The other night.  This unfolded.  I may have enjoyed it a bit too much. Jake walked in to find a roadblock and he was immediately perplexed.

“What the…?”

“Ok self, you have a really big head, use brain, what are the options here…” 

“There is a slight gap down there, ugh, it’s doubtful I can get through without awakening him.  This is what it must have been like to live with dinosaurs…”

“There is no way in hell I’m going that way, that is where the teeth are…”

“Maybe if I inch closer he’ll just, move.  Big head, will him to MOVE…”

“Is there any way to burrow through the closets to the other side…”

“I’m going to go into the bathroom and come back out.  This may just be a bad dream…”

“This is it, I’ve realized my level in hell. I doubt they have treats…”

“I’m going to give her ONE MORE look of despair. Hmmmmm, it seems really hurtful that she is STILL laughing.” 

Our bajillionith Sirius Republic collar order but our very first matching leash set!  Squeeeeeeeeee!

There are those moments you know that YOUR dog was meant to be YOURS, that in all truth, they found you.

My moment with Melvin was when I realized that he was pulling me (literally, via the leash) forward in life. Forward from grief and hard’ish life moments.  Forward, through them, not away from them.  He is my journey.

My moment with Jake came last night.  They were calling for some storms so after our walk we went into the backyard in order to batten down some of the hatches.  At one point I came around the corner to find Jake, paws up, against the house.  If you need more of a visual, it was as if an invisible cop was behind him and he was arms up on the building for his frisking.  Mine.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that he was eating dried plumbers putty from the hose connection to the house.  Eating it right off the house, scratching his nose on the brick, like a true foodie.  Mine, mine, mine.

Yes, I spent the $40 on the phone call to animal poison control.  Plumbers putty, when dry, is non-toxic.  Of course the Dr. did share with me that all other calls she’d had on plumbers putty was of dogs eating it fresh, from containers, usually at an actual plumbers house.  That this was the first time the ingestion was, paws up, eaten off a house.

Say it with me again, mine.

We are watching him for signs of blockage, but for now he seems to be all Jake.

I have migraines.  It is what it is.  They come and go, that’s life.  I don’t feel sorry for myself, I try not to complain too much, and I get really excited when I wake up and they’re gone.

One of the biggest areas in life I’m most grateful for, is family and friends who step up to help.  I put the call out, that Migraine Contingency Plan is code red, and they go into action to help with Melvin and Jake.  And the boys…well I couldn’t ask for less demanding, more understanding dogs.  I’m blessed.

This weekend was rainy and migrainy…

It started off as normal bed snuggling…

Then Jake opted for the sidecar…

Then this happened…

Then Jake prayed that meals would not be forgotten…

And treats, don’t forget the treats…

Then they said ‘screw it, let’s cuddle’…

Then Melvin decided one more time for good measure…

This is Jake’s new nightly ritual.  Don’t worry, he’s still dating the carpet, they seem to be going strong.  But the couch has become his second love.

When he first came, I felt like I was being punished.  I mean me, Melvin-man, punished? For what? Being so awesome? Let’s be honest, he’s an odd little dude and it has taken some getting used to.

He’s little.  He’s like a toy, and instead of a squeaking noise, he grunts and snores.  It’s hardly adorable.  I’m fairly used to his noises now and usually I can avoid stepping on him when we are running towards the door or in close proximity. I mean, little is fine, whatevs.

He has odd bursts of energy.  When we get up, he busts out of his box-bed like he’s a greyhound behind a race gate.  I mean where is he going? The bedroom door is shut dude, you’re gonna hit the wall every time.

He doesn’t listen.  She calls his various names a lot.  I think her hands hurt from making snapsy noises to get his attention during the day.  Who knows, maybe he is paying attention to her, with those eyes, no one can tell.  I don’t look into those eyes, he may be my brother but that doesn’t mean he can’t also be into voodoo.  The two are not mutually exclusive.  Zombies are not cute, count me out of being hypnotized by his googly eyes.  (Hey, that rhymed  I’m so poetic).

A couple of times dude tried to fight me (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, can you imagine?).  He got his googly eyes all in a bunch over my empty Kong.  That kid has an odd sense of reason.  Anyway, he leapt at my face (uh news flash genius, you can barely get on the couch, how you gonna reach my face?).  I looked at Her and She seemed to hope I’d take the up high road (that road always seems far) so I just moved my handsome face away from his attack and She was able to get him off of me.  That only happened a few times, each time over an empty Kong (clearly he doesn’t get smarter with age).  But for the past few months, it’s been fine. What?  You want me to knock on wood?  Is that code for eat more?

Every time I wake up he’s sitting with his arse in my face.  Why people, why?

