Doggie Thoughts

I had another one of those epiphanies this morning.  I know, you’re tired of them.  But it’s different this time.  This one was about my dog.

I have an almost 4 year old Great Dane named Emmie who was a rescue.  Well, theoretically a triple rescue.  Rescue group got her from a shelter.  Someone adopted her, and then decided they couldn’t keep her.  I took her.  So yes, she’s been shuffled around a lot.  But she’s been with me for a year now and will stay.

The thing is, she doesn’t always like people.  Especially male people.  It takes her a LONG time to warm up to any male that comes into my house.  But I couldn’t figure out why she likes some better than others.  I couldn’t figure out how some of them can actually bribe her with treats, and some she’s still not crazy about.  Then I started thinking about who was who, and how *I* react to those people.

Basically, the more I care about someone, the more she’s uncomfortable.  It’s not like I don’t CARE about my friends and family.  It’s just that the people (or person) that I have more of an emotional attachment to (i.e. romantically) seem to have serious difficulty “winning her over”.  She does NOT like me to spend time with them.  Maybe because she feels she’s being replaced?  Maybe because she feels like she should be my protector, not some piddly useless human.  (I’m quite sure that’s how she would say it.)  Maybe because she feels like my friends and family only “visit”, yet someone like this might be around for longer?  It all kind of makes sense now.

And so, what do I do?

Well, I’m just not sure but I’m working on it.  It’s hard to explain to someone that it’s not that my dog doesn’t like you, it’s that she doesn’t like how much *I* like you.  It’s further hard to explain to them that it’s not unfixable, and that I’m not going to let my animals run my life.  I may have had priorities out of line in the past, but they’re right where they should be now.  She will get used to it.  She really doesn’t have a choice in the matter.  Does that mean I’m going to send anyone packing out in the snow and hope she gets rescued a fourth time?  Absolutely not.  I love my dog.  I will work with my animals, but the bottom line is if I decide I want someone in my life, they’re going to be there.  And she will just need to deal.

And furthermore, the people in my life need to realize that too.  But that’s a post for another day.

The priority ducks are lining up nicely in a perfect little row.   About damn time.