dogs

Porch Dog. Official Elkhart Lake Greeter. Come Meet Him!

Posted by Barbara Techel
Porch Dog. Official Elkhart Lake Greeter. Come Meet Him!
Boone

If you come to Elkhart Lake, our little village of 950 residents, which swells to well over the thousands in the summer, especially on race weekends, you just might be lucky enough to meet this handsome fellow. His name is Boone.

As you meander down to the artisans and farmer’s market on a Saturday morning, strolling east or west on Rhine Street, across from the post office, is a big beautiful blue and white Victorian style home, with a large porch, where you just may spot the official greeter of our small town.

How could this not make your day walking by?! It sure did mine when I loaded Gidgie in her dog stroller and walked to the market this morning. My whole heart lit up with joy to see Boone hanging over the porch rail to catch the eye of someone walking by and do what he does best…make ’em smile and fill their hears with joy.

He happens to belong to my husband’s cousin, Connie, and her husband Pat. After their last dog passed away, Pat just didn’t know if he could do it again. The heartache of losing an animal sometimes too much to bear for some. But a trip to a nursery called, Honeymoon Acres, a few months later in a nearby town, and who would they meet as part of their helpful staff? An English Cream Golden retriever named Roy. They were smitten and..well, you know how this story ends.  🙂

Not only has Boone wound his way into Connie and Pat’s hearts, but he has the hearts of many that visit our small town. And many return, looking for Boone, hoping to catch him hanging out on the porch. As is the case often, as I experienced in my days with Frankie who was well known in town years ago, many would ask if I remembered them when they met Frankie that “one summer.” 

And I remember fondly, how I’d always smile politely, as Connie and Pat do now when people stop to see Boone and ask if they remember them from that last time they met Boone. Perhaps it’s not important to recall faces, but the connection and joy felt when other’s meet Boone, and the joy Connie and Pat get in sharing him with other’s. Now that, that is the language of animals…it’s what you feel with the heart.

And I can’t help but end this post today, thinking of the bumper sticker I used to have on my car, “Bark less, wag more.” 

Here’s to more wagging!

XO,

Barbara

A New Game

Posted by Barbara Techel

A New Game

Yesterday I discovered a new game to play with Gidget. The game itself isn’t new as it’s been around a long time, but new to her and new to me in that I’d not thought of playing this with her until now. We played hide ‘n seek.

Gidget has never liked playing with toys. But a game we’ve played over the years is one in which I get on the floor, rest my butt on my heels and bury my face in my hands. Then I’ll say, “Where’s Gidget?”  Within seconds her snout will find its way into the opening between my arms and my face to “find” me. Funny I call it “Where’s Gidget” as she is the one who is finding me.

As we played “Where’s Gidget” yesterday I remembered seeing a video of people hiding behind doors and calling for their dog to find them. So I thought I’d give it a try. I started out with easy “finds” like going behind the chair in the living room, and then into the laundry room. Then I hid behind the closet door in my bedroom and called for her.

Four times in row she came into the closet, but just to the edge of the door, then back out she’d go again. By this time I’m trying not to laugh. So I called again. When she got to the edge of the door, I called her name again. This time past the door she went, looking straight ahead, but not behind her. Then back out she went again.

Again I called her and into the closet past the door she went, but still didn’t know where I was. Then I called her name again, and as she turned to “discover” me behind the door I shouted, “You “found”  me!”

We will try playing this game again later today as I want to see if she remembers and it takes less tries for her to find me behind the door. Though I think the real trick would be for her to hide and then I’d have to seek!

Photo above is after play and her infamous “stink eye.”  Clearly it was time for rest and I needed to heed the message.

XO,

Barbara

Gidget Connecting with the Spirit of Kylie?

Posted by Barbara Techel

Gidget Connecting with the Spirit of Kylie?

It’s a curious thing. To observe Miss Gidget doing something she’d not done while Kylie was here.

I must admit that I feel more in tune with Gidget these days since Kylie passed on. While in some ways I’d love a house full of dogs, I am enjoying this more intimate one to one experience. We have no plans to bring another dog into our life and likely will be a one dog household from now on for various reasons.

My attention span is no longer split between two dogs, and noticing Gidget more is having its fun side, along with peaking my curiosity about certain aspects.

Such as the times I’ve witnessed her lying on the rug between our living room and kitchen. It was a place that Kylie often laid. What is interesting about that is when Kylie hung out in that spot we’d often have to squeeze by her, because we didn’t want to disturb her, of course. 🙂

But also interesting as it was something Kylie had only begun doing about the last year or two of her life. Why she chose to lay in that spot often, I’m not quite sure. 

It wasn’t a place I’d find Gidget even when Kylie was elsewhere, but now I find her there often. While Kylie was still alive and just in the last year, we’d often find both of them snuggled in Kylie’s kennel. Something they’d not done the previous three years since Gidget had come into our life.

But I do think that perhaps they were communicating in their own special way and I do believe that they both knew Kylie would be moving on soon. It was such a special thing to witness—deepening their bond which always warmed my heart to observe.

So now Gidget takes up residence often on the rug where Kylie often was. Perhaps she feels connected to Kylie there. Perhaps Kylie’s spirit is there. Of course, I can’t say for sure. But it brings me comfort to know that maybe it’s Gidget’s way in which she is still connected with sweet Kylie.

And then there is Kylie’s huge kennel that resides in our kitchen. I just couldn’t part with that either, as Gidget enjoys that as her safe place when we are gone. So much for the idea of tiny house living – she’s a big mansion type of gal I guess!

XO,

Barbara