Man’s Best Friend–It’s Not Just a Phrase

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

–Genesis 1:24-25

We had all wondered if Amazing Gracie the Wonderdog would remember Number One Son when he came home from college for the first time. On Friday evening, that question was answered in dramatic fashion.

Around 5:00 PM, Gracie was staring out the dining room window when she began to emit her characteristic high-pitched, “I GOTTA HAVE IT, I GOTTA HAVE IT!” whine, the one normally reserved for the chipmunks and squirrels that she routinely spots and gives chase to in our backyard. She then began to shake and quiver from nose to tail, and we didn’t even have to look out the window to know that Number One must be standing in the driveway.

She did a couple of quick warm-up laps around the circuit leading from the dining room to the kitchen through the family room into the entry hall and back to the dining room window. As Number One began to turn the knob to the front door, Gracie stretched out her long frame and peeked out the side window for a better look at her beloved boy. When he stepped into the entry hall, she immediately jumped up, placed her paws on his shoulders and gave him the first of many sloppy, wet “kisses” that she would slather him with over the next few minutes. Taking the hint, Number One dropped to his knees, whereupon Gracie tackled him and began to nibble at his hands and face as if to say, “Where in the world have you been, boy?”

This went on for quite a while, and for the remainder of the time that he was home, she followed him around like, well, a puppy dog, and wouldn’t let him out of her sight.

Man’s best friend–it’s not just a phrase.

11 Comments

  1. mmlace

    Awwwwww. Mike, what kind of dog is Gracie?

  2. Mike the Eyeguy

    A certified, registered “mixed breed.” AKA, a mutt.

    But then again, aren’t we all?

  3. David U

    That story did my heart good…………..in that I am the biggest dog fan in the world! I’ve yet to find a human who is as good a friend as a dog.

    DU

    ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Mike the Eyeguy

    I knew you’d like that one. My next step is to get Gracie a houndstooth collar (click here).

    As Gracie would say, “Ro Ride, Ro!”

  5. Brady

    We don’t have a dog, but my kids greet me at the door pretty much in the same way.

  6. Mike the Eyeguy

    Lucky you. All I can say is, thank goodness for Gracie. If it weren’t for her, my evening return to the cave from long, arduous hours of hunting and gathering would usually go unrecognized and unappreciated.

  7. Mike the Eyeguy

    I’m no expert in Hebrew, but it’s my understanding that the word for “creatures” in this passage is nephesh which means “soulish animals.” Those would be the ones which could be domesticated and could establish a relationship with humans, say as pets.

    Gracie is really, really into relationships.

  8. Stoogelover

    Great story! I love dogs, even my psycho puppy who seems intent on never maturing past the emotional level of a puppy! I, too, LOVED the final score of that team from who-knows-where beating auburn!!! Doesn’t get much better than a Bama win and an auburn lose on the same weekend.

  9. Mike the Eyeguy

    It’s funny, at times Gracie shows signs of maturing into a responsible adult, and then out of the blue she returns to her pup days.

    Come to think of it, that dog and I are a lot alike.

    Yes, I’m afraid I’ve crossed a line of some sort, this gaining pleasure from the misery of others–more specifically, “them thar Barners.”

  10. Carolinagirl

    ME – Wow! This one almost made me cry. Seriously, it gives me hope that Abbie, my Golden Retriever, will do the same for me after 15 long months of being apart. I’m taking pictures of her with me. Yes, I’ll plaster them in whatever area I have to call my own. I wonder if I were to plaster pictures of me inside her crate, if she’d remember me more all the same.

    I’ve been told that dogs never forget a scent. I’m praying on that one.

  11. Mike the Eyeguy

    She’ll remember you. And even if she doesn’t, to her you’ll be this wonderful new person who comes into her life at just the right time.

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