| Ozzie and Me |
All my life I have been around animals, both domestic and nature’s wild ones. What
I have always noticed is the possessiveness the animal world seems to exercise
over territory and their perceived territories, as well. On the domestic side my lady
friend has a dog which resides with us when she is visiting. Ozzie, her dog's name,
is a mixed breed mutt who is one of the most insecure dogs I have ever known.
Ozzie is never sure he has received enough loving or attention. He seems to be
totally crushed at the slightest chastisement for any small or large mistake he
might make when he is visiting at my house.
He is well trained from the aspect of going outside to do his business, but he is also
a bit nosey in his investigation of trash cans in each and every room and his never
ending search for what I will call, adventure and discovery. Ozzie also has the
fastest tongue in east of the Mississippi river. He will walk up to a person and if he
does not receive an immediate petting he will give an immediate licking! (yuck!)
I am not one who is especially thrilled with his or any other animal’s live in status
in my home. So, I tolerate his inside presence for the most part, as long as he
follows the rules. Ozzie is not to sleep on the bed or even enter the bedroom, or
sleep on the couch or furniture in the house. He knows these rules and always
follows them precisely when I am around. I know when I am not around he resides
in the bedroom when mommy is in there with her permission. I have spoken to
mommy about this, but she is not exactly in agreement with my views on this
subject. Ozzie is certainly welcomed by me from the aspect that he is a very good
early warning device when a stranger or the gas/electric meter readers may drop
by the house. It is a good thing having him bark and letting mommy know someone
is around when she is home alone. It offers some piece of mind for me.
However… (yes there always seems to be a however doesn’t there!) Ozzie
sleeping on my nice couch at night is over the line error at best. Every morning
when I get up and finish with my shower, I walk into the living room and turn on a
light. It is common to hear 4 paws dropping to the floor, before I get the light
turned on, as he jumps off the couch and takes a fake sleeping position on the floor
in hopes that I don’t realize his preference for the couch. Occasionally I catch him
on the couch and he freezes in position looking at me, with those big brown guilty
eyes. When this happens he slithers slowly off the couch and with a most guilty
poor “me” dog action, walks over to HIS bed and buries his face away from my
view. As with many things in life, over time Ozzie and I have reached a
compromise. I won’t yell at him to get off the couch if he promises to not get caught
there too often.
One of the last actions I do before I leave for work each morning is to sit in MY
chair and put on my shoes. Ozzie watches intently… waiting ever patiently for me
to walk to the door and put on my coat. It is at this point, weak and impatient Ozzie
can't stand it any longer. He gets up and walks to me for his pat on the head as I
exit the house and leave for work. Even to this day, he then turns and, right in front
of me, walks down the hall to greet mommy each morning, in the bedroom. It is
common that I will watch him head down the hall knowing where he is going. HE
knows, I know where he’s going, but he just can’t wait any longer. He must see
mommy no matter what! I some how suspect it is his way of telling me that no
matter how many mornings go by, it is his duty to make sure I haven’t done
something “evil” to mommy during the night. It is, I believe, Ozzie’s way of
notifying me that the changing of the guard has been passed from me to him during
the day time, while I am away. I can’t say it is a bad idea on Ozzie’s part, only that
it would make me happier if Ozzie wouldn’t do it right in front of me as I leave.
After I leave would be much better!
I have accepted this weakness on Ozzie’s part, as I am sure he has accepted my
insistence that he has limits in my house. Ozzie is a sweet dog, in spite of all his
insecurities, though I suspect he feels the same about me and my insecurities.
Mommy on the other hand seems to accept the personality quirks we both have.
What I haven’t figured out yet, is whether she treats us differently or the same,
with regards to her love for the both of us. I suspect Ozzie believes I am still
second on her list to him, he may be correct in some ways.
DWHolmes (copyright 2005)
I have always noticed is the possessiveness the animal world seems to exercise
over territory and their perceived territories, as well. On the domestic side my lady
friend has a dog which resides with us when she is visiting. Ozzie, her dog's name,
is a mixed breed mutt who is one of the most insecure dogs I have ever known.
Ozzie is never sure he has received enough loving or attention. He seems to be
totally crushed at the slightest chastisement for any small or large mistake he
might make when he is visiting at my house.
He is well trained from the aspect of going outside to do his business, but he is also
a bit nosey in his investigation of trash cans in each and every room and his never
ending search for what I will call, adventure and discovery. Ozzie also has the
fastest tongue in east of the Mississippi river. He will walk up to a person and if he
does not receive an immediate petting he will give an immediate licking! (yuck!)
I am not one who is especially thrilled with his or any other animal’s live in status
in my home. So, I tolerate his inside presence for the most part, as long as he
follows the rules. Ozzie is not to sleep on the bed or even enter the bedroom, or
sleep on the couch or furniture in the house. He knows these rules and always
follows them precisely when I am around. I know when I am not around he resides
in the bedroom when mommy is in there with her permission. I have spoken to
mommy about this, but she is not exactly in agreement with my views on this
subject. Ozzie is certainly welcomed by me from the aspect that he is a very good
early warning device when a stranger or the gas/electric meter readers may drop
by the house. It is a good thing having him bark and letting mommy know someone
is around when she is home alone. It offers some piece of mind for me.
However… (yes there always seems to be a however doesn’t there!) Ozzie
sleeping on my nice couch at night is over the line error at best. Every morning
when I get up and finish with my shower, I walk into the living room and turn on a
light. It is common to hear 4 paws dropping to the floor, before I get the light
turned on, as he jumps off the couch and takes a fake sleeping position on the floor
in hopes that I don’t realize his preference for the couch. Occasionally I catch him
on the couch and he freezes in position looking at me, with those big brown guilty
eyes. When this happens he slithers slowly off the couch and with a most guilty
poor “me” dog action, walks over to HIS bed and buries his face away from my
view. As with many things in life, over time Ozzie and I have reached a
compromise. I won’t yell at him to get off the couch if he promises to not get caught
there too often.
One of the last actions I do before I leave for work each morning is to sit in MY
chair and put on my shoes. Ozzie watches intently… waiting ever patiently for me
to walk to the door and put on my coat. It is at this point, weak and impatient Ozzie
can't stand it any longer. He gets up and walks to me for his pat on the head as I
exit the house and leave for work. Even to this day, he then turns and, right in front
of me, walks down the hall to greet mommy each morning, in the bedroom. It is
common that I will watch him head down the hall knowing where he is going. HE
knows, I know where he’s going, but he just can’t wait any longer. He must see
mommy no matter what! I some how suspect it is his way of telling me that no
matter how many mornings go by, it is his duty to make sure I haven’t done
something “evil” to mommy during the night. It is, I believe, Ozzie’s way of
notifying me that the changing of the guard has been passed from me to him during
the day time, while I am away. I can’t say it is a bad idea on Ozzie’s part, only that
it would make me happier if Ozzie wouldn’t do it right in front of me as I leave.
After I leave would be much better!
I have accepted this weakness on Ozzie’s part, as I am sure he has accepted my
insistence that he has limits in my house. Ozzie is a sweet dog, in spite of all his
insecurities, though I suspect he feels the same about me and my insecurities.
Mommy on the other hand seems to accept the personality quirks we both have.
What I haven’t figured out yet, is whether she treats us differently or the same,
with regards to her love for the both of us. I suspect Ozzie believes I am still
second on her list to him, he may be correct in some ways.
DWHolmes (copyright 2005)
