My tryst with dogs started at the age of seven. My grandmother was walking me home from the bus stop and as we were making our way through the alleys, a stray ran up and cuffed my leg. In my panic, not realizing that the dog hadn't actually broken skin, I shrieked and the dog ran for cover. But that was enough to put me off all canines for a very long time. Large, full grown ones at least. If I spotted a dog even 5 km away, I would promptly head in the opposite direction.
Then we had Lyka and I couldn't imagine ever being scared of dogs now. Having a dog brings you into this club of people - when we spot other dog owners on the road, we automatically smile at each other and look on fondly as the canines trot along happily smelling every nook and cranny of the road. Before Lyka, we may have liked animals, but not empathized with them. You never really realize how difficult it is for animals to communicate but how much they manage to tell you by just being themselves. Lyka, for instance, would lunge at stray dogs on the road, not out of aggression but mere playfulness. But being as large as she was, she would scare the daylights of the dog on the receiving end of one of her playful gestures. On the other hand, she was an absolute lamb around small children, knowing, even as a puppy, not to jump all over them and scare them. She would wait patiently as they would pull and poke and prod at her tail and coat.
My parents and I have often had this discussion and we have often wondered if we would be the people we are today had it not been for Lyka. I like to believe that having Lyka in our lives has made us better human beings.
Then we had Lyka and I couldn't imagine ever being scared of dogs now. Having a dog brings you into this club of people - when we spot other dog owners on the road, we automatically smile at each other and look on fondly as the canines trot along happily smelling every nook and cranny of the road. Before Lyka, we may have liked animals, but not empathized with them. You never really realize how difficult it is for animals to communicate but how much they manage to tell you by just being themselves. Lyka, for instance, would lunge at stray dogs on the road, not out of aggression but mere playfulness. But being as large as she was, she would scare the daylights of the dog on the receiving end of one of her playful gestures. On the other hand, she was an absolute lamb around small children, knowing, even as a puppy, not to jump all over them and scare them. She would wait patiently as they would pull and poke and prod at her tail and coat.
My parents and I have often had this discussion and we have often wondered if we would be the people we are today had it not been for Lyka. I like to believe that having Lyka in our lives has made us better human beings.
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