Why I Love Maisie

If you are a dog lover, you will probably appreciate and understand the words that are in this blog. If not, that is okay as well, but you can wait for the next one to come along. I have had dogs for pretty much my entire life and I have loved each and every one of them. The focus of my thoughts today will be on the girl that keeps me busy and entertains me daily, and her name is Maisie. She came to our family by accident when we visited a friend who volunteers for a dog rescue organization called Almost Home Rescue of New England. We brought our friend a coffee and she happened to be at an adoption event with this cute little dog. She jumped into my wife’s lap and she (my wife) said something like, “We need to get her”. My wife will dispute my memory of the interaction, but I’m pretty sure it went something like that!

We knew very little about this one year old dog other than she had spent too much time in a kennel or various foster homes. What I did know was that she had an energy and enthusiasm about her, and she told me without saying a word that she wanted to become part of our family. We picked her up the next day and our lives have not been the same since then…to say the least.

In general terms, dogs are loyal to a fault and they are always excited to see you, even if you just walk around the corner and you’re out of their sight for a minute. Maisie is no different in that aspect. She wiggles her butt and runs to get one of her many stuffed animals to express how excited she is to see you. She will run in circles endlessly and then be sound asleep seconds later. It is as if she has a switch somewhere deep inside that only she can control. She is truly a member of the family with her own little quirks and behaviors that make her special.

Our Maisie has a way of talking to us with her eyes. She tells us when she is hungry or tired. She lets out a gentle grunt when she wants to go outside. She has learned over time how to pull her blanket over herself with her teeth, so she can cover her eyes with it. She is a smart dog, but she is also so simple. She just wants to be loved and go on adventures with her humans. She loves long walks while sniffing every inch of the ground she encounters. She also loves boat rides and jumping off the boat to swim after her floating toy. She is expressive in her silence, but that silence requires you to focus on her body language to communicate effectively.

We love our dogs for so many reasons. They are all unique, but they are also all special. We were told that Maisie was probably a Boxer/Whippet mix when she joined our family. She actually has zero Boxer and zero Whippet. When strangers ask what type of dog she is, I usually respond, “The good kind”. Dogs are amazing creatures that love unconditionally. They will be there for you in good times and bad. They come with the responsibility to take care of them, and shame on the people who fail to do that. Most dogs possess that gentle innocence that the world has lost. They can bring calm during a storm and they understand more than you think. No dog is perfect, but hell, neither am I. That is another thing that we have in common.

The biggest downside to having a dog family member is the fact that they don’t live long enough. That is probably why they put so much life into every day. They’re not here for a long time, but they sure want to have a good time. It must be true that it is better to have been loved and lost than to have never been loved at all…Dogs appreciate the little things and only you can offer them the life and love they deserve. Give them the best dog life and that will certainly improve your life! Why do I love Maisie? Because she loves me, no matter what!

My wife recently bought me a t-shirt that reads:

The list of people I like…1) Dogs. (True story)

Dogs will be there for you regardless of what is happening in your life. Be there for them when they grow old and weak. Never stop loving them and fear not their death…but make every effort to allow them to truly live and prosper while in your care. Maisie is truly a rescue dog, but it is she who rescued us…not the other way around. #adoptdontshop