Callie loves me--just not as much as she loves Arliss.
When I adopted Callie she was a wild, high strung bundle of crazy. I volunteered at the Humane Society to walk dogs and she was my first. As she lunged wildly at the end of the leash and screamed at the other dogs I realized there was a slim chance anyone would adopt her. She was nuts. So I adopted her. Always been a sucker for the underdog and unlovable.
Turns out she was just a high energy dog that was going crazy in confinement. She tore around my fenced property like a greyhound on amphetamines for a solid 30 minutes that first day. Then the real Callie showed up. As she burned off the excess energy she became much calmer and I learned who ever owned her before had really worked with her.
She was perfectly housebroken, obeyed all commands and became my Velcro dog in that she is rarely 6 inches away from me. So I thought I had her unconditional love and that I was top dog in her book. Not so.
Her true love, my friend Arliss, came to visit recently and I am only sorry I did not make a video of the incounter. Neither of us had any idea what was going to take place at their first meeting.
Callie loves all visitors. A burglar would probably get the same enthusiastic greeting as friends and family. However, what happened next was just bizarre. Arliss took a seat and Callie stood up on her hind legs, put her front paws on Arliss's knees then proceeded to earnestly talk to her. Yes--talk.
She got right in Arliss's face and made noises I have never heard before. It wasn't a bark, it wasn't a growl, nor was it a whine. Over and over she made sounds that almost sounded like words. Arliss grinned with wide eyes and looked at me questioningly as she stroked Callie's head and ears. I had no clue what was happening. There was a pleading, almost frantic tone to Callie's sounds.
I could only guess she knew Arliss from a former life and was trying desperately to make her recognize who she was but Arliss drew a blank. Then just this week Arliss had to have unexpected surgery--could Callie have been trying to warn her? I have no idea.
Arliss was to a much lesser degree also smitten with Callie. Too bad her husband doesn't want a dog or I would consider letting her have Callie as long as I had visiting privileges. Love like that should be allowed to flourish. But for now, Callie is stuck with me.
Early this year I posted about a dog I had met years ago that had a similar reaction to me. The dog just went crazy when she saw me. When I met that dog, I didn't realize how I must have made the owners feel who probably thought they were number one in their dogs life only to find out--I was.
Now I understand a little of what they might have felt. Yes, I am second on Callie's list of whom to love but that is Ok. I don't mind sharing. Besides, being second in line for a dog's affection is still pretty darn amazing. They set the bar high. However the next time Callie and Arliss meet, I will be camera ready. This could go viral.
Have you ever had a much loved pet unceremoniously dump you for another? Did you find it funny as I have or were you hurt?
I rescued our cat and brought him home to what he must have thought was cat heaven. Did he appreciate me? Not in the least. But he adored Mike. When he was snuggled up with my husband he (cat) would give me a look that screamed "Go away and leave us alone!" Ingrate!
ReplyDeleteOlga,
DeleteHa ha. He really was a possessive creature. Bet you still were the one to feed him.
Pets have a way of sensing who needs them the most. I really believe that. Before my husband's stroke our dog was my constant companion but afterward he changed alliances to being Don's dog and I was just some random person who fed and walked him. Well, fed and walked them both of them actually.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting if Callie's next meeting with your friend will go the same way because she very well could have been telling your friend that something was wrong in her body.
Jean,
DeleteI was leaning towards them being long lost soul mates but since the surgery, I think you might be right. Callie was desperate to communicate with Arliss. Perhaps she sensed something.
Animals are aware of life in a very different way than we are. I'm just glad that Callie hit the lottery when you took her home, and Arliss could very well be soul mates. Or something. I will also be interested in what happens when they see each other next. :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteMe too. I was convinced before the surgery that it was a long lost past connection but now I am not so sure. We will see the next time. If she is still all over Arliss, than it is probably just a past life thingy. If she has little reaction, it was probably something she sensed.
Makes me wonder if Callie could sense with her doggie senses that something was not okay with Arliss. She was announcing it to the best of her canine abilities. Really sweet story.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deleterobin,
DeleteDogs really are intuitive and have even been known to detect cancers. I know she really was trying to make some point and we just couldn't translate her efforts.
