Epic Dog

By Bud Focht

Hi, my name is Bud and I have never wanted to own a dog.

Never. 

Not when I was a kid and my sister and I had one. Not when my kids were young and we owned one. And not now, even though I can now see an advantage in having one.

To me, a dog, or any pet that needs taking care of, is an anchor. It holds you back. It prevents you from traveling. It ties you down. It is just one more thing on my plate that I don’t need.

No, I never did want a dog and probably never will.

But I do enjoy watching our “grand dog.”

When our son goes out of town my wife Terry and I watch his dog, Harry. Harry is very entertaining. He is affectionate, happy and very athletic.  He loves kids and is very friendly to everyone. 

Everyone expect the mailman, the UPS man or the Fed Ex man, that is.

Like most dogs, Harry sees these delivery people as trespassers who come to the house but don’t stay around long when the barking starts. So the dogs are not only warning of trespassers, they are receiving positive reinforcement for their barking because the delivery man leaves.

But other than the delivery men, Harry is very loving.  He could probably qualify as an emotional support animal. At least for my wife Terry.

Ever since Terry was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease close to 30 months ago, it has become more and more difficult for her to be alone. When I am at work Harry not only keeps Terry company, he entertains her. Harry is always chasing squirrels, rabbits, birds. Anything that moves in our backyard Harry tries to catch.

Since Harry and my son live in an apartment, Harry doesn’t have a yard. The two of them go on long runs and long walks, so Harry gets his share of exercise and outdoor life, but he is always on a 30-foot leash. In our fenced in backyard he gets to roam free, roll around in the grass, and he seems to love it.

And Terry loves to watch him. “Harry’s a funny dog,” she is always saying with a chuckle as she watches him bury a chewy treat in our backyard or run underneath the telephone wires hoping the squirrel will somehow fall.

They say some animals can help people with disabilities like anxiety, depression and other emotional or psychological conditions. They provide therapeutic benefits, sometimes alleviating or mitigating some of the symptoms of the disability.

Terry’s biggest problem these days with her advanced dementia is her inability to make decisions. I’m not sure how an animal is going to help in that area. He can’t tell her it is time to go to the bathroom or how to take a shower. But I do know a dog like Harry sure makes Terry feel good.

Some people would describe Harry as an ‘Epic dog’ but not me. I have heard the word epic used way too many times lately.

When I was growing up the word epic had to do with a poem that was way too long and usually about some sort of hero or legendary figure. Now, it is one of the most overused words in the English language and somehow had its meaning changed to “extremely awesome!”

Harry is extremely awesome and could qualify as a legendary figure, at least in our family, and is a hero to me for entertaining Terry.

So maybe Harry is an ‘epic dog.’

And even though I don’t want a dog, I do want to watch Harry again next month when our son goes out of town again. 

And Terry will think it is epic.

Until next time, try not to overuse words. To me, that is an ‘epic fail.’

Bud