We said good-bye to the last of their two weenie dogs today. I felt their tears as the black one fell asleep for the last time. Nearly …a year of poor health was ending, and with it came the tender memories that would be too sensitive to touch for a while. Some people would say that it was just a dog, but I beg to differ, and so would the dog’s elderly owners. Those of us who are younger may be wise to see how the sunshine years hold a tribute to weenie dogs.
The weenie dogs gave their owners something to care for—they were living creatures that still need their owners for guidance and the basics of life. Yet more than this, the dogs gave them meaning, meaning that carried over from years of raising children and grandchildren. You cannot just turn those emotions off as time changes its definitions of wisdom and usefulness.
They gave stories to share with one another as the retirement years set in. Adventures hung in the air for hours, and short legs carried long backs into the mischievousness of puppyhood. Each new trick was story material for the next phone call from family. Lap time was special; not a bump or change in skin texture went unnoticed.
And what about the exercise? The black dog was paralyzed in the hindquarters for almost eleven months. Improvement was slow, but it was coming. The surgery had been a success, and a good prognosis depended on a lot of physical therapy at home. Imagine that! Eleven months of walking…and exercising…and moving those legs…and swimming that critter in the bathtub…and carrying it outside…and tucking it into bed. Kinda makes you wonder who got the most exercise. Kinda makes you wonder, would you have exercised at all?
No disappointment. This love is unconditional. So what if you go to bed at eight thirty? They’ll be more than happy to stay right beside the bed until 5:00 a.m., when you start the next day. So what if you keep the house at eighty-eight degrees year-round? They’ve never known it to be different. So what if you drive twenty-five miles per hour on the interstate? They just love going for rides. So what if you tell the same story over and over? They love it as much the last time as they did the first.
Inside of me is a huge tribute to weenie dogs. I’ve seen their effect. I’ve laughed at those stories. I’ve helped you notice every bump and change in skin texture. I’ve monitored that exercise program. And I’ve seen that love in your eyes as you held a precious friend in your lap.
When the world has collapsed and there is no love at all, there will still be the love of a dog. They just don’t know how to do otherwise.