The other day he leapt off the couch towards the window after a bird that was flying by. He was inside.  The bird was obviously outside.  Oh yeah, we’re keeping him, that dude is funny and me likes to laugh.

I’m curious if any of my dog writing/training friends know what this is about.  Jake, daily, will sit in front of where Melvin already is and then inch backwards towards Melvin.  He then just stays there.  In each of these photos, he started out a foot or two further away, then he beep, beep, beeped it back up.

Every. Day. 

I’ve had puppies. They are wickedly adorable.  They are so fluffy and cute.  Of course, I will never have a puppy again, not even if that puppy is a rescue.  Puppies are a lot of work.  A lot.  A crazy amount and most days during the chewing and potty training phase, it feels more insurmountable than enjoyable.  I really don’t enjoy cleaning up pee, that’s just me.  When I got Melvin at age three, he was still heading towards the crazy years and it drove me a little bonkers.  He was wild, energetic and eager to find mischief.  He pulled me over, to the ground, with zero remorse. He would trample children.  Someone suggested his name should be Marley

Someone recently, upon seeing Melvin, said ‘hey there old guy…’.  It was said gently, lovingly, not meant to sting.  My reaction was to ignore it, move on.  The comment kept sneaking back into my mind.  While it makes me a little sad to hear it, I happen to love this moment in life with Melvin.  He’s eight. I know he’s not really old, yet. But thankfully, his puppy years are behind us. And that’s OK.  He now channels his inner soulfulness so effortlessly, it’s like he was put here to share it.  He has just the right amount of exuberance, he’s excited at precisely the right time.  He naps, like a champ, the type of relaxing that most pay money to achieve.  He has learned to receive love and return it twenty fold. His health challenges  have made him strong and resilient and somehow, happier.   He is kind, understanding, caring, with just the right amount of ‘what the F?’.  He’s older now, but I wouldn’t go back to age three, not even to have more time with him.

He. Is. Perfect. He is my heart.

And when he’s 14, he’ll be even more impeccable. I wholeheartedly feel that old dogs are the best dogs, and Melvin is on his way to being just that.  Enjoy every moment, that’s how it’s supposed to be!

The boys are doing great!  Melvin loves Jake in his own special way, by tolerating him and giving him room to be…Jake. Jake on the other hand, adores Melvin. Borderline stalking. While he has given up on trying to engage Melvin in play (smart dog Jake), he still follows him around like a lovesick puppy and tries to inch as close to Melvin as possible. It’s hard to say what’s funnier, Jake looking to me as if to say ‘do you think he’ll eat me if I move one inch closer’ or Melvin looking as if to say ‘are we still not eating brother?’.

This is most evident on the big bed.  Jake is not allowed on the big bed without permission.  Once up there, he seeks acceptance by Melvin and it’s comical to watch.  On days when Jake does not get invited up on the big bed, he will settle for the bench at the foot of the bed.  And often, he will use my planned outfit for the day as extra cushioning. I mean clearly, that is why I laid that dress there.

It was a four-day weekend for us, and it was pretty relaxing!

We went to my parents house.  It was too cold for this…

So we did a lot of this…

And then we celebrated my niece’s (aka The Princess) 3rd birthday!

We finished it up with a photo shoot of the boys for their Memorial Day to salute to all those who selflessly defend our freedom!

I could write a new post today, but it wouldn’t be as awesome as this one! Love, love, love it! Check it out…

Here’s the thing, Melvin can screw-up and I take one look at him and think ‘it’s OK my love, you’re adorable, I forgive you’.  Jake screws-up and I take one look at his nodding, bobbley head looking up at me and I think ‘good God, you’re hysterical!’ and immediately, he is forgiven also.

Those two really know how to work it. 

My relationship with each dog is very different. The love is the same but they are each, obviously, at different train stations on the track of my life.  I’ll label my connection with Jake as, complex.  We are still figuring it all out.  He makes me laugh as often as he makes me add something to the list of things we need to work on.

Melvin, well he just makes me sigh.  He is comfort.  He is love. He’s has had an impact on my life that words have a hard time conveying

Not all mornings go smoothly.  It seems some mornings the dogs think I have infinite time to walk them (if only) when in reality I have allotted plenty of time for them to exercise and ‘to go’.  Still, for whatever reason, there are days we return home without finishing that last part.  Even after 30-40 minutes.  So then we go into the backyard, where I plead with one or both of them to GO. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY, GO OUTSIDE AND NOT INSIDE!  Verbally I do this, pleading, like a crazy person.

It’s on those mornings, I understand the phrase ‘it’s five o’clock somewhere’.  Thus today, I’m posting photos of them looking adorable, to remind myself how much I love them.