I've had numerous requests for another segment of Chester's Tales. Here's a double dose ... hope you enjoy.
Chester – Day 32
Togetherness is a good and special thing. In our relationships we all search for this
feeling of belonging. Most often it’s a sense of peace in finding another person who enjoys our company or someone who likes doing the same things. It’s being close to someone we trust and appreciate.
Summer 2011 and I was running errands in town. When I left the grocery store I noticed a cardboard sign: “Golden Retriever puppies for sale”. Glenn and I had talked, at length, about getting a Golden someday, but not until we sold our home and bought another with a much larger yard. I wasn’t looking for a dog yet, actually hadn’t thought about a puppy either. I jotted down the phone number from the sign and put it away. That afternoon when I was done with the errands, I called to inquire about the pups, although I had no intention of getting one, I was curious. The lady on the phone was very friendly and said that she’d have the 4-week-old puppies out in the yard since other people were coming to look at them as well. I agreed to stop by and take a look.
I held a few pups, got my puppy “fix” and was about to leave when the lady asked if I wanted a male or female. I said that if we got one I’d prefer a female. She counted the pups in the outdoor pen and said, “Oh, there’s another one in their den, I’ll go get her.” They had a neat area set up in the garage with 2-foot plywood walls for the mother dog and her pups. It consisted of a large main room and a few smaller rooms with pathways only large enough for the puppies to walk through. Clean straw was placed in the small rooms that the puppies used as their bathroom area. The largest area held blankets and toys and an area for nursing. The walls were tall enough where the puppies couldn’t get out but momma dog could jump in and out as needed to feed and care for her babies. It was obvious the dogs in this household were loved and treated as revered members of the family.
When I held Casey she stole me heart. She licked my face and cuddled under my chin. When I put her down on the lawn she started showing off. Before I left, I placed a large deposit on our new puppy. When I returned home, I told Glenn “you’ll never guess what I did today.” In the meantime I had done a lot of research and planning. It had been awhile since we had a dog and I wanted to do everything right. We purchased a kennel for her bed and training. We had all the usual puppy toys, food, treats, leashes and other necessities. I’d spoken to a local veterinarian and checked into puppy obedience training.
She would be MY dog … one I could train and spend time with, my jogging buddy and a cuddly friend to sit by me on my bed while I read or listened to music. I was thrilled that I’d done it the right way and she was going to be my special companion. Several weeks later I brought her home. The very next day, our world changed.
While working in his garage/shop Glenn was knocked off a ladder and crushed by a large stack of lumber from an upper shelf. From inside the house it sounded like a large truck had gone through the garage door and into the house. At first I couldn’t find Glenn in the pile of rubble and when he didn’t answer my calls I feared that he was dead. Several lacerations on his arms and a headache from hitting the floor were the least of it. The lumber had split Glenn’s sternum and broke it in several places. His full recovery took about 9 months. Every day Casey was by his side. How could she know that I chose her to be my friend and companion? She thought we brought her home to protect and care for Glenn. She holds up her end of the bargain every day.
Glenn is retired, but he’s always busy. He enjoys working in the small yards with all kinds of plants. Our yard is a showplace of flowers, shrubs and young trees. He always has a small area for growing some berries and tomatoes. The back yard is fenced so Casey can play with her toys or follow Glenn around. If the weather isn’t good for being outside, Glenn spends most of the day in the garage doing a woodworking project of some kind, usually with the garage door open. Casey can be tied to a long lead where she is close to Glenn but where she can’t go visit the neighbors on her own. When we are home she’s comfortable being connected to the lead in the garage so she can go inside or out while Glenn works. She’s happy because they’re together.
Recently Chester has found togetherness. At the one-month mark of his permanent home adoption he’s succeeded in finding a peaceful sense of being together with me. He still spends part of his days by himself in a corner but at times he sits close to my chair in the living room so I can pet him while I write or watch TV. Occasionally he moves under the dining room table where he can watch me in the kitchen. Lately, since we’ve been at Grandma’s house, he not only enjoys but seeks out Glenn and Casey in the garage.
