Pet Bookings

My dog celebrated her 7th birthday yesterday.  Well, I am not sure if she really knew it was her “big day” or not, but we celebrated nonetheless.  Now, we didn’t celebrate in the sense of throwing a big party or hiring a clown or anything.  She would prefer a mailman anyway (and yes, our mail delivery carrier is a man).  We whipped up her favorite kitty pancake, gave her some extra belly rubs, and took her for an extra long walk.  It’s hard to believe she is seven years old!  Where does the time go?  I still remember the day I first picked her up from the humane society.  She was a rescue and was so excited to just be going… anywhere!  She had no idea where she was going or who she was going with–all she knew was she was breaking free… and break free she did!  In fact, I couldn’t stop her from breaking free for the first six months.  If she was off lead, she was gone.  She had no worries and was about as curious as a cat.  My mom always use to say, “Any dog that runs away isn’t smart enough to realize how good they have it.”  Well, I didn’t give up on her, and every time she took off, I went after.  Turns out it was worth it.   Finally, by the age of 1 year, she figured out the “come when called” trick.

She hasn’t left my side ever since.  At seven years old, she is not nearly as active as she once was, but she still gets as excited as ever when it’s time to play.  She is also fully employed.  She thinks it is her job to scare the mailman away EVERY DAY.  So, around one o’clock in the afternoon, she stands watch and barks her head off when a man in uniform comes along with some paper to drop in our mail slot.  She must think she is the employee of the century because every day the mailman comes, she barks, and he leaves.  She obviously thinks, “This guy comes every day, I bark and carry on, and he goes away–What I’m doing must be working!”  I am not really sure how to cure or break her from this habit, but at this point I am not really sure if I want to.  She thinks she is protecting the house and if at anytime an actual intruder were to approach, I know my house would be safe…  so I let her do her job.

I am not sure how many more birthdays she will have, but realistically she is on the downslope of the mountain.  Her life expectancy is 12-14 years.  As with any of us, there is no use in wasting time fretting about our demise, but rather celebrate and give thanks for what we have today.  If the next 7 years are as good as the first, I am in for a real treat!

Getting a new puppy is a very exciting event in anyone’s life.  It is the beginning of a new relationship with a personality which could conceivably be around for the next 10, 15, or 20 years!  Sometimes it is odd to ponder all of life’s events which your new pet will experience with you.   Cities, events, jobs, and even friends come and go, but pets are by your side for all of life’s changes.  I think this is why they are so dear to our hearts, because they are ALWAYS there.  Through good times and bad, pets comfort us, support us, and are just good companions.   This is why it is not so important to choose the perfect pet name.   That’s right I said NOT.   It’s not important because if you just give them a little time, they will eventually name themselves.  I believe the best way to name a new puppy is to take it home and get acquainted first.  Does it really matter if you give it a name on the very first day or not?…They don’t listen to you right away anyway, so don’t rush into a name just for the sake of naming your pet.  This, too, is a good way of receiving lots of good ideas and name possibilities.  If your pup doesn’t have a name, thats the first piece of advice others will offer as soon as they hear of your new acquisition.  Letting your children or grandchildren come up with the name is always fun and cute.  You often get a spotted dog named Spot, a brown dog named Brownie, or a white dog named Snowflake.  Along the way, as you live your life alongside your furry friend, your pet name for that little companion may just change a few times.   Just as a family member’s name might change from Bobby as a little boy, to Robert as a grown man, we can often find ourselves referring to our pet’s name in the same way.   The fact is, you can name your pet absolutely anything you like! Some prefer human names which make them sound as if they are literally members of your family (which they are). However, the same person who refers to their cat as “Bob” might go home at night and call that cat anything but “Bob”… In the seclusion of their own home they may prefer Buddy, Baby, BoBo,  or even Mr. Snuggle Pants.  The point is, people call their pets whatever is on their mind at the moment.  It is almost intimate in a way that no one else ever hears those little conversations you share with your pet.  Is this where the term “pet name” comes from?  Silly fun talk that only you and your pet understand.  Before you know it, you will have 3 or 4 different “pet names” your pet responds to.  Because it’s not the name that’s important to the dog, it’s the voice speaking it.  This is why it is not of dire importance that you come up with the perfect pet name right away.  The perfect pet name takes time and will come with time.  Just come up with something that will get you started. Your pet will take care of the rest!