From A Dog’s Point Of View

by Barry KuKes

Is it morning already? Time to get up and have breakfast, but Mom and Dad are still sleeping. What’s an 86 pound Golden Retriever to do? Me know… Me will jump into the bed and gently nudge them until they wake up. Here I go. Oops! Sorry about that, Mom. Me always jump on her legs and it must hurt because she yells those special words when I land on the bed. Me will make it up to her, and squeeze in between her and

Dad, so we can all snuggle. Now, me need to get Dad’s attention, so he pets me. Will stick my cold nose in his armpit. That usually works.
Ah, this is very nice, but me need more room. Maybe if I place my paws on Dad’s chest and push, I can move Mom over a few feet. Maybe she will fall off the bed like she did last week. Talk about special words! Me had never heard such words. Must be a foreign language.

My pushing worked! Mom is getting out of bed and will now prepare my breakfast. First, she needs to visit the room with the large white water bowl that automatically refills when they push on a handle. Me push on the handle too, when they are not around. It’s fun, and the water is nice and cold. Dad said something a few months ago about the increased water bill, but me no think my pushing the handle on the water bowl caused that. Me only push it 10-20 times a day. That can’t be it. Must be something else.

Here comes Mom out of the water bowl room. She is going to call me to come follow her into the kitchen, but me know better. She needs to get coffee first and that takes a few minutes, so me have more time to sleep by Dad. If me roll on my back, then Dad will rub my belly. Ah! Me very happy this morning. Oh oh.. me hear clink clink clink of the spoon on my dish. Breakfast is ready. Time for me to jump down. Oops! Sorry about that Dad. Me need to be more careful.

Now in the kitchen, and ready to eat breakfast. What? Go outside first? No, me no go. Me want to eat first and then I go outside. She’s not buying this argument. Me will sit and not move until me get my breakfast. What did she say? Do I want a treat? Of course, me want treats. Where is the treat? Outside? Okay, that is fine. Me go outside and potty, then eat treat. Okay, now time for breakfast.
Yum, my favorite. Dry salmon kibble and a few spoonful’s of meat. Even though me have the same food twice a day for many years, me still love it.

All done. Now, me get special treats. A vitamin, a soft treat for my hips, and a gummy for my coat. All very good. Mom leaves the room, but me hear footsteps.

It’s Dad! Me say hello. Good Morning Daddy! He pets me and tells me he loves me. Me tell him that Mom forgot to give me breakfast. He falls for this deception every once in a while. Oh, no. He going to the water bowl room and asking Mom if she fed me. Curses! Foiled again.

Me play innocent and beg for treats. Dad is a big sucker when it comes to treats. Dad smiles and walks to the treat jar. He tells me to sit and give him a high-five. He makes me do this every time. Me don’t know why. He is very predictable. Me know lots of other tricks like dance the Moonwalk, and play Blackjack, but he never asks me to do those. Always, sit and give high-fives. Oh well. Better than no treats at all.

Me have been up for at least one hour. Time for a nap, but first me go back outside and make a poopy for Mommy. Me happy to have a very bushy tail so it covers my backend when me squat. Otherwise, making poopy can be embarrassing if neighbors watching. When Daddy rescued me from the animal shelter my tail had no hair like the rest of me. Me was chained to a tree and could not get away from fleas, other bugs, and especially thunderstorms. Me still very scared of thunder and lightning. Me shake and hide under the bed. Daddy and Mommy hug me and dress me in a special shirt. Me look very dapper when wearing the shirt, and it helps calm my nerves.

My day with my humans is pretty much the same every day. Me get up, eat, make poopy, take nap, take another nap, go outside again, get more treats, take another nap until dinner time. After dinner, Mom or Dad takes me for a walk; then it is bedtime. The next morning, the day repeats as before. Me love my life with Mom and Dad. Me love them very much and me so grateful that they rescued me. Me hope we are al-ways together.
Please make a dog like me feel loved and wanted. Adopt, don’t shop. Shelter animals are special, and they need your love.
Bentley

Barry KuKes is the former community outreach director at Halifax Humane Society. E-mail him at bkukes @gmail.com View more of his work at minicooperpro ductions.com