I SPEAK DOG

I SPEAK DOG

BY

ANQUINETTE MILLER

I speak Dog. It’s not as easy as you think. It’s not just barking. I do that too. It’s not just being a dog whisperer or talking baby talk to a dog. It’s more than that. I speak Dog all day long, every day.

It’s a language that you learn just being around dogs all the time. You begin to understand their eyes, smiles, grins, barks and their dreams. It’s knowing the right way to scratch the back or rub the ears. It’s a very sensitive language, made especially for those who love and care deeply for others.

If I am driving down the street and I see a dog walking or running. I say, “Go home boy, Go home baby.” They stop in their tracks and turn back, as if going home. If I am speaking English, Spanish or Sign Language my doggies understand. They can even read my thoughts. I’m a polyglot. English, Spanish, Hebrew, Sign Language and Dog. My first language is English, but my second language is Dog.

I’m a Mama doghuman, Grandma Doghuman, Auntie Doghuman, even Great-grandma Doghuman.

Since I was a child, our family-owned dogs, pure bred Huskeys and German Shepherds. We also had mixed breed dogs. In the early 70’s, I didn’t see the same concern for dogs as in the 21st century. We trained a dog to sit, rollover, shake with the right paw and live outside and protect the people in the house.

They ate Alpo, Gravy Train, Pedigree and table scraps. The NEVER came into the house. I mean never. My grandma would not allow it. My Grandpa built a doghouse and they lived in it rain and shine.

My Mom on the other hand, let the dogs live in the house. She picked up every stray dog and gave it a home, mostly dogs mixed with every type of breed, mostly small dogs that after kids on bikes, nipping at their heels. They were bold enough to try and attack tires as the cars drove by. I remember being about 11 years of age, I was playing in the street with some of the other kids on the block when a car came by and this time it hit and killed lady. That was such a sad day, my mom was so upset and cussing out the man that hit the dog.

When I was 13 years old, I had a dog named Tanya. She was a mixed breed, husky and German Shepherd. She had 13 puppies on Friday, August 13, 1976, no lie…She had one puppy I named bear who was a runt, sort of wobbled when he walked. I took extra care with that puppy making sure he was drinking milk from mommy. He died a few weeks later.

I remember another dog I had named Butch, he was given to my Grandpa and my Grandpa gave him to me to care for. I was about 14, naïve, silly. I was walking the dog across the street to a convenient store and as I crossed the street, a man in a truck speeding, avoided me and hit the dog. Butch was laying in the street. I was crying and not understanding what to do. There were two men who got out of the truck trying to console me and said they would take the dog to the hospital and bring him back later when he felt better. I was hopeful and went home to tell my Grandpa what happened. It was then, I realized I did not have their contact information and they did not have mine. I felt so dumb…I still think about that sometimes.

I have fostered dogs throughout the years, not realizing it, just keeping dogs and loving them.

When I was 16 years old and suffering from depression, my uncle gave me the job of caring for his two dogs while he was on a business trip and relocating to a different area. They were pure bred white Cocker Spaniels named Duke and Duchess. I treated them like my own. They gave me hope and something to do.

I also had a pet bird, a gray and white cockatiel with orange cheeks and a yellow face. I named him Felipo for Happy Bird! I received that bird as a gift from my uncle’s friend. I never wanted him to be caged. While I was home, I kept the bird cage open. He had a bird play pen with a swing, ladder and toys. I let him fly around my room while listening to music and dancing, singing to my bird, he would land on my head and fly from one end of the room to the next. My Grandma would fuss at me all the time about the bird poop on the curtain rails. When my bird was on my shoulder, he would nibble sunflower seeds from my hand, peck at my face and give me little kisses. One day on my way to school, I had the bird on my shoulder and went to the garage to put clothes in the dryer. I was rushing to get to school and didn’t realize he was still on my shoulder, he flew away. I cried like a baby, ran to my grandma and told her the bird flew away. I was sad and angry with myself.

Dogs, cats and birds have been a type of therapy for me as I lived through life’s circumstances, sadness, sickness, misery and pain, anxiety and other emotional upsets. They have celebrated with me at the birth of babies, laughed and danced around on hind legs at my graduation or new job. They love to attend parties and go on trips. What a joy to have a pet to share your life with. They know how to sooth your physical pain. Just having a dog lay near your back or knee that is throbbing it brings a healing of its own. If you are having an emotional or mental upset, having a pet to hold and caress will help you feel peace and comfort. Today, you can have a support animal to help you recover or have a balanced mind and spirit.

