A Canine Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone, leaving behind a recycle bin full of wrapping paper, dozens of cookies, an ever-so-slightly wilting tree, and dozens of wonderful memories. Nostalgia is rich during the holiday season as we reminiscence about our childhoods and time spent with loved ones, carrying on time-honored traditions and enjoying those moments that someday we will look back on fondly. Of all the memories that stay with us during Christmas – the tree, the lights, visiting Santa – the most treasured of all are those involving family. And for many people, there is one very special member of the family who is a little hairier than everyone else…no, I’m not talking about your uncle John, I’m talking about your furry friend, the family dog!

Yes, canine companions are nothing short of family to their loving owners. So it makes sense that “Man’s Best Friend” would be included in the festive celebrations! Pet owners dote on their furry friends and often enjoy decking them in miniature Santa hats or giving them their own special little gift or stocking. Pet gifts have become very commonplace these days, and I myself have gifted tubs of doggie jerky several times on Christmas – dog lovers and their pets both love getting them as gifts. But this year, there was a dog gift given at our family celebration that will always stand out in my memory.

Last year, my aunt’s Labrador had a litter of adorable puppies. They were so cute that Grandma fell in love with one of them and decided to adopt him. This pooch was christened Bob and has become a treasured member of the family – in fact, you may recall Bob from last year’s review of the Kritter Kondo!

Bob was just a puppy in this photo – he has grown a LOT since then. (And I do mean that – this dog is huge!) Bob loves people and was so excited to see the whole family when we came to visit on Christmas day. He was even more excited when my aunt brought him his own special gift, wrapped in beautiful paper. Grandma decided to open the gift on his behalf, since she didn’t want to train him to rip paper apart!

The wrapping paper contained this squeaky toy, which we dubbed “Farmer Chicken”. When this toy is squeezed, it emits a very funny squeak reminiscent of a quack. Grandma took Farmer Chicken outside to Bob, who grabbed it and dashed off in pure excitement to play with his new toy. We went back inside and spent the rest of the evening chatting and catching up before saying our goodbyes and heading home.

On Boxing Day (The day after Christmas), Jai and I stopped by Grandma’s to say hi. She told us that Bob had been sitting sweetly outside with his front paws gripping Farmer Chicken, almost like a pair of hands giving him a hug. She thought it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen, and wished she’d had a camera on hand to take a picture. She went back to her chores, and looked out the window again….and there was Farmer Chicken, in PIECES. After sitting with it so lovingly, Bob had shredded Farmer Chicken into tiny little shreds all over the yard – his little hat had been ripped clean off and was the only identifiable part. Suffice to say, we got a big laugh out of Bob’s Christmas present!

This post is a part of the Holiday Dog Love campaign sponsored by DogFenceDiy the invisible fence alternative. It is the hope of DogFenceDiy that all furry creatures have a wonderful winter!