I had this idyllic scene in my mind, that when our children were ready for a dog, the whole family would go and pick out an adorable little puppy to join our family. After I thoroughly researched it, of course. My husband and I had decided that our kids were still too young, and that having a puppy and a toddler at the same time was asking for trouble. We thought we were being smart and responsible pet owners by planning ahead. That is easy to do when it requires doing nothing. There was one thing we hadn’t planned on – my husband fell in love. He informed me that the object of his affection would be arriving the next afternoon. All plans were out the window. Our lives would never be the same.
We now had a dog. Actually, the term “dog” is deceptive. I went outside and saw this beast, which weighed 185 lbs. and stood over 6 feet tall when on his hind legs, walking around our backyard on a leash. Our tiny, 40 lb. daughter was hurrying along, trying to appear that she was “walking the dog”, and not the other way around.
We now had a Great Dane. My husband assured me that this was the perfect dog for us; the kids would not be able to break him. Although our children were a force to be reckoned with, that wasn’t my first concern. That first afternoon we spent together eased many of my fears. The dog was slow and careful when he walked our daughter around the backyard. All the kids were hugging him and tugging on him, and he was happy to play with them. When he had enough, he just got up and walked away. When he came over to me and looked me in the eye, his big brown eyes melted my heart. There was no beast inside, only a gentle old soul that was calm and peaceful.
We now had Blue. Blue was a five year old, blue merle Great Dane. Even though Blue was enjoying his time with us, he was also mourning the loss of his friend who dropped him off. Everyday at the same time, he would watch out the window and wait for his friend to return. One day when I was bringing in the mail, he bolted out the door past me, running down the street. I had no time to grab my shoes or a leash; I just took off after him. After a couple blocks he slowed, but every time I got close he would run further down the block. It was like a scene from a movie. As we came down the street, people would run inside, grabbing kids and pets on the way. Eventually, a guy in a truck pulled over and offered to help. He jumped out of his truck with a rope and tried to lasso Blue. But Blue didn’t like having a rope thrown at him, and ran the guy ragged. I continued on after Blue. Finally, three kids on their bikes herded Blue towards me, I took him by the collar and we began our long walk home. His drool and my bloody footprints marked our trail. I think we were both relieved; I know we were both exhausted. That seemed to be a turning point for Blue. We had bonded, and he no longer stood vigil at the window.
Blue now had us. We belonged to him. We had won his heart. He already had ours. Blue was protective, loving and playful. He was also a bit sensitive. If he got his feelings hurt, he could pout for a couple days. He would walk around like Eeyore, with his head hanging low, not looking you in the eye. I didn’t expect that from the big guy.
It was a learning process, on both sides. I learned that Blue loved pumpkin muffins so much that his usual good manners disappeared. I also learned that countertops were not a safe zone – I guess that was a no brainer. Blue learned that Mom gets really mad when you eat all the muffins she made, and that you shouldn’t eat too many pumpkin muffins. But I don’t think that lesson stuck with him. Blue learned to adjust to each of us. He would patiently play school and tea parties with our daughter. He preferred the tea parties. But he drew the line at dress-up and horsey. He knew our older son was rough and tumble, and my husband was ‘no holds barred’. Blue quickly figured out that the little one was frequently the bearer of good things, either in his hands or on his face. It was usually worth a couple licks before the kid started screaming. Blue followed me everywhere and lay at my feet. He considered it his job to be our protector, and he took his job seriously.
With my husband working nights, I felt much more secure with Blue in the house. His bark alone rattled the windows. One night my husband surprised Blue when he came home from work early. And Blue surprised my husband when he charged towards him in the dark, only recognizing him at the last second. They were both shook up.
During a play date, my son’s friend raised a stick over my son’s head. Blue gently took the boy’s are in his mouth, and the boy dropped the stick. By the time I got out the door, the boys were playing, the dog was lying down and everyone was calm. Except me.
I am sure that Blue felt he was protecting us when he barked at the mailperson through the screen door and made her jump back and trip over our planter. Also when he would put his front feet on the top of our block wall and look over at the meter readers.
Blue’s favorite job was bringing the kids home from school. He loved visiting with all the children. The kids loved him and knew he wouldn’t harm them, although he made some of the parents nervous. Blue would hold his head high with pride as he walked his kids home.
I never could have picked out a dog as great as Blue. I think the biggest lesson learned was ours – sometimes angels are earthbound.
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