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ONE ORNERY PUPPY
By Joe Mazzella
It was a cold, Winter’s day. Even with clear skies and the sun shining down the temperature hadn’t gotten above 10 degrees all day long. I listened to the heater kick on and zipped up my sweater. I had finished with all my work and now just wanted to relax and read in my nice, warm bed. I fluffed up a pillow behind my head, turned the television to the music from the 70's channel, and opened up my book. I smiled, laid back, and got ready to take it easy. I should have known better.
“SWEETIE, NO!”, my son yelled from the living room. Suddenly in flew a four-legged bundle of brown fur. She jumped on my bed, burrowed behind my pillow, and stuck her head on my shoulder. “Sweetie, what have you done now?”, I asked. She didn’t answer just looked at me guiltily with her ears down, her eyes squinted, and her lower teeth sticking out. I laughed when I saw her this way and petted her head to let her know I forgave her. Already that day she had barfed up bits of her chew bone, tore up the corner of my quilt and peed in the floor when I was putting on my coat to walk her. I kept petting her while her body relaxed and her resting guilt face slowly turned into happy pant. Then she licked my cheek and nibbled my ear with her under-bite. I laughed again and said, “Sweetie, I love you but you are one ornery puppy.”
I sometimes wonder what my life would be like without dogs in it. My house sure would be cleaner, the furniture wouldn’t be chewed on, the floors wouldn’t be scratched, and dog hair wouldn’t be all over my clothes. But I would also have a lot less laughter, a lot less love, and a lot less joy in my life. I think I would take a dog’s love and a dirty house any day of the week.
Of all the blessings and gifts God gives us in this life, I will always put dogs right at the top of the list. They are our best friends and greatest teachers of love, even the ornery ones...
This reminded me of my Brandi. She fit in my husband's hand the day he gave her to me. He slipped her into the pocket of the bathrobe I was wearing. "Yikes! It moved."
She quickly became MY dog, which included unconditional love. If I wasn't feeling well, she wouldn't leave me. We were packing to move into our first house when our neighbor, Mr. M stopped by.
"You're not taking Brandi with you, are you?" Smiling, he explained that Brandi had been taking his ponies out to pasture every morning. "She's tiny, but is a great herder."
We were shocked, but that information became vital when I received an early morning phone call. It was an anxious Mrs. M asking for Brandi to come over. A mare hadn't come in and probably had given birth in the pasture, but they couldn't find her.
I carried Brandi to the pasture and told her to find the mare. She took me right to her and her foal. Brandi talked to the mare answered. Then I approached the baby. She looked healthy and I believe she either couldn't stand or could, but the walk to the barn would have been too tasking.
"I need to carry her in," I told Brandi. Another dog/mare conversation occurred. When my dog looked up at me, I knelt a picked up the foal.... by the way, she was heavy... and carried her to the barn with her mother right at my elbow. The baby stood up as I placed her in a stall with fresh hay. I believe I hear a snicker from the mare saying thank you.
When our first child arrived, Brandi became his protector and teacher.
The day arrived for Brandi to be a mom and she wanted nothing to do with this new adventure. I delivered the first puppy as he was too big for her. Each of the following 4 puppies was consecutively smaller. She would not have anything to do with the first three. While I was cleaning up the third one, she finally got it and was a good mother. Brandi was a smaller dog than Sweetie. It was a miracle that all five were alive and healthy. Even the vet asked, "Where did she put them?" Also, they were not all the same.
The vet determined she'd been impregnated by two daddies. It has to occur within minutes of each other, but does happen. I'd seen a small black curly-haired dog by the fence. Two of the puppies were totally black. A large white poodle lived behind us. One of the puppies was all white with curly hair. The other two looked like Brandi, whose coloring was like Sweetie's above.
Joe's story plus the memories it triggered blessed my heart. Hope they will bless you as well.
Selah...
Connie
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