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THE LEN LESSER REPORT  

THE LEN LESSER REPORT

 

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A DOG IS A SENIOR’S BEST FRIEND

So, you want to know what Santa gave us for Chanukah/Christmas? We are now the proud parents of Motik, a Standard Bred Poodle, who is truly a Sweet Heart. She has taken over running the house and
in so doing has captured our hearts. We have only had her for a few days but she is just the perfect dog for us.

Motik is my partner who enjoys dancing with me to the music of Radio Easy 101 in the kitchen before
our breakfast. After a bowl of all natural food of chicken or turkey from "Big Country Raw" she patiently waits for us to take her out to do her "business" with Ella chanting "do it, do it" and she obliges and actually does it on the spot.

Being very smart with two years of training from her breeder Leslie from Les Coutieres she is easy to teach. Give her lots of loving/caresses along with a taste of liver and voila, sitting, staying put and retrieving is a breeze.

Her favourite toy is a simple rubber ball. All you have to do is to show her the ball and she leaps into the air with abandoned joy. If she is bored she takes the ball to the top of the stairs and lets it bounce down to the landing and then barrels back up and down two or three times.

We have owned dogs before but we have never ever seen a dog who has the speed/ energy of a female rocket ship blasted out into outer space running around the house and barn with a sense of ultimate freedom. Motik never ever seems out of breath or tired while still having fun. We come home for lunch and let Motik out for some needed exercise. No need for us to run after her to bring her home. Ella whistles and calls out "home" and she dashes to the door of the mud room.

We go to the Y after placing her in the kitchen where she can watch the Crows and Woodpeckers feeding. Ella even has a couple of portraits of Motik to share with her friends. Being an immaculate perfect Poodle there has not been one mistake to clean up after we come home.

Motik has keyed into Ella as her surrogate mother, best friend following her everywhere that she goes.
An afternoon short siesta is the norm allowing us to read the Singpost without interruptions.

If a guest comes to visit us in the evening she quickly sits besides Ella and shows her displeasure at the company with a growl. Enticements of smiles and treats by the intruder are ignored with Motik instead focusing on protecting her mother figure.

We have found that after her supper Motik enjoys watching television with us. Last night she decided to abandon the floor and instead sit between Ella and I on the love seat. She is not fond of loud violent shoot-em-ups and shows her displeasure by leaving the family room to play with her ball.

We shut off the television after the news at 9:30 and Motik is ready to go to our bedroom to sleep on her Queen sized bed.

Being empty nest seniors with our children/grandchildren who do not live in Dorchester we get a little nostalgic and yes I admit lonely. Not willing to sell our farm to move to Toronto to live in a million-dollar mortgage like fix-er-up house with a thirty foot frontage did not seem appropriate. We would more- in-likely lose ourselves in the move.

Recently our neighbour, Roger, told me that "he spent $10,000 to send his ten year old Labrador Retriever "Babes" for surgery at the University of Guelph Veterinarian College to operate on his arthritic hips. I asked "why? ; the simple response was "the dog was the only one who really liked him."

Steve’s adult daughter, "Felicity", moved home with her lazy pot smoking boyfriend, "Loser," and their Rottweiler. After two months of hell the couch potatoes were asked to leave the house. Steve laughed: that: "he got the best part of the deal by inheriting the dog."

If you are senior citizens who are also empty nesters there are solutions to your loneliness. Adopt a mature dog or cat to keep you company. Call the "London Humane Society", or "Animalert" to find the perfect match for your needs. Your dog/cat will be checked out by a veterinarian, with up to date inoculations, neutered before you are allowed to take it home.

Len Lesser is an education/career counsellor in Dorchester

Len Lesser

Len Lesser posts a report every week

You can email Len at lenlesser@hotmail.com