happy to be out, especially with me. He’d look back (remember, he’s always pulling me) with a smile as if to say, “Isn’t this grand? Aren’t we having a great time?” Calla was a bit more reserved and act a bit embarrassed with Cosmo. I knew she was having fun too. Calla was a bit prissy. When it rained or if the snow was melting and the lawn was wet, she would carefully and delicately walk out to pee, then try to get back without getting her paws wet. It was so fun to see. Here is this big dog who looks like she’s tip-toeing in the grass trying to keep dry. Then Cosmo would go out on the wet grass, in the rain – pouring down rain, lie down and chew on Calla’s bone. A bone that she had gotten earlier that day or the day before and had buried. Calla would stand on the edge of the patio and bark at Cosmo while he was chewing on her bone. Then she’d look back at us as if to say, “Aren’t you going to do something??”
Calla was the picky one. If she was given something she didn’t care for, she would just turn around and drop it. Cosmo would eat just about anything – including whatever Calla didn’t want. Calla could take a kernel of popcorn from your fingers using her lips, very gently. Cosmo would take your fingers off. Had to be careful with The Mo. Calla would use one fore leg and carefully try to get something she wants out from under a table, Cosmo would barrel under the table to get what he wanted. Careful on what you put on top of the table! Calla was cat-like in the respect that she was fine being left alone sometimes. She didn’t need to be with us all the time. As long as she knew where we were, she was fine. She’d just come to use and make sure we were okay, sniff a little and maybe want a hug, (she’d push her head on our legs) then she’d leave to lay down in the shade or if indoors, on a comfortable blanket. Cosmo was never more than 3 feet away from me. If I took a bath, he’d be at the bathroom door. If I went from one side of the room to the other side, he’d follow. Outside was the same. I mean it, never more than 3 feet away. It was a little annoying, but comforting too. In the kitchen it was a problem. I showed him the line not to cross. I like to tell people Cosmo was a real stupid dog, truth be told, he wasn’t stupid at all. He knew that line. It wasn’t a line caused by different flooring, it was an invisible line. He would sit at that line, then lie down. Half his body would then pass over the line. I decided I could live with that.
Two dogs, two sexes, two completely different personalities. One was a guard dog – Calla, a Kuvasz. The other was a mixed breed with a strong herding instinct – Cosmo. Both loved a great deal. Both missed a great deal. Some days it just hurts my heart. Maybe some day we can get another dog, but now isn’t a good time. I believe in being prepared for dogs and we just aren’t. There’s just something special about the love and companionship we get from a dog.
