Remember that “damn dog” I was complaining about mid-March?  (See “Puppy Love = Tough Love“) That’d be my brother’s Labrador retriever.  At the time, I expressed an unbearable amount of frustration towards an animal in the process of being trained. During that very long, lengthy, drawn-out process (which lasted for an extended amount of time), the dog seemed to be playing a game which strictly involved the ruin of my possessions and seemingly my entire life.
He succeeded in demolishing my thriving pre-garden greenhouse. He stole socks, underwear and slippers from my closet every time he had the chance.  He’d jump up on me when he got excited (always) and bite my hands with his needle teeth whenever I tried to pet him. He especially loved rubbing his shedding body against my new couches and plopping his drool-laden bone on the cushions.
That damn dog!!
Just as I was about to sell him (or pay someone a healthy stash to take him away forever) and tell my brother some run-around “he ran away” story, the dog went through a rather dramatic change.
Doggy puberty? It was like the flip of a switch. Like a sedated maniac.  Like David Copperfield took the time to make a special trip to Fargo and put some magnificent behavioral spell on my brother’s dog. The dog’s change in behavior was so dramatic that I suspected my brother signed him up for “Obedience 101: How to make your dog tolerable” without telling me (which, by the way, I would have fully supported, funded, promoted, assisted and appreciated).  I like to tell myself the dog might have had a nightmare where he was scolded and locked into a kennel so full of socks and underwear that he couldn’t chew, let alone move in the tightly-packed cage, leading to his sudden disinterest. Or who knows – maybe he got a hold of an undergarment that didn’t taste the best.  It could happen. I’m not perfect. I suppose it could just be the dog’s natural phase out of the puppy stage. In any regard, the dog now seems to understand it’s about making his people happy, not the other way around.
Case in point:
Now, instead of using anything and everything as a chew toy, he drags his own blanket up the stairs (take a moment to picture this – it’s hilarious) so he has something to chew/lie on while he watches my evening routine.  Instead of tangling himself up in trees when out on a walk, he now proudly carries the leash in his mouth, nose up in the air trotting happily. And instead of chewing on my socks, he just lies down and waits to play.
He barks when someone comes in unexpectedly which is a great addition to my security system. He eats the weeds I toss into the yard from my garden. He gladly accepts the crusty part of each piece of toast prepared in the morning. He eats bugs whenever possible and peacefully waits at the door to be let out instead of whining relentlessly. He makes me laugh by “biting” the stream of water coming out of the hose during my car wash and when I’m cleaning the house, he plays some absurd game with the vacuum that only he understands. And my favorite, he pays special attention (takes full advantage) of “pre washing” dishes when I’m loading the dishwasher. I think that’s his favorite, too.
It doesn’t hurt that he has become one of the more beautiful dogs I’ve ever seen in my life.  His fur is shiny and I can’t say no to those eyes. He’s a joy to have around.  He gives meaning to running in a 4-mile circle. He keeps me on my toes when we’re playing fetch and he gives me a strong indication that I make a difference in the world (his world) just by letting him come outside with me in the morning.
He’s fun. He’s incredibly cute and I absolutely love him. The only problem is the dog isn’t mine.  I’m in love with my brother’s dog and if I want one for myself, I have to start all over.
Damn dog.
Shootin’ the Wit is a column about everyday life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.

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I’m a writer and photographer who loves old cars, big dogs and trying stuff for the first time. I believe everyone should have a bucket list because life isn’t about working, paying bills and having the latest and greatest. It’s about experiences. Achieving goals. People. Adventures. Travel.

I’ve never dyed my hair, broken a bone, or watched a Star Wars movie, and I don’t plan on doing any of these.