So much more than just a dog
I had always sworn to myself that I would never make such a humanising fuss about our dog. Especially not for his birthday. How silly - an animal like that doesn't understand that! Our dog would just be an animal. A farting, tail-wagging, furry animal. I would never call him «Schatzeli». Or «Schnuffelwuff». And least of all «fur nose» - when his nose is clearly one of the few parts of his body without fur.
That was before we got Sunny, our caramel-coloured Labradoodle. Now, almost a year later, I'm standing in the kitchen with a sticky, gooey mess dripping from my hands. Dog food from a tin. I'd love to turn it into a nice round cake, with hearty bone-shaped biscuits to decorate around it. Without a candle, because he can't blow. A birthday cake, because our Sunny is turning one year old.
Unfortunately, the cake keeps collapsing into a pile of flab. But we have a wonderful present for him: a sniffer blanket that our friend Regine sewed herself. Made from sturdy fabric and old jeans, with lots of pockets for hiding and finding treats. Of course, we will also sing. Yes, hello - you have to celebrate such a special day properly!
I could claim that only the children would have attended the dog's birthday party. But that would only be half the truth. The fact is: we've all learnt something new. Sunny has been wagging and farting his way through our family life since last year, so he's a real dog. And at the same time, he has become so much more to us than «just an animal»
1. our dog, the marriage therapist
We certainly have our ups and downs, my husband and I. But the first time I saw him fold his 1.90 metres into the dog crate to lie down with a howling puppy, I fell in love all over again. He now does this every night and swears that the dog sleeps much better if he sings «Sleep Sunny, sleep» to him beforehand. I married a wonderful man! Our evening dog walks are unrivalled in terms of romance: It's just him and me and a blissfully snuffling Sunny running across the fields at sunset ... you can overlook the gaggle bags and the necessary picking up.
2. our dog, the comforter of souls
Whoever in our family is in big trouble no longer starts howling, shouting, throwing toys or eating frustration chocolate. No, we all go straight to the big grey dog day bed. (One of our many new purchases for the dog, because of course he needs one). There we bury our noses in Sunny's silky soft golden curly fur. We look into his understanding green-brown eyes. Let him lick us over the cheek. (One of the many dog rules we break, because of course he doesn't have worms. Sunny doesn't.) And we know: Everything will be fine.
3. our dog, the hoover
It has never been as clean under our dining table as it is now. We tried really hard to raise our children to be proper eaters who don't spill or drop anything. And, as with so many other goals, we failed. We could have wiped under our table after every meal, but nobody has the time or inclination to do that. Now Sunny has taken over the job and does it as fantastically as only a Labbi mix can. It looks like we've been licked clean, honestly. You could eat off the floor. If Sunny wasn't faster.
4. our dog, the tidying coach
A pair of glasses, so neatly disassembled into their individual parts as if an optician had been at work. Although opticians don't eat glasses. Mimi, the cuddly mouse, without her long mouse tail (how can Sunny digest plush?) My favourite flip-flops turned into a pile of chewed-up pieces. (Apparently Sunny can't digest rubber.) Our house has never been as tidy as it is now, with Sunny pacing around the rooms looking for something to do. At least everything is tidied up. We are just learning.
5 Our dog, the networker
Since we've been walking through the neighbourhood with Sunny, we've been getting to know our neighbours better every day. Simply mumbling «Grüezi» as you walk past, nobody can do that with our fuzzy dog. He makes everyone feel like their new favourite person. He's happy to wag and cuddle as if he's just met his best friend again after ten years. A «people magnet» on four legs. Toddlers stop shouting and the older grantel start small talk. Even our neighbour, who always looks as if she's just been born, has Sunny wrapped around her paw. We panicked when he barked loudly and jumped up on her pristine white jeans - she just said: «Yay, leave him alone - how harsh!»
6. our dog, the do-gooder
Like a personality coach, Sunny brings out the best in all of us. The grumpy guy who slams doors when his hair isn't right? Rolling happily in the grass with Sunny - styling or not. The scattered daughter who I'm glad when she's not walking to school in finches? Changes Sunny's water on each of these dog days, «because I can't imagine how hot it is in his fur right now!». My husband, who just flops onto the sofa after a stressful day at the office? He discovers his love of walking the dog. And me, always frantically and tensely ticking off the next item on my to-do list? Manage to arrive calmly in the here and now after a wet nose nudge. Most of the time.
On that note: congratulations, Schnuffelwuff! We are grateful to you for so much, darling. We look forward to hopefully many more years with you, you dearest of all fur noses. Happy birthday and keep up the good work, Sunny. Maybe one day you'll even manage to blow out candles. If I ever manage to bake a decent dog biscuit.
Read more:
- Mama allein zu Hause: Zwei Wochen nur für mich
«Fahrt ihr allein in die Familienferien – ich brauche Zeit für mich!» Dieser Satz braucht Mut. Unsere Autorin, die Dreifach-Mama Ulrike Lége, hat ihn ausgesprochen und sitzt jetzt zwei Wochen ganz allein daheim. Wie fühlt sich das an?
- Welcher Hund passt zu unserer Familie?
Klein, robust und freundlich – das sind die Eigenschaften eines idealen Familienhundes. Warum Grossmütter die verlässlichsten Hundegöttis sind, Border Collies in einer Familie meist nicht glücklich werden und was Eltern hinsichtlich Hygiene und Gesundheit beachten sollten, verrät Tierärztin Petra Fernandez.