Big Dog

Well this week definitely has a dog theme. The current best advice regarding my dream dogs is to meditate on them before bed and make a prayer asking them to reveal their nature in my dreams. If they do all to the good, if they don't then chances are they are symbols... This may take a few days of work...

I have two dogs in my life right now. One is sat on a cushion by my side while the other is sat on my feet on the sofa. They are gently snoozing. K, Big dog is a greyhound and M,little dog is a collie cross greyhound. Both have an amazing ability to sleep. Even if I stay home all day, they sleep mostly.

Big dog is black with spreading grey and he came into my life eight years ago. I was a mature (but still rather young student). I had a house and lodgers to pay my way. My lodgers wanted me to get a dog and promised to walk and help with costs. I knew if I got a dog, it would be because I was ready to make a commitment to look after one all by myself.

I went to see my folks and they were involved in a charity greyhound event. At the end of the day one of the dogs taken there to be rehomed had not been found a home and was to be taken to a foster home. I went to see him. We looked at each other nervously and all i could think to say was "he'll do". I can imagine the foster people were probably thinking "oh my God" quietly to themselves. Luckily my family were known and so i was able to take him straight away despite any qualms.

He had been found with two other dogs. The others had had their ears chopped off without anathestic to remove all identifying tattoos. They were then left. K had at some point previously had his jaw broken, his tail and some ribs. He had many scars and bald patches including a very large bare patch on his side within which he had been burnt with cigarettes to make an M. I used to feel quite self conscious at first walking this obviously abused and nervous dog, particularly as I looked so young.

Not surprisingly he was a mess. If you uncrossed your legs, he was halfway across the room in a heartbeat. If you raised you voice, he wet himself. He had certain things he hated. One of my lodgers had a male friend that K liked, unless he wore his puffy body warmer. Men were more of an issue for him. Me being a student, living with other students was ideal for him. He was rarely alone and received lots of attention and fuss. If he was nervous he could run off to my room and hide on my bed.

Not surprisingly, K bonded very strongly with me. He will never really be an entirely normal dog but after all these years he could convince people he was. Although he adores F and S, it is me that he will always belong to. He follows me around and can not bare to be to far from me if he knows I am in the house. If a stranger comes in the house now, he is more than happy to approach them for fuss and attention.

He grins in greeting and he grins in thanks when you feed him or give him a treat. He sleeps on my bed whenever F is absent, even for half an hour. He is always pleased to see me. I could talk about his faults, but I shan't. Given his beginnings in life, it is incredible he doesn't have more.