It has been a long, bitterly cold winter. Not that I am complaining, mind you. Its been an interesting winter since this is the first winter in our new house. I have learned a lot about myself in terms of being a homeowner as well as owner of two dogs. Its amazing how different the dynamics between the dogs have changed since we got the house. Having a lot of space to run and sprawl, as well as a fenced in backyard has helped the dogs become more settled and happier compared to being in a tiny, cramped apartment.
The dogs are their same old selves, but there have been a few subtle differences that Ive noticed recently. These differences have made me appreciate each pup so much more.
In an old post, I talked about Sam a bit. He is a very loving, yet cowardly dog. He was originally Paul's ex-wife's dog. Paul had another dog, a black Lab, named Lucy. Unfortunately, Lucy died due to complications of a routine surgery. When Paul and I started dating, Sam quickly attached himself to me. Apparently he prefers women over men. He is very much a mama's boy.
Ever since we moved to the new house, Ive seen Sam come out of his shell a little bit more. He has lived in apartments for majority of his life. When given the space to run freely, Sam does this without abandon. He is very happy to be no longer on the leash in the yard and he can do as he pleases. He prefers to play with Rosie outside, since there is more space to wrestle and roughhouse.
This winter, Sam has not been adjusting well to the bitter cold weather. As you all know, Sam is a smaller dog with a short coat. He gets cold very easily and if he is to be outside for a long period of time, I always make him wear his coat. I have noticed that Sam will go outside and immediately do his business, then hops on the back deck and waits until I open the door. He has no interest to frolic, run or play in the snow. He much prefer to be inside, where its warm, cuddling with one of us on the couch.
Ive come to really appreciate Sam and his loving ways. The other day, I was sick with a stomach bug and stayed the day in bed. Sam spent the entire day with me, laying beside me. He refused to leave my side and only moved when I moved. He is definitely a great cuddler and nurse.
On the other hand, there is Rosie. She is my first dog, in the truest sense. Yes, Sam is the first dog Ive actually lived with. But Rosie is the first puppy I raised. Rosie has blossomed since we moved to the house and she gives us a fresh perspective on life. As all of you know, last winter was when we brought Rosie home at 8 weeks old. She did not really like the snow because it was bigger than she was. Paul had to dig paths and little "rooms" in the snow for her, so she could have space to do her business and play. This winter, she is now over 1 year old and she has had an entirely different reaction to the snow.
It is a daily struggle to get Rosie to come inside. She will stay outside in the bitter cold and blizzard-like weather for hours if we let her. She has taught me how to really appreciate winter from a doggy perspective. Once she steps outside, she will arch her back and take in a deep breath of the cold air and do a long stretch. It is almost as if she is saying "Ah, this feels wonderful!" She, then, will blow a few puffs of air from her mouth and watch the frozen puffs float away. She chases these puffs of air and tries to snap at them.
She has developed a game for herself, since Sam will not play with her as much in the snow. She will take a ball or a toy and bury it in the snow. She will walk away for a few minutes, then run back to the spot and start digging in the snow. This causes snow to fly everywhere in all directions. Rosie tries to make a burrow in the snow that is big enough for her body, but unfortunately we don't have enough snow (yet) for that. She has taught me that it is perfectly okay to be goofy and have childish abandon towards certain things. She helps all of us be more youthful.
When Sam does play with Rosie in the snow, she allows him to be the "alpha" dog. This is a win-win situation for everyone here: Rosie gets covered in snow, just the way she likes it. Sam gets to play with Rosie without getting too wet or cold.
Its really wonderful having a balance between goofy and cuddly with our dogs. We have the best world with both of them and I couldn't ask for more than that.