I volunteer at my local convalescent hospital as a pianist playing soothing and positive music. I have met several dogs there, that provide an activity for the residents that like dogs. Both the pets and residents look forward to the visit. I think God created dogs on the earth specifically to assist him in giving love to those in need, as the saying goes “The Dog is man’s best friend.” If you want to be politically correct, you can say person’s best friend.

When I was married to my second husband, (my first husband died in an auto accident) we rented a house, we had a dog named Sheba, she was a big, fluffy beige dog. I was pregnant and she was in heat. I don’t know how the dogs found her, but she was in the backyard, she had about 6 dogs taking turns. Sheba had 7 puppies, different sizes, colors and temperaments. We kept one that my husband named “Mo Money”. About a year later, the landlord informed us, he did not want any dogs on his property. I was heartbroken and so were the children. This was before the time of paying $500 deposit to keep a pet. My husband took the dogs to a Regional park about 20 miles away from where we lived. It was a park we visited as a family with the dogs on many occasions. I was nearly ready to give birth, so I did not worry about the dog situation. The dogs were gone and I informed the landlord. Two days later, I am not making this up, the dogs showed up on the front porch, tired and hungry. Of course, we welcome them back into our home, we eventually had to surrender them to the pound.

Many people would adopt a pet, but unfortunately, if you don’t own your home or a pet is not permitted by the landlord or manager, all the posting and advertising to adopt a pet is to no avail. The homeless population keep their dogs, train them to ride on bikes, sit in strollers, and to protect their stuff. Amazing how they care for their animals, like children. Real people, real pets, it’s a family affair.

Before I birthed baby #6 my husband was out all night doing whatever foolish husbands do, he found a dog and brought him home. I argued with him the fact we just got rid of two dogs the year before and we are not supposed to have dogs. You can’t argue with a drunk man. His excuse was, “I brought him home because we need more light in our life, so I named him Candle”. What the….this was overwhelming, 5 children, one on the way and now another dog that we were not supposed to have.

Candle always stayed by my feet, he followed me everywhere, to the bathroom, he would wait by the door, in the car on errands, he slowly and surely became “MY DOG”.

As time went on I was pregnant with baby number 7, yes, all of my adult life, pregnant, breastfeeding. Candle was so happy, you know when dogs smile, you can see their eyes brighten, they open their mouth, show those teeth and lick your face. He had a real home, real children to play with and real chicken to share from the table.

When pets die, it is just like another child in the family, everyone is affected by their illness or death. It was a few years after that the dog had been sick and had to be put to sleep. That was very difficult.

In the United States in the years 2000 to 2021 there are 63.4 million households that have dogs.

I have 5 dogs, not all mind, but came to me from different circumstances.

Buster, Pepper, Stumpy whose name was changed to Curry, Mississippi, I changed her name to Missy, Totsky the big puppy – my great grandbaby dog.

They follow me upstairs, downstairs, outside, inside, to the bathroom, depending on the use of the toilet, they will wait by the door, if it’s serious, they bid me “Good Luck” and wait away from the bathroom door. They watch over the grandchildren, comfort the foster children, they bond with the new grandbabies, they are so precious to me.

They will scratch on my door, knock, open the door to get my attention to go outside or tell me to come and see what is going on.

Daddy Buster demands respect from all the dogs and the grandchildren. He will not tolerate any bad behavior and will let you know right away. He is 10 years old and refuses to be groomed, you will have to paw wrestle if you want to get him in the tub. When I say you stink, he goes outside and rolls in the dirt. A few years ago, I decided to send him to the groomers with the other two dogs, Pepper and Curry as a treat. I left him hopeful to see him in a few hours. I had errands to do and would not be home for a while. When I returned home, my husband told me the dog passed out at the groomers home. He said it nonchalantly, like “hey you have something in your teeth” type of announcement. I panicked, “Oh my God, where is my baby, oh no, take me to him now.” When I arrived at the groomer’s house, I ran inside to see him, he was a nervous wreck. I asked her what happened. That’s when I found out he had died, she revived him. She had finished a doggy CPR training the previous week. I was so glad. My baby is alive.

If a person or family does not like dogs, don’t get one, just to have one. They need love and attention, especially if they are home alone. Fortunately, for my dogs I am home with them all the time.

