Big life lessons from a little dog

Published 10:00 am Saturday, September 28, 2019

I love dogs. Someone in my family, often more than just one person, has pretty much had a dog all my life. But there is no dog I love more than my own.

Rylee is a little ginger, 7-year-old Pomerarian-Yorkie mix with a sweet but timid nature. I’ve known Rylee since she was a tiny puppy, tiny enough that she was in a dairy’s advertisement where she and her sister posed inside yogurt cups.

Over the years, as I’ve raised her and trained her to the dog she is today, I’ve also learned a few lessons from her.

– Be resilient:

A few years ago, Rylee suffered from an event that changed her life forever. I wasn’t able to keep her with me at my house, so my father and step-mom were taking care of her at their house in North Georgia. One cold night in February, she did not return from a run outside. They spent hours calling and looking for her, to no avail. She had simply disappeared.

She eventually showed back up at dawn that morning, soaking wet and with a deep cut on one of her front paws. They immediately took her to the vet. They did everything they could to try to save her leg, but it was frostbitten and gangrene set it. They had to amputate it at the shoulder.

Rylee spent several days in the hospital. When my stepmom went to check on her, it was clear she hated to be there and wanted to get home. My stepmom said the day they took her home, Rylee practically jumped in my stepmom’s arms.

Sometimes, it can take a while for a dog to adjust to an amputated leg. Not my girl. She was up and figuring it out the moment she got home. If it phased her, she never showed it and still doesn’t. She’s just a regular dog, able to get around just as well as any other dog. My dad jokes that she runs faster without it than she did with it.

So one of the first lessons I’ve learned from her was if life hands you a stressful time or even a tragedy, you can get through it and to happiness on the other side.

– Be a people person:

Rylee is a bit skittish when it comes to first impressions, but she doesn’t shy away from people or other dogs. She may spend 15 minutes barking and growling at you from halfway across the room, but if you’re patient and quiet with her, you’ll make a friend for life.

Rylee will charge ahead to meet you if we pass by you on a walk. She doesn’t care who you are. If you’re in her line of vision, she’s interested in what you’re doing.

One time we were on a walk, and a lady passed by and Rylee raised her head to look at her. The lady diverted her path away from us, saying she wouldn’t get in our way or cause Rylee to bark. It was clear she wasn’t very comfortable around dogs.

Rylee didn’t get the memo.

She pulled me right toward her, even though I tried to stop her. Rylee then sat down patiently at the woman’s feet.

No barking, not a sound. Just a little ginger dog wanting a pat on the head.

The women smiled and obliged. “Well, aren’t you cute?” She said as she bent down. “You’re a nice dog, okay.”

Cue one small petting and then the women said her goodbye and went on her way.

I don’t know if Rylee’s interaction changed how this woman felt about dogs. I hope so, though.

No matter what you do, be friendly to people and leave the world just a little more kinder for folks each day.

– Stop to smell the roses (or the grass):

Sometimes you need to just stop and enjoy life.

Rylee takes time out of our walks to stop and smell the grass or the leaves, to listen to cars or people pass, or to just lie in the sun for a few seconds.

She has her favorite spots we absolutely must go by because it must be checked, but as long as we get there, she’s in no big rush.

If you ask what time we plan to be back from a walk, I couldn’t tell you.

It could be 5 minutes, it could be 30 minutes.

She likes to explore and enjoys simply being outside, so we’re usually out there until she takes me back towards home.

Sometimes she leads me on a completely different path than what I had planned out, just because she smells or sees something interesting.

Sometimes, it can do you some good to be like that. You should try to never get too stressed or too blind to the world around you.

Sometimes, life can be a little sweeter, if you just stop, look around, and sit in the grass.

– Greet the day with excitement:

Whenever I get up, there is always a smiling face waiting for me in the living room. Rylee has a set routine but never tires from it. If she’s had two good walks a day, she’s happy. If I take her to the dog park for a run, she’s extra happy. I think, in a way, I admire her.

She’s happy with the simple things. She doesn’t know about things we don’t have. She doesn’t mind that I don’t have a big, fenced-in yard where she could run forever if she wanted.

I don’t know if she’s ever had a bad day outside her time in the hospital, but if she has, she’s never let me know.

They say every day you get up is a good one. Well, every day I get up and see my dog smile, then see that smile return again when I get home that night, it’s been a good one for me.