We wouldn’t be able to tie Chester to a lead and leave him in an open garage like we do with Casey. She doesn’t try to get away; she wouldn’t want to leave. Chester’s primary instincts still tell him to flee when he’s out of his comfort zone. If we’re on a walk and try to go someplace other than the usual route, he balks, backs up and tries to pull off his leash and halter. We double hook him whenever he is outside of the fenced yard to protect him from himself. If Chester was tied up, his instinct would be to escape. If he got loose, he would run until his legs would go no farther and we might not ever find him. The slightest unfamiliar sight or sound would send him into a frenzy that would cause anxiety and his flight instinct would take over. He runs when we see anyone. He is comfortable around us and no one else yet. It’s a good thing that Grandma’s garage isn’t cluttered with woodworking tools. The projects Glenn works on here involve sorting and organizing shelves and drawers. It’s a closed-door environment where two dogs can just hang out with “Dad” while he works.
A new kind of togetherness is building between Chester and his adopted sister Casey. Recently when we’re on walks they sit together when we stop to rest. The past several days they lie together in the garage while Glenn works. The newest situation is their fondness for lying on the leather sofa in the living room here at Grandma’s house. It’s becoming a regular scene. One dog jumps on and before long the other one appears there too. I think it’s their favorite place to be with each other. Actually when Casey gets on first, she curls up at one end or the other. When Chester gets to the sofa first, he chooses the middle cushion, front feet crossed, leaving only small spaces at the ends for the largest dog in the family. He looks like those lion statues that people use at entrances to fancy estates, regal and proud.
Yesterday we watched in amazement as Chester initiated play with Casey. She had a piece of a pork bone in the back yard. Chester was sitting by me on the patio when all of a sudden he jumped up, ran towards Casey and started chasing her, tail wagging. These moments don’t happen often or last very long but they’re signs of improvement and encouraging to witness. The wagging tail is still a rare occurrence as well so it’s a big deal when it happens.
Just now Casey came in from the garage with Glenn. Chester jumped off the sofa and ran; tail wagging, to see what Casey was doing. The bond between these two dogs is increasing and it’s nice to see these short bursts of fun from Chester. Although the dogs are together all day, most of the time they ignore each other; so when Chester initiates any type of interaction or play, it delights us to no end. Togetherness is so important … for people and dogs alike.
Summer 2011 and I was running errands in town. When I left the grocery store I noticed a cardboard sign: “Golden Retriever puppies for sale”. Glenn and I had talked, at length, about getting a Golden someday, but not until we sold our home and bought another with a much larger yard. I wasn’t looking for a dog yet, actually hadn’t thought about a puppy either. I jotted down the phone number from the sign and put it away. That afternoon when I was done with the errands, I called to inquire about the pups, although I had no intention of getting one, I was curious. The lady on the phone was very friendly and said that she’d have the 4-week-old puppies out in the yard since other people were coming to look at them as well. I agreed to stop by and take a look.
I held a few pups, got my puppy “fix” and was about to leave when the lady asked if I wanted a male or female. I said that if we got one I’d prefer a female. She counted the pups in the outdoor pen and said, “Oh, there’s another one in their den, I’ll go get her.” They had a neat area set up in the garage with 2-foot plywood walls for the mother dog and her pups. It consisted of a large main room and a few smaller rooms with pathways only large enough for the puppies to walk through. Clean straw was placed in the small rooms that the puppies used as their bathroom area. The largest area held blankets and toys and an area for nursing. The walls were tall enough where the puppies couldn’t get out but momma dog could jump in and out as needed to feed and care for her babies. It was obvious the dogs in this household were loved and treated as revered members of the family.
When I held Casey she stole me heart. She licked my face and cuddled under my chin. When I put her down on the lawn she started showing off. Before I left, I placed a large deposit on our new puppy. When I returned home, I told Glenn “you’ll never guess what I did today.” In the meantime I had done a lot of research and planning. It had been awhile since we had a dog and I wanted to do everything right. We purchased a kennel for her bed and training. We had all the usual puppy toys, food, treats, leashes and other necessities. I’d spoken to a local veterinarian and checked into puppy obedience training.
