Friend has enriched our lives in the five months since he came into our home. He makes everybody smile. His cuddles are enough to brighten the hardest of days and the excitement that he exudes upon seeing us enter a room is always uplifting. (When you are the parent it is nice to have someone excited to see you.)
While I love having Friend as part of our family, it hasn't all been sunshine and tail wagging. I've discovered that dog ownership is not for the faint of heart. Or, more specifically, it isn't for those with a weak stomach. For such a little pup he has managed to discover and gnaw on some gnarly things.
A few weeks ago he scooped a flattened frog off of the center of the road. I only knew that he had it in his mouth because I spied the stiff bent legs protruding from both sides of his clamped down mouth. He refused to let go of his prize upon command. Much like my children, he is not yet obedient. I pried open Friend's mouth so that Timmy could fling the amphibian like a Frisbee by the stiff flattened frog leg. This entire scene transpired against the backdrop of my retching.
Last night Friend took a leap into a leaf pile during our evening walk. He emerged with a white tail dangling out of his snout. I immediately screamed which caused Friend to release his treasure. He had a mouse. By the time I processed what I saw he had re-scooped and clamped down on his snack.
I could not get him to let go of the mouse, which at this point he was thoroughly enjoying. I handed off the leash and began to vomit behind the wood pile. In an effort to retrieve the mouse Scott picked up Friend, held him upside down and moved him up and down like a plunger. By the time he finally released the mouse I had emptied the entire contents of my stomach.
At this point, I'm not looking forward to the treasures that Friend will discover during the summer.
