Fog and Dog

I have a pretty cool family and this guy is definitely a big part of it.

We live on the fifth floor and today lift renovations start which means we have have to walk up and down the stairs. This is a problem with a small child as it is a bit of a hike and the noise from the drilling doesn't help her sleep much. The other issue is that because our dog is so old and has such short, little Dachshund legs, we must carry him in and out as well. With the autumn weather, it means a lot of muddiness for everyone involved. The renovation will take over six weeks so our dog, Viski, will spend some of that time with the grandparents when I have long days.

As much as he loves the time there because of all of the bad food he gets fed, if he is there for too long, he 'punishes' us when he returns by giving us the silent treatment. He finds a place for a few hours by himself to sulk. It can only really last a few hours though as when he gets hungry he comes slowly out of his spot to ask for food. And after he eats he forgets his beef with us for 'abandoning' him to the land of cheese and sausage and wants to be as close as possible.

Pets are decent company but I think many people take them to make themselves feel better about something and once they do, they tend to neglect the pet and forget to give it the attention it deserves. This must be quite heartbreaking for a little animal that doesn't have the understanding of the situation in the same way.

Pets in my opinion are for a lifetime and no matter what changes from when they arrive to when they are gone, they must be cared for as best as possible. Yes, I eat meat but once there is a commitment to a pet, the pet becomes a protected life and to treat it badly or neglect it at that point means to act with intentional cruelty towards another living thing. Don't take a pet unless you are willing to treat it as a protected life.

After our daughter was born, we made sure to include him as well so he can get used to the changes as they came rather than make it all change overnight. He has adjusted very fast and very well which proves old dogs can learn new tricks. He has been learning even more now as our daughter has her own lessons to teach him and they spend quite a lot of time in 'class'.

These photos were taken on a foggy autumn day in a field where Viski can run free and bark as much as he wants.

Taraz
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