She would be MY dog … one I could train and spend time with, my jogging buddy and a cuddly friend to sit by me on my bed while I read or listened to music. I was thrilled that I’d done it the right way and she was going to be my special companion. Several weeks later I brought her home. The very next day, our world changed.
While working in his garage/shop Glenn was knocked off a ladder and crushed by a large stack of lumber from an upper shelf. From inside the house it sounded like a large truck had gone through the garage door and into the house. At first I couldn’t find Glenn in the pile of rubble and when he didn’t answer my calls I feared that he was dead. Several lacerations on his arms and a headache from hitting the floor were the least of it. The lumber had split Glenn’s sternum and broke it in several places. His full recovery took about 9 months. Every day Casey was by his side. How could she know that I chose her to be my friend and companion? She thought we brought her home to protect and care for Glenn. She holds up her end of the bargain every day.
Glenn is retired, but he’s always busy. He enjoys working in the small yards with all kinds of plants. Our yard is a showplace of flowers, shrubs and young trees. He always has a small area for growing some berries and tomatoes. The back yard is fenced so Casey can play with her toys or follow Glenn around. If the weather isn’t good for being outside, Glenn spends most of the day in the garage doing a woodworking project of some kind, usually with the garage door open. Casey can be tied to a long lead where she is close to Glenn but where she can’t go visit the neighbors on her own. When we are home she’s comfortable being connected to the lead in the garage so she can go inside or out while Glenn works. She’s happy because they’re together.
Recently Chester has found togetherness. At the one-month mark of his permanent home adoption he’s succeeded in finding a peaceful sense of being together with me. He still spends part of his days by himself in a corner but at times he sits close to my chair in the living room so I can pet him while I write or watch TV. Occasionally he moves under the dining room table where he can watch me in the kitchen. Lately, since we’ve been at Grandma’s house, he not only enjoys but seeks out Glenn and Casey in the garage.
We wouldn’t be able to tie Chester to a lead and leave him in an open garage like we do with Casey. She doesn’t try to get away; she wouldn’t want to leave. Chester’s primary instincts still tell him to flee when he’s out of his comfort zone. If we’re on a walk and try to go someplace other than the usual route, he balks, backs up and tries to pull off his leash and halter. We double hook him whenever he is outside of the fenced yard to protect him from himself. If Chester was tied up, his instinct would be to escape. If he got loose, he would run until his legs would go no farther and we might not ever find him. The slightest unfamiliar sight or sound would send him into a frenzy that would cause anxiety and his flight instinct would take over. He runs when we see anyone. He is comfortable around us and no one else yet. It’s a good thing that Grandma’s garage isn’t cluttered with woodworking tools. The projects Glenn works on here involve sorting and organizing shelves and drawers. It’s a closed-door environment where two dogs can just hang out with “Dad” while he works.
A new kind of togetherness is building between Chester and his adopted sister Casey. Recently when we’re on walks they sit together when we stop to rest. The past several days they lie together in the garage while Glenn works. The newest situation is their fondness for lying on the leather sofa in the living room here at Grandma’s house. It’s becoming a regular scene. One dog jumps on and before long the other one appears there too. I think it’s their favorite place to be with each other. Actually when Casey gets on first, she curls up at one end or the other. When Chester gets to the sofa first, he chooses the middle cushion, front feet crossed, leaving only small spaces at the ends for the largest dog in the family. He looks like those lion statues that people use at entrances to fancy estates, regal and proud.
Yesterday we watched in amazement as Chester initiated play with Casey. She had a piece of a pork bone in the back yard. Chester was sitting by me on the patio when all of a sudden he jumped up, ran towards Casey and started chasing her, tail wagging. These moments don’t happen often or last very long but they’re signs of improvement and encouraging to witness. The wagging tail is still a rare occurrence as well so it’s a big deal when it happens.
Just now Casey came in from the garage with Glenn. Chester jumped off the sofa and ran; tail wagging, to see what Casey was doing. The bond between these two dogs is increasing and it’s nice to see these short bursts of fun from Chester. Although the dogs are together all day, most of the time they ignore each other; so when Chester initiates any type of interaction or play, it delights us to no end. Togetherness is so important … for people and dogs alike.
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