Family learns Henry’s the boss
By Carolyn L. Cheney
Board member, Central Aroostook Humane Society
Three-and-a-half years ago my husband, Joe, and I brought home a sweet puppy that we knew we would love as much as we had loved our previous dogs. However, this time it was going to be different. This puppy was going to be a well-trained and mannerly dog.
We bought a book on everything about training a dog. Yes, we were going to do this right. The “potty training” went great. Our little puppy, named Henry, would just go to the door and give us a quick bark. We would run to the door to let him out. Boy, were we proud of Henry.
That first night when it was bedtime, we put him in his cage just like the book said. We added some toys, his blankie and an article of Joe’s clothing. These items, according to the book, were supposed to make him happy and then he would drift off to sleep. We dimmed the lights in Henry’s room, and then we quietly sneaked upstairs. The yelping began and went on for about an hour before Joe said, “I can’t stand this any more.” I wanted to wait a bit longer, but not Joe. Of the two of us, Joe is the softie in the family.
The next morning I went downstairs and there was Joe on the couch with Henry sleeping very soundly on his chest. This sleeping arrangement went on for two or three nights. Finally we decided to put Henry in his cage upstairs with us, thinking all would be well because he would be close to us. This worked quite well, but Henry outgrew his cage.
We decided now that we had him so well trained, we could get him a dog bed and he would sleep on it beside our bed. The first night in his new bed went great, but the next morning, Henry was between us in bed — all smiles. Now three and a half years later, Henry is a big boy at 60 pounds and starts his bedtime routine in his own dog bed, but exactly at 4 a.m. every morning, he gets in our bed — snuggling very close to Joe, which is fine with me. Joe is in the habit of sneaking him human food which I disapprove of, so Joe deserves Henry’s flatulence which the human food seems to cause.
Promptly at 7 a.m., Henry likes to have his breakfast. We take turns getting up with him. I think we know who’s the boss. It is like getting up with a baby again.
So much for the well-trained dog. In our family, Henry is definitely the boss, but at the Central Aroostook Humane Society we have many lovely animals who are waiting for a loving home, and they will let you be the boss. Please visit us at the shelter.
