A puppy can make any day better. I was feeling blue because one of my basenjis might need surgery this week for his neck. Then I started thinking about all the predicaments my dogs have gotten into over the years. Maxi was a master at making me worry! My Queen Anne home was a large townhouse, and as a puppy Maxi used to appear out of nowhere and try to dart out the door everytime I opened it. One day when he was about 5 months old and I was cleaning, I realized I hadn't seen or heard him for a good 15 minutes. As anyone can tell you, a quiet basenji puppy is probably up to no good!
I called his name and figured he 'dcome flying into the room with tell-tale fluff from a pillow hanging out of his mouth. However, after calling several times and finding no puppy, I began to get alarmed. Had he somehow gotten out when I'd taken out the garbage? After a complete search of the house, I was frantic!
Then I heard a tinkle (and, NO, not the kind of tinkle you usually associate with a puppy). It sounded like glasses toasting, but I was the only one in the house. The noise was coming from the large chest in the dining room. When I opened the door to the lower cabinet, I found a very content Basenji puppy pawing the liquor bottles! I was so relieved I didn't know which to grab first--the licker or the liquor!
Life has a way of playing jokes on us, but remembering the good times definitely helps get us through.
Hell in the Hallway: Dogs and a sense of humor can help you survive life's unexpected challenges.
