Saturday, June 8, 2013
Lessons from Old Yellow Dog: I named him "Wheat". He was a full blooded yellow ...
Lessons from Old Yellow Dog: I named him "Wheat". He was a full blooded yellow ...: I named him "Wheat". He was a full blooded yellow Labrador Retriever although there was no record of registration. A friend of my ...
I named him "Wheat". He was a full blooded yellow Labrador Retriever although there was no record of registration. A friend of my father needed someone to take him and his litter mate and give them a good home. They were already nearing a year old, too old I thought for any serious training. But.....I am a fan of labs and an old softy when it came to big-eyed pups. Besides, I knew I couldn't beat the price. They were free!....So... I thought I would help him and out and take the pups off his hands.
Little did I know the impact that dog would have on my life!
After getting the two boisterous pups home, and letting them get aclimated to their new surroundings I began checking out the caliber of dogs I had been given. After a short time it was obvious Wheat's brother was going to be a better prospect for hunting purposes. Yet, 'Ole Wheat' as he came to be known seemed to poccess qualities that are rare even in humans....He seemed to be able to look you in the eyes and know what you were thinking, actually read your feelings......He seemed to have an easy going personality....a kind spirit....and later it was discovered he had a real way with kids! But I was to learn he was so much more!
A few months later, it became necessary for me to part with one of the pair in order to reduce the food bill and give me more time for training the remaining pup. Although, I knew he was the better prospect for a hunting dog, I let Wheat's brother go to a young duck hunter who was in need of a retriever. Later word came that he had indeed made an outstanding 'duck dog'!.....By then of course I had become attached to my new companion and no amount of money could separate us!.....He had become one of the family! I sometimes believe my family and neighbors might have parted with me before giving up this lovable animal.
I never realized how much a human could learn from an animal. I think maybe the first lesson I learned was that I might not be smart enough to train him. In fact these sessions we were having, seemed to be more about training me rather than him. As lovable as he was, he had the hard -headed-ness that most labs seemed to inherit from whatever line they had descended. This trait would cause our sessions to become somewhat heated at times and lead to corrective actions on my part which I felt were necessary in order to inform this dog as to who was boss. These thrashings, although not violent, made me somewhat ashamed of myself and led me to the realization that this new friend of mine was going to teach me about a quality that I needed so desperately to learn.....Unconditional Love!
For no matter how many times I extended these corrective measures, both verbally and physically, no matter how many times I lost my cool, no matter the level of decibels of the commands......He loved me!!!! .....I'm not sure I had experienced this before. Except maybe from my own flesh and blood.... Here was an animal who had every right to fear me, to run away, to bite even. ...Yet he loved me! ....Each morning he greeted me like he had missed me. Each time I came home from work he looked like he couldn't have made it another minute without me! .....Each time I fed him it was as though he couldn't believe I had remembered him! ....He would look at me with eyes that shouted ..."Man am I Glad to See You"! .......He just loved me!
Another lesson Wheat taught me was that he was probably more valuable to me as a friend, a side-kick or a pet than he ever would be as a retriever. He was the best baby sitter that has ever been in these parts. My nephews and neice were partially raised with him as a playmate. All the neigborhood kids knew "Wheat" or "Sweet" as some of the younger ones called him! I never corrected those, who mispronounced his name because it seemed to me an appropriate fit to his personality. Endless summer days were spent in the presense of these little humans playing mindless games of 'get it' or 'gimme'. He never seemed to tire of the attention! ....He adored them!!!
He loved to play ball. He could catch a baseball in his mouth and chase down a grounder like a golden glover but regretably he could never master the hitting part of the game. And truthfully his fielding suffered from his inability to fire to first, rather than chasing down a runner. I guess dogs were just not meant to be major leaguers! .....But the kids loved him! And that was good enough. I can still see him now with a roughed up old ball that he had found somewhere. He would carry it around in his mouth all day just looking for a game. If one never materialized he would try to find one of us sitting, standing still, or perhaps busy with some project. You might feel a nudge at your elbow. Looking down you would find this silly dog with a ball, wanting you to throw it to him or for him to chase. Never mind trying to wear him down or tire him .....it was impossible! As long as you were willing to play catch ....He caught! ...As long as you threw....He chased!
I can not count the number of visitors sitting in our yard who suddenly felt a nudge at their elbow, only to look down and see an old yellow dog with a ball in his mouth. It was just his way of introduction.
I think back now in wonder at this creature ....this canine....who had no real soul, no spirit, and certainly not educated in human affairs but he poccessed something so many spend their whole lives pursuing and yet at the end of a wretched existence, consumed by monetary gain or lust for physical pleasures they are more clueless to life's greatest treasure than at the beginning......LOVE! ....This animal knew how to... Love!....He loved the little children and their silly games, strangers who came from wherever, my family.......Me!......He loved us all!....Unconditionally, without reservation, without pretentions or pre-existing qualifications...He accepted us as we were with all of our blemishes and shortcomings. Some he knew better than others, some were complete strangers to him. But to him, ALL of these were potential friends!!!!!....Most of all I think he saw you as a potential playmate!...To him we all had value!!!!...We all had the potential to be loved!!!
Sadly as with so many of our beloved pets his life was not a long one. Even in dog years he lived a relatively short life, perhaps no more than six or seven years. As I said there were no records of his birth. He developed some type of infection in his kidneys. Anti-biotics seemed to be bringing him around. I was scheduled to go out of town for a few days. I was apprehensive about leaving, but it appeared he was well enough for me to make the trip. My father called me a few days later with the news ....Wheat was gone. A neighbor helped bury him. His final resting place was beneath our flag pole. A fitting venue I thought!... For an all American dog....At least in our minds he was such. No hall of fame would bear his name except the one in my own memory!
Some have proclaimed that all dogs go to heaven.... Some have simply wondered if it were possible....I don't know. I think that may be somewhat fanciful or wishful thinking. It is certainly not Theologically sound...... But ...just sometime when I think of my last day on this earth and I am called to my heavenly home I don't believe I will be completely surprised if I am met at the gate by an old Yellow Dog..... and of he course.... he'll be carrying an old worn out ball in his mouth!!... And a look in his eyes that will seem to say ...
"MAN am I Glad to See You!!!!"
Little did I know the impact that dog would have on my life!
After getting the two boisterous pups home, and letting them get aclimated to their new surroundings I began checking out the caliber of dogs I had been given. After a short time it was obvious Wheat's brother was going to be a better prospect for hunting purposes. Yet, 'Ole Wheat' as he came to be known seemed to poccess qualities that are rare even in humans....He seemed to be able to look you in the eyes and know what you were thinking, actually read your feelings......He seemed to have an easy going personality....a kind spirit....and later it was discovered he had a real way with kids! But I was to learn he was so much more!
A few months later, it became necessary for me to part with one of the pair in order to reduce the food bill and give me more time for training the remaining pup. Although, I knew he was the better prospect for a hunting dog, I let Wheat's brother go to a young duck hunter who was in need of a retriever. Later word came that he had indeed made an outstanding 'duck dog'!.....By then of course I had become attached to my new companion and no amount of money could separate us!.....He had become one of the family! I sometimes believe my family and neighbors might have parted with me before giving up this lovable animal.
I never realized how much a human could learn from an animal. I think maybe the first lesson I learned was that I might not be smart enough to train him. In fact these sessions we were having, seemed to be more about training me rather than him. As lovable as he was, he had the hard -headed-ness that most labs seemed to inherit from whatever line they had descended. This trait would cause our sessions to become somewhat heated at times and lead to corrective actions on my part which I felt were necessary in order to inform this dog as to who was boss. These thrashings, although not violent, made me somewhat ashamed of myself and led me to the realization that this new friend of mine was going to teach me about a quality that I needed so desperately to learn.....Unconditional Love!