Pepper had two litters at my home. She lived with me for a while and moved back to her parents’ house. She kept one puppy with her, that is Curry, previously named Stumpy and I kept one that I named Falcon. They look nothing alike, but are definitely brothers. Pepper had a mate named Twilight, they had a wedding with the tux and wedding gown, my daughter’s pride and joy. Pepper had been given to my daughter because she was so hyper, running away all the time, not obedient at all, trying to find her, calling her driving around the neighborhood.

Mama Pepper, she will lick your face until you cry out for mercy. Don’t let the baby be in the stroller and you look away in the conversation. She is all over the baby’s face “I have to clean you here and there, and oops….””Pepper leave that baby alone” She stops looks around for one of the older children, to see if they need their face cleaned.’ I pick her up, “That’s my mama doggy…Dats a good mama” I give her a nice belly rub and she goes to the window and lays down and wait for the next time action and barking is needed.

Missy barks all day long in Pepper’s ear, “After all, that is Peppers daughter-in-law and she let’s her know, especially when, Pepper is spoiling her son, which is Missy’s husband.” “That is what is wrong with him now, you are always spoiling him, licking his face, biting on his ear, laughing and tickling him, that is my man, that’s why he did not help me with the puppies.” When Pepper is tired of her yelping and barking in her ear, she growls and give her a good piece of her mind. “First of all, you came here, because someone was going to put you down and we opened the door of our heart to accept you. You attacked grandma when she picked up the sandwich. You made her foot bleed and caused her to be angry and sad, everybody wanted to get rid of you.” “I know, I was wrong and remember, I came to grandma while she was at her desk and I looked at her with the sorry eyes, I was truly sad, I told her I was sorry. She looked down at me and said, she forgave me, remember? “ “Yes, I remember, we were all so happy grandma forgave you and she gave you a treat. She is so wonderful.”

Pepper and Curry lived with my son-in-law’s mother and the house caught fire in the back room. It just so happened that the other son, took the dogs for a walk, when he came back, the kennel was completely burned and the house was destroyed. All except one got out safely, the friend was burned and died in the flames.

The dogs came to me that night for a few months, until they could get settled and a place to live, I gladly took the dogs and they provided the food and paid me for a while. Once they got a place, the dogs were so attached to me, I could not bare to let them go. Pepper was my granddaughter’s dog, so she said, “Pepper, grandma will now adopt you, I still love you, but you are now going to live with Grandma.” “I looked at Pepper and she looked at me, then my granddaughter, she said, “Thank you and she licked my granddaughter and then licked me. Her puppy was Stumpy, that is why we changed him name to Curry, so I adopted him also. It was well understood.

Treats for everyone, we will celebrate. It was two years later when my son’s friend was going into the Air Force, they were in College together when he decided he wanted to change his life. He had a dog, that nobody wanted to keep and they were going to put her down. My son just happened to be at his house while they were discussing this. The next morning, I woke up went downstairs to the kitchen and my son was sitting at the table, holding and petting the dog and kissing her face. I said, what the….whose dog is that?” “Mom this is my dog, and I am not going to let her go, she is living here with me in my room, so don’t tell me to get rid of her, because this is her new home.” I just said, “Is she fixed, because if not, you know we have a boy dog that is not fixed and that means puppies.” You need to find her another home. My son told me the sad story and how her life was going to be ending, so he saved him and brought her home. I said, “Oh my wonderful son, the savior of doggies, yes, she can stay”. My husband, did not like the idea, but oh well, I foster children, dogs, whoever needs love, they are welcomed here. Besides that, she is a chihuahua and looked similar to his dog that was run over and killed in the middle of mating with the dog up the street, but that’s another long story.

Curry and Missy had two litters, my son kept the first born of the first litter. He is taller and muscular chihuahua poodle mix. My son is a musician and singer, so while the puppy was with him in the room, he would practice his instruments, violin, viola, ukulele, piano, and singing, so the dog has a musical ear. He sings when he barks. He sings the key my son sings in, it’s amazing to hear.

When my grandchildren come to my house for a sleep over, they bring Falcon who was renamed Saga, so if they stay a few nights, he stays too so he can visit with his mom, sister-in-law and nephew. Yes, I am the one that can handle it. When missy had puppies last year, I was saying “We need to get rid of these puppies.” I changed that to “We need to find these puppies a good home”. My son interviews and decides who will get a puppy, he wants them to live long and enjoy family life.

I encourage anyone to get a pet that matches your personality. One that will support you through your life. You will never be bored with a pet to love. There is always something funny to laugh about. Dogs especially understand, if you are feeling in physical pain or emotional pain, they will just relax with you and give a listening ear. I love my pets, my babies, I am so glad I have my doggies, my life has never been the same.