Forgive the grainy quality of that picture, it was taken several years ago and technology wasn't quite what it is today. Nevertheless, this ranks among my favorite pictures of my goofy dog. "Someone" had the audacity to put one of her tennis balls in the garbage and she wanted to know why she couldn't have it. In my defense, it was a shell of it's former self.
Literally.
The cover had been ripped off and it was almost in two pieces. Still, it was hers and she wanted it back.
Until I showed her the new and improved (Now with squeaker!) version.
I remember, pretty vividly, how she came to enter our lives. The Quiet Child had come home for a visit. She was around 4 months pregnant with the Boy Genius and one evening we were all sitting on the front porch when she told us she wanted to get a puppy. She figured she could get it trained more or less before the baby was due and she thought it would be good for the two to grow up together. I admit I was surprised when she said she was thinking about a Lab. I'd thought she would go for a Rot or Pit Bull. I'm not sure why I thought that, but I remember thinking it. Her mother mentioned there was a breeder (spare me the hate, I know it's far better to rescue. I'm merely telling you how it went down back then) just around the corner from us, maybe they could go look at puppies.
They did. The next day.
I was (surprise, surprise) at work.
I got a phone call that started off, and I quote -
"These puppies are so frickin' cute!" (again, surprise, surprise)
"You want one don't you?"
"Do you mind?" (like I had any actual say in the matter)
So, this face
Became a part of our household. I think that date is pretty accurate too. We got her at about 6 weeks old and from the start, she was a pretty easy dog. And by that I mean she was pretty easy to housebreak and she was also very laid-back. I've heard Labs are either complete spazz's until they're about 6 years old or they're pretty mellow and Sophie was always mellow. I still remember the first "big girl" bark she let out. She scared herself at the sound of her own voice, like she didn't recognize that she had made the noise and she wondered where the other dog was.
There was, btw, an "other" dog. A Jack Russell terrorist (no, that's not a misprint) named Tobi and here they are
It's funny, looking back at this picture, because even though Sophie grew to outweigh Tobi by about 5 to 1, they always treated each other like they were still this size. Tobi would only have to curl his lip at her and she would cower down. He was king of the dog castle and it was never questioned.
She has always, always, been the most gentle dog I've known.
Like here
She could have easily shoo'd the kitten away and snarfed the food, but she laid there, watching, waiting, "oh please, oh please" for the kitten to finish so she could sneak in and claim the spoils of food war. Check out the look on her face. "I'm not here, you can't see me, pay no attention to the dog behind the curtain" all at once.
And there's also the "what did I do to deserve this?" look. Like here, when she shared her dog bed with the other two knuckleheads
She loves many things, my Sophie.
Like kiddie pools in the summer...
And almost anything in the winter...
I apologize if the audio is a bit loud, I'm not sure how to manage that, and rest assured, no animals were harmed in the production of that video. I don't know why she loves biting the snow as it leaves the snowblower, but it's probably her favorite thing in the world.
Sophie has been one of the few constants in my life for the last 10 years. If you know me in RL or if you're a regular visitor here, you know my family has experienced our share of sorrows. And I don't say that, ever, because I'm looking for sympathy from anyone, merely as a frame of reference. I fully recognize, and will offer up if asked, that my life has been blessed with more good fortune than any one person should ever get. wonderful friends, great family, awesome kids and grandkids, I'm one lucky son of a gun.
But Sophie helped me out of a lot of funks when I didn't really want to be a functioning member of society. She always wanted to go out and play, walk, sniff things, whatever dogs enjoy. And I couldn't sit there like a mope when she needed to do what she needed to do.
Funny thing about Sophie, when we got her, Diane was the one that trained with her. Took her to obedience class, worked her on her commands every day, the whole nine yards. But whenever I came home, whether it was after five minutes or a full 48 at the firehouse, Sophie was at my side.
Right from the start.
I don't know why, but she was. Still is.
I'm so very lucky to have her and I don't know what I'll do when the time comes and she's no longer with me.
I'm going to go ahead and close this gem out now, I've been far too long "crafting" this piece and I need to pick up a Sophie-friendly birthday treat for her.
Peace
PS.
Because there's (almost) always a PS, I'm not sure if that last video is going to function or not. If it didn't my bad, but you're SOL
No comments:
Post a Comment