"Our best Friends" by Horst Max Cerni

Those of us who have pets know that they are playing a very important role in our daily lives. They are companions and part of the family. Cats and dogs are the most common pets, and we have both. Cats are nice to pet, while dogs love to play and want to protect you, They learn to understand certain commands, and make themselves understood. It’s rewarding to care for another beng and to get their positive responses. In the words of author Louis Sabin:"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."

We presently have a medium-size dog called “Benji”.. Our daughter Anneliese and our two grandchildren, who live downstairs, have a big one called Rio. He is not a lap dog, but despite his size he liked to act like one. Fortunately, he doesn’t insist on beng picked up and carried, like Ken’s dog Matt, and Rio walks up and down the stairs without hesitation.

When we got him from the Animal Shelter, he was very playful and full of energy, much more than we could handle. So, one afternoon in March 2024, I was doing my walking exercises in the garden, when Rio decided it was time to play. He ran full speed and jumped at me from the back. He not only knocked me down, but fractured my hip in three parts. I didn't need an operation, but just getting the X-rays taken was very painful. For three months I had to use a wheelchair, and then get physical therapy for six more.

This doesn’t make him a bad dog, but rather me a bad playmate. Anyhow, we are still friends, of course, and he has become a lot more gentle and obedient. It is especially cute to see him rub his nose against our cat’s face, as if he says hello and gives a kiss.

Benji also had some issues with Rio, mostly because of food, but now they know the rules. Benji loves to bark, and when he does, Rio runs to the deck to see what is up. Benji then follows, most likely he was barking in his dream. Benji gets especially dramatic at lunch time, and his bark sounds like a high pitched song. Rio kind of cries when he wants to get back in, He can open doors with handles, but only one way, We need to keep some rooms locked which are off limits. Karen Davison thinks

"A dog will teach you, more than any book ever could"

Both dogs bark at visitors and wiggle their tails, but most of the time they bark at visiting animals, like when an egret shows up, or a deer or one of our feral cats or chicken. They are good watch dogs, and fortunately we haven’t had any intruders. Visitors are always careful, when they see Rio.

At suppertimes we like to watch a movie, and very often it’s a nice story about dogs, especially police and service dogs. Czech-French novelist Milan Kundera said

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent”

It’s reassuring to have a watch dog at your side. They watch out for any unusual movements and alert you, but they have no interest in the World Cup or other TV programs.