Fulfillment

At the clinic where I work, we have a high energy canine patient.  To respect his privacy, we'll call him "Abe".  Abe obsesses over rocks.  He chases and chews them, desperate to get his mouth around them -  rocks, of all things.  How do I know this?  Not only is his owner at his wit's end with this annoying behavior and told us all about it, but just recently this poor pooch was put under anesthesia to have his teeth cleaned.  At that point, the extent of his obsession was made fully apparent.

Not Abe, but you get the idea...

Each and every tooth was worn down from years of grinding on rocks.  There was extensive damage done, and his teeth were ground down to pulps - a fairly painful progression.  We scaled and polished them, advising Abe's owner to keep him away from the dreaded rocks.  His owner revealed to us that Abe loves to chew on rocks in the backyard.  I asked him if he takes Abe on regular walks.

No.
Dog park?
No.
Doggie day care?
Nope.
So Abe's only outlet for his high energy is rock chewing.
Poor dog.

All I could imagine was that feeling of having drank too much coffee, and then trying to fall asleep.  (For me this would have to be a whole coffee pot, but you get the idea.)  Tossing and turning, feeling your skin crawl as you readjust your position for the 18 millionth time.  Horrible.

This got me thinking about how I meet my own girls' needs.  Do I meet them?  Are they bored?  Frustrated?  I imagine they tolerate quite a bit of boredom and frustration, but they do so with grace.  I know Nyxie particularly needs more exercise to release her anxiety and drive to work, and as my physical endurance grows, her walks and runs grow longer.  It's a big responsibility to meet your dog's needs and give them a full life.  A few hugs and pets on the head after an 8 hour absence just isn't enough.  If you're unable or unwilling to exercise them, pay someone else to do so, or engage them in games that work the brain!  Doggie daycares and dog walkers are everywhere - you just need to get creative!

So if you love your dogs, you'll not keep them around purely for your enjoyment, but you'll let them do those things that let them maintain balanced dogness.  You know, the things you may not want to, but you know they'll love.  Like when Matt wants to watch a an episode of Mythbusters to nurture the science nerd inside of  him, when I'd rather be piercing my eyelids!

True love requires consideration and at times, sacrifice.  
Living with a dog is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

Grace

This past June, when T went to visit her grandparents for a part of the summer, I decided to take the opportunity to get back in the gym and really improve my overall health.  Before she left, I was feeling sorry for myself, overloaded with the responsibilities of being a parent to a preteen, and never seeming to have enough time to do the things I wanted.  The dogs and I would walk regularly, but with 2 very active, well-muscled and athletic dogs, I was forever lagging behind.  As good as my girls are, they would simply revel in the joy that is the walk, never really bothered by that lumbering human at the other end of the leash.  Although I'm sure I got the equivalent of doggie "eye rolls" a time or two.  

This past summer was a turning point for me. I started hitting the gym 4 to 5 times a week, generally after work.  Almost immediately, I noticed the change in my attitude and overall mood.  My energy levels increased, and paired with this positive new outlook, I faced the challenges that came at me with a new found passion.  Walking the dogs took on a faster pace, and the girls, in turn, were even more joyful.  I started slowly working my way up to strengthen the 'ol cardiac muscle.  As time wore on, I could increase my resistance and the time I spent on each machine.  I've recently moved from stationary weight lifting to lifting free weights.  The gym is divided into stationary weights and cardio machines on the upstairs floor and the heavy lifting "Big Boy" area downstairs.  I feel like one of the "Big Boys" now, even sporting lifting gloves like the more advanced weight-lifters.  I was definitely intimidated to go downstairs, but finally got the nerve up with some friends.  I'm loving every minute of it!  Each time I meet my lifting goals, (paired with the physical inability to put the keys in the ignition to go home) I know I'm getting stronger and more fit!    

Aside from being tired of being a lumpy pile of inert goo, I was inspired by Arwen and Nyxie.  Their muscular bodies are in a constant state of readiness. What really blows my mind, is that dogs don't need to "work out" to be strong and sinewy.  Their enthusiasm for a simple act like hopping onto the couch is unmatched.  They're the very definition of grace and power, all wrapped in soft, fluffy fur.  I've seen the girls hop over one another from a parallel standing position.  Do you have any idea what it would take for us to be able to do that to another human?!  There's just no comparison.  We are outmatched.  At least we have our thumbs.