Ron's POZ Blog

It’s Valentine’s Day and I thought I’d share my loves of my life, for now! It is snowing like crazy here, so I have the time just to sit and write.

Shadow is the 5 ½ year old male at the bottom with his favorite toy - a nylon fabric Frisbee and Shiloh is the 3 ½ year old female at the top with her favorite toy – a punctured, flat football! She’s such a lady (sarcastically) and he can be such a clown at times!

I can’t believe how much the dogs are a part of my daily life and sometimes forget how they can make me smile throughout my day. Yes, there are the pills for their joint maintenance and dinner time; even the occasional accident, but they are the best company I have ever had without question. They make me want to go outside, weather permitting, to play ball or throw the Frisbee – fresh air. And when I feel blue, Shadow will come by me and place his paw on my leg as if to say, “I know.” He’ll sit like that for 20 minutes if I let him while I rub and scratch his paw. He’s one of the few dogs I know that loves to have his paws played with!

Shiloh has her sweet moments too. Like when I am sitting on the love seat with my legs propped up on my Jazzy, she’ll come over and bury her head between the cushion and the side of my leg as if she is trying to get me up.

I hate to be blunt when it comes to Shiloh, but she ain’t no lady! She burps after she eats for one. I learned no to lean over for an ear kiss after she eats. She gives me a quick lick, then burps in my ear – yuck! Sometimes, she burps so loud even Shadow looks over I guess to make sure she didn’t vomit.

True to her good manners, she’s a bit gassy at times. She’ll be sitting, staring at me, tail just wagging and I’ll hear the little, soft trumpet from her hiney. I let her out just in case!

One evening, I was going into my room and as I went to turn on the light, I smelled it! My heart leapt to my throat at the odor and the possibility of an accident. As I turned on the light, all I could think was that if she did have an accident, I hope I didn’t run over it! When the light came on – nothing, anywhere – thank God! But there Shiloh was, sprawled on her cushion, which I keep at the foot of my bed on the floor, like the Queen of Sheba. She almost seemed to be trying to be nonchalant, because she knew it stank. If she could have whistling, I think she would have. I had to laugh after I realized everything was fine.

They both are a constant source of laughter for me. The simple things that garner their attention or amaze them are a continuous fount for me. Their antics, not meant to be funny to them, bring me a good hearty laugh. I wish I had the video camera because their actions are priceless and I could win one of those funniest video contests!

The funniest thing I ever saw Shadow do was, and please excuse my directness – he went up to the edge of the lawn to take a dump. Now, that day, we had a freezing rain earlier on maybe 6 inches of snow and when it re-froze – created a slippery crust. Our lawn slopes down toward the highway too. So, Shadow was doing his thing, and while he did, it would slide past him on the crust of ice. Shadow still in his stance in the middle of his “duty”, would watch each slide by as if to be saying, “What is that doing?”

Anyway, I hope I haven’t made anyone queasy because I was hoping to share the absurdity and innocence of the daily dog antics that tickle my funny bone and melt my heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day Shadow and Shiloh!