Well, it’s that time again: Leila’s birthday is coming up. I never thought that celebrating a dog’s birthday would become something necessary. It is.
When I first adopted Leila and embarked on her first dog beach trip, I smiled with anticipation as I saw dogs of all sizes running along the shore, happy tails wagging.
The Dead Fish
As I shaded my eyes and peered around, I noticed Leila wasn’t in the mix. After several seconds of curious silence, Leila appears, proudly strutting by with a giant dead fish in her mouth. Slowly all the normal dogs left their posts at the shore and began following Leila and the dead fish around.
Needless to say, I received quite a few smirks and grumbles.
Having Leila in my life has opened my heart. A pet can be a part of your family, if you allow him/her to be. Contrary to what most people would believe, I can read her heart better than my own friends. We might not speak the same language, but she understands my entire life.
She knows my work schedule because it determines her park schedule and she knows when its dinnertime because it determines her own dinnertime. She knows when its time for bed and when its time to wake up. Is there really anything more intimate than that? I can’t think of much else.
More importantly than my daily routine, she knows when I’m upset. I know this because she gets mopey, her tail goes between her legs, and she offers me to wrap my arms around her.
I can read the fear in her eyes when not all is right and I think that’s the most significant trait to have in another family member.
So without any further divergence, Leila’s birthday is coming up and we need to celebrate.
It’s her 5th birthday, which means in human years she will be 35. It’s funny because she doesn’t seem on the brink of middle aged to me. Her maturity level has soared to unthinkable heights in the past couple years! She is still as active and playful as a puppy – at the park at least.
Split Personality
When Leila is indoors, she is the classic epitome of a lazy, sleeping, ploppy dog. But at the park, I’m running around like a mad woman performing damage control. Its interesting to frantically replace flung away dirt over from huge holes dug in 30 seconds. I just love to sympathize with the owners of dogs’ necks shes mangled and drenched in her saliva. The best part is clearing my throat from yelling at her to stop barking at people.