Dog Daze

Finnegan was a rescue times two over when I got him. He started his life in an abandoned row home in Philadelphia and his first rescue had never owned a dog. She wasn't a bad person. She just didn't realize the needs of a dog. It took awhile, but I finally convinced her to give Finn to me. I was told that he wasn't good at obeying and was a runner if he got lose.

Fortunately, before Finn came to live with me, I had kept him a few times and he was already familiar with me and my home. He had never been properly socialized and I constantly had to tell people that they couldn't pet him. My boy would definitely try to take a bite out of you if you got to close. I would walk him several times a day and sometimes after dark. One of my friends was concerned about our evening walks. I told her that there was no need to worry. My eleven pound furball would rip someone's face off if they got near me. I laughingly tell people that he thinks that he is a German Shephard.

Of course, I hoped to socialize him and worked very hard on doing so. I've had him for four years and he is a completely different dog. Not only is he friendly, but I can take him outside without a leash. He has learned how far he is allowed to go and obeys commands when walking. All in all, it has been good for both of us. Finn was a dog without direction and I was a person with little patience at times. We both learned that if we pay attention good things happen. He is still my fierce little protector, but the difference is that now when we are out, all I need to say is "no" and he stops barking at people and no longer runs towards them.

One of Finn's favorite things to do is visit our vacation home at the ocean. He has his favorite chair and get to visit with his cousin, Tucker who is a Yorkie. He loves seeing the ducks in the water in the canal in front of us. He runs out to greet then in the morning with bark and running back and forth in front of them. Apparently, they realize he is harmless and simply quack at him.

He tends to get a few more treats than usual when at the beach. Hence the reason this might be why he loves being there. There is also the fact that as a special treat, on the way there he is allowed to have a plain fast food hamburger. Just so we are clear, he is not spoiled.

I think the takeaway is that we needed each other to learn valuable life lessons. Sometimes an animal is bad only because no one had taught them any different. Sometimes a person is impatient until they find something that lets them know that they need to be more accepting and speak gently to achieve results.

A few years into my ownership of Finn, I became very ill and as a result sometimes became impatient with him when he wouldn't do his business quickly enough, but he never waivered in his love for me. Many times when I so exhausted and in so much pain I could barely move, he would simply lay beside me and reach over to lick me as if to say, "it's okay, I'm here". Luckily my health was restored and I am so thankful that this little creature was by my side. I guess it's true, good things do come in small packages.