Leslie Brown

Crazy dogs at play

Sometimes I take care of Leo, my “ex-dog.”  When I got divorced, Leo went with my ex-husband, and our wonderful Shepherd mutt, Bear, stayed with me.

Bear died rather abruptly, after fighting lymphoma for over two years. Several months later, I got eight-month old “crazy girl” Tasha.

When I travel, Michas (my ex) and Leo take care of Tasha; when Michas goes away, Leo gets to stay at my house and be entertained by Tasha and me. Leo, who is half Border Collie and half Golden Retriever, is an angel–except when he nuzzles me with his wet nose at 6:00 in the morning! He doesn’t want food; he wants me to get out of bed for some attention.

Leo and Tasha are great pals, and in spite of their age difference (Leo is about 10-years old now and Tasha is three), they generally play like…well, crazy dogs. They run together and both try to catch the tennis ball that I throw; they swim together in the nearby lake; and they eat together, licking each other’s bowls after they’ve finished with their own food.

I’m sure that when Leo goes back home that Tasha will be bereft—until the next time they get to hang out together and play “chase the dog.” They do love each other.

Michas adopted Leo from the Humane Society, so Leo is forever grateful. He sticks close to Michas, his proud guardian. While Michas is away, Leo pouts for a short while, and then he stays close to me and to Tasha.

This last time I took care of Leo, it took him awhile to stop pouting and to get used to me again. While it seemed that he didn’t remember me, I thought he was probably just adjusting to a new/old place. But after a couple of days, he started “dogging” me again and sleeping on the bed along with Tasha (and of course, me!). It gets a little crowded, but it’s full of love (and fur!)

Bringing a dog into your family causes great joy all around. But, making a commitment to a dog is much like making a commitment to a human being: Both relationships require daily care and nurturing in order to flourish. So, as you embark (no pun intended!) on this new commitment, here are a dozen promises to consider making to your dog: I promise to have realistic ...

Finola is a Black Lab puppy. She is in training to be a candidate for the organization Guide Dogs for the Blind. Finola lives with my good friend Jo who is her puppy raiser. Jo has had Finola since she was 18 weeks old, and she will keep her until she is about a year and a half. At that time, Jo will say ...

My dog Tasha, a three-year old Golden Retriever, loves stuffed toys. If I give her one, or if she finds one, she immediately takes it in her drooling mouth, as if she’s retrieving a waterfowl for her person. After proudly showing off the toy and making satisfied whiny noises, she starts the process of demolishing it. Tasha eagerly takes out all of the stuffing by chewing on ...

One of the most life-threatening mistakes people can make is to leave a dog in a vehicle during hot weather. Dogs don't perspire as humans do, so they have to pant to cool themselves off. If the air that they are breathing is too hot (as it is in a parked car in hot weather), then panting has too little cooling effect, and the dog will ...