Ranger has melted this heart of stone towards dogs. I'm a people person, not a dog person. But I guess I am a Ranger person, until he leaves a bomb on the floor then he belongs to his dad and I want just run away. I guess before you all start to think I am the world's worst dog owner I should probably go back in time and tell you about my past with dogs.
Growing up we always had a dog or two. I remember Bambi and Festus really well they were Cocker Spaniels. I was scared of them. My dad had to go outside and holler, "Kennel Up" before I would set foot in the backyard. Bambi and Festus had puppies a few times, and once there was a white one, that my parents decided to save for me. There is a video of me sitting a chair with this puppy named Darnit sitting on my lap. The puppy is so small and not moving and yet there I am crying and wanting it off of me. My parents ended up selling it in a garage sale because I just couldn't handle having a puppy. I grew to love Bambi in her old age long after Festus was gone. She became very calm and loving and we became friends.
Then we got Darbi and Darib our beagles. That took some more work. It was basically like starting over. Eventually I became ok around them and didn't need to have them put away, but it just wasn't the same as Bambi.
Throughout my childhood there were countless screams, and dashing back into the house, or climbing up something as quickly as possible because a dog came down the street. My teacher's quickly learned that dogs at show and tell was a guaranteed way to watch me run out of the room. I wouldn't stay at people's houses if they had a dog, and it was just known I was not a dog person.
When I moved to Hesston my friend Dana asked me to dinner when we first met to see if I was interested in dog sitting for her, I almost laughed at her. There was no way I was sleeping with a dog in my bed. And every time I pull up at her house I wait until she has corralled her ginormous children before I get out of my car.
Then Adam and I started dating. Of course I fell in love with a dog person. This man would bring home every dog he sees if he could. Every time we visit his parents farm we are quickly surrounded by Coors, Buddy, and Callie. Oh I was a mess the first few times we went. I don't even want to talk about the time we went to his older brother's and Flint came outside (Flint is a mastiff).
I have spent a life time battling this fear, a lifetime trying to not react automatically and embarrass myself. So when we went to pick Ranger up, it wasn't before an ample amount of praying, and talking about it. Thankfully he was really calm for the first two days and I had a chance to fall in love with him before he got active. There are times he gives me anxiety and I have to hand him to Adam and go calm down. I don't do well when he snaps and barks at me, but I think we have come to an understanding and he doesn't do it very much anymore.
My entire life has changed the past two weeks. I'm in full mommy mode, and I never thought I would be this way with an animal of any kind let alone a dog. I hear him in the middle of the night, I worry about what he is chewing on (more for his safety than the item), I read about how to handle certain situations, and I can't go to the store without ending up in the dog aisle picking out a new toy or treat. I have a four legged son who I love to pieces. I'm a doggy mommy (words I never thought I would say)
Meet Ranger!!!