Dogs know stuff!
ReplyDeletejoeh,
DeleteYou bet Cranky. Too bad we can't always understand what they want to tell us.
How interesting.... I'm sure that Callie was trying to tell your friend something important....
ReplyDeleteThe same type of thing happened one time when one of my grandsons (who was about 3 or 4 at the time) met George's Daddy for the first time... Christopher got out of the car and ran as fast as he could into George's Dad's arms, without one single hesitation... (AND --he was basically a shy little guy, until that incident..) Christopher must have recognized George's Dad from something or somewhere. We never figured it out.... Crazy, huh?
Hugs,
Betsy
Betsy,
DeleteWow, that story about your grandson could give a person chills. Really makes you wonder doesn't it?
I love you, too, but I'd never act like THAT!!
ReplyDeleteFran,
DeleteHa ha, good to know that at least SOMEONE is still in my corner. Thanks.
I would love to see that video whenever you film it. That's really eerie. I wonder what was going through Callie's mind. This is so interesting.
ReplyDeleteKay.
DeleteIf she does it again we can assume it was love. If she doesn't--perhaps she sensed something wrong with Arliss.
I don't think I've ever been that attached to a pet, nor a pet to me, although Angel and I were pretty close friends.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteHey, close friends is pretty special.
Yes, all of the dogs we have had started out as my dog, but they all became my husband’s dogs. They love him the most. I know why. He’s the best, but it does hurt my feelings just a tad bit.
ReplyDeleteSally,
DeleteJim is pretty special isn't he? I do so understand. No one really wants to be second best.
Any stranger my dogs meet is their first love. When they first met their pet sitter it was like she was queen of dogs. They brought their bones to her and stayed right by her side. I felt rather left out, but glad the person who was going to care for them was liked by them. I would love to see a video of your dog with your friend. Dogs have been known to warn people of certain diseases.
ReplyDeleteButtons and Quilts,
DeleteI so understand your dogs. Callie is the same with pretty much anyone. However she went a step farther with Arliss and yes, dogs are actually used to warn us of threatening changes in our bodies so she may have sensed something not quite right.
I'm sure Callie doesn't love you less. My oldest son adopted a VERY active and unpredictable dog and most people have a hard time relating but for some reason she and I have a calm and sweet relationship ... to the amazement of my son ! (I think she respects my old age !)
ReplyDeleteGinnie,
DeleteThat is interesting. Perhaps you remind her of someone who had provided a safe place for her.
Both of my dogs love visitors. They greet them and then cuddle with them. You would think that I beat my doggies. The minute the guests leave, both dogs are stuck to me like glue. Go figure:-)
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
DeleteWell dogs are like people and like a little excitement and difference in their lives. When it is all over though, we will do quite nicely:))
She loves you just the same, she just found your friend loveable too. We had a dog, Soldier, he hated men, but loved women. The woman who runs a Dobie rescue here in the canyon came over and, before I knew it, Soldier was sitting in her lap! He was a German shepherd mix, So funny!
ReplyDeleteInger,
DeleteWhen I ran my rescue I found most of the stray dogs preferred women and often were defensive around men. Women usually were the caregivers, feeders and affection givers.
I will be looking forward to how the next meeting goes between them. Dogs can sense a lot of things that we can't and it would be so nice if they could tell us things sometimes. I am leaning toward Callie sensing there was something wrong because I have heard of other instances like this where the person was ill or had something not right going on. Hugs to you and nose kisses for sweet, cute Callie. That is a great picture of her.
ReplyDeleteI had a big yellow tom cat that just walked away one day. It took us a while to find him, but he had gone back across the street to our old place. I took over food so the people there could feed him, and I would walk over to visit him. One day I sat down and had a long talk with him asking him to please come home. He followed me home.
ReplyDeleteI had a cat once that was so stand-offish, who hated being petted or picked up...and one day my cousins came to visit. The younger cousin picked up my cat, while I started in amazement, and the cat (Ace was her name) rolled over in her lap and let her rub her belly. To the end of Ace's life she never let me do that. So I do believe that animals havehuman soulmates (and sometimes animal soulmates).
ReplyDelete