For no matter how many times I extended these corrective measures, both verbally and physically, no matter how many times I lost my cool, no matter the level of decibels of the commands......He loved me!!!! .....I'm not sure I had experienced this before. Except maybe from my own flesh and blood.... Here was an animal who had every right to fear me, to run away, to bite even. ...Yet he loved me! ....Each morning he greeted me like he had missed me. Each time I came home from work he looked like he couldn't have made it another minute without me! .....Each time I fed him it was as though he couldn't believe I had remembered him! ....He would look at me with eyes that shouted ..."Man am I Glad to See You"! .......He just loved me!
Another lesson Wheat taught me was that he was probably more valuable to me as a friend, a side-kick or a pet than he ever would be as a retriever. He was the best baby sitter that has ever been in these parts. My nephews and neice were partially raised with him as a playmate. All the neigborhood kids knew "Wheat" or "Sweet" as some of the younger ones called him! I never corrected those, who mispronounced his name because it seemed to me an appropriate fit to his personality. Endless summer days were spent in the presense of these little humans playing mindless games of 'get it' or 'gimme'. He never seemed to tire of the attention! ....He adored them!!!
He loved to play ball. He could catch a baseball in his mouth and chase down a grounder like a golden glover but regretably he could never master the hitting part of the game. And truthfully his fielding suffered from his inability to fire to first, rather than chasing down a runner. I guess dogs were just not meant to be major leaguers! .....But the kids loved him! And that was good enough. I can still see him now with a roughed up old ball that he had found somewhere. He would carry it around in his mouth all day just looking for a game. If one never materialized he would try to find one of us sitting, standing still, or perhaps busy with some project. You might feel a nudge at your elbow. Looking down you would find this silly dog with a ball, wanting you to throw it to him or for him to chase. Never mind trying to wear him down or tire him .....it was impossible! As long as you were willing to play catch ....He caught! ...As long as you threw....He chased!
I can not count the number of visitors sitting in our yard who suddenly felt a nudge at their elbow, only to look down and see an old yellow dog with a ball in his mouth. It was just his way of introduction.
I think back now in wonder at this creature ....this canine....who had no real soul, no spirit, and certainly not educated in human affairs but he poccessed something so many spend their whole lives pursuing and yet at the end of a wretched existence, consumed by monetary gain or lust for physical pleasures they are more clueless to life's greatest treasure than at the beginning......LOVE! ....This animal knew how to... Love!....He loved the little children and their silly games, strangers who came from wherever, my family.......Me!......He loved us all!....Unconditionally, without reservation, without pretentions or pre-existing qualifications...He accepted us as we were with all of our blemishes and shortcomings. Some he knew better than others, some were complete strangers to him. But to him, ALL of these were potential friends!!!!!....Most of all I think he saw you as a potential playmate!...To him we all had value!!!!...We all had the potential to be loved!!!
Sadly as with so many of our beloved pets his life was not a long one. Even in dog years he lived a relatively short life, perhaps no more than six or seven years. As I said there were no records of his birth. He developed some type of infection in his kidneys. Anti-biotics seemed to be bringing him around. I was scheduled to go out of town for a few days. I was apprehensive about leaving, but it appeared he was well enough for me to make the trip. My father called me a few days later with the news ....Wheat was gone. A neighbor helped bury him. His final resting place was beneath our flag pole. A fitting venue I thought!... For an all American dog....At least in our minds he was such. No hall of fame would bear his name except the one in my own memory!
Some have proclaimed that all dogs go to heaven.... Some have simply wondered if it were possible....I don't know. I think that may be somewhat fanciful or wishful thinking. It is certainly not Theologically sound...... But ...just sometime when I think of my last day on this earth and I am called to my heavenly home I don't believe I will be completely surprised if I am met at the gate by an old Yellow Dog..... and of he course.... he'll be carrying an old worn out ball in his mouth!!... And a look in his eyes that will seem to say ...
"MAN am I Glad to See You!!!!"
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