Growing up with a petFree Access


Growing up with a pet

Like many of us, I had a dog when I was growing up. She was really a family dog, but I think I interacted with her more than any other family member. At various times we also had cats, but they never stayed as long with us. She was a black terrier mix with white legs, and we named her “Boots.” She was about medium size, too small to be a big dog, and too big to be a little dog.

We met Boots when I was six years old. Some neighborhood kids brought her around in a large cardboard box with an open top—she was a puppy at that time—and they were looking for a home for her. It just happened my parents were thinking it would be good to have a dog, so she became part of our family. She lived 14 years and I was 20 years old and in college when she had to be put to sleep because of age and health issues. She was with us in Colorado and later New Mexico.

In our view she was the smartest dog on the planet, but there were things she had to learn the hard way. Chasing cars, for example. She learned not to when she “caught one” and came out the worse for the experience. She healed from her injuries and never chased another car, but we also learned it was better to keep her confined to our house or yard or take her on a leash if we took her out for a walk. Many people choose to let their dogs run loose, but we quickly realized that was not safe or healthy for her, as much as she liked it, and it also made her a potential nuisance.

Also, our town, Montrose, Colorado, began strictly enforcing an ordinance against loose dogs, so, it was wisest to keep Boots in. If she went out for a walk she was always on a leash and I was the family member who most usually walked her.

We also had her spayed and she had her shots and would go to the veterinarian as needed if there were health issues. Boots had a few unique talents—she loved peanuts and would shell them to get the seeds out. (She didn’t clean up the mess afterwards, though. We had to do that.) She was also a good watchdog and was very protective of her family.

Dogs and cats can learn to adapt to other pets. It’s not unusual for cats and dogs in a family to like and trust each other, but instinctively they usually don’t get along and can be aggressive. Trust and liking comes with familiarity and knowing each other. Cats, of course, are valuable in helping to control such pests as mice and even snakes. And some people just like cats better.

I don’t mention all of this just to be telling a story. A lot of us adopt animals, particularly dogs, and most of us take excellent care of our pets. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t. Also, some animals tend to be more aggressive than others and they can actually pose a threat to people or other animals. Some animals need to be protected, while others are better prepared to protect themselves. Also, as is true with people, we need to keep our pets healthy.

Animal control has become an issue in our county and communities, and many people who have pets don’t “get it.” It is easy to acquire a pet—plenty of them are available for adoption—but any pet has to be loved and cared for. Like people, different animals have different needs. Controlling pets is really the responsibility of those who have them.

Children especially benefit from a relationship with pets—I did, and Boots will always have a home in my heart as a result. Pets are a great way to teach children responsibility and the bonding between a child and an animal is a blessing to both. The secret to Boots’ long life was no secret—she was loved, cared for, smart enough to adapt and survive, and we kept her safe and well.

There is a joke that if you live in Washington, D.C., and want a friend, you should get a dog. That’s not bad advice for anywhere. Pets are generally loyal and trustworthy no matter what and they help make us better people. And they do make really great friends. When we lost her, I missed Boots for a few years. It’s been long enough now, but I still remember her and what she meant to me and to my family.

WARREN DOMKE is a columnist for the Pleasanton Express.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *