I Shared My Bed With a Dog

I shared my bed with a dog last night…her name is Juniper… There is a very logical reason I shared my bed with her. Juniper is our youngest son Ryan and his fiancé’s dog…a source of their pride and joy…who can chase a ball for hours…who still plays with doggie toys. Who even though she’s a full grown dog still has a lot of puppy in her. Who in the morning loves to eat her breakfast…and lets you know when it’s time for dinner When Amy’s 96 year old grandmother passed away after a long and wonderful life…which to the family was still too brief…we asked Amy if there was anything we could do to help to assuage her grief. Of course love and support are all we can offer…each person deals with grief in their own way…but she asked if we’d watch Juniper while she and Ryan were away. We said of course…we’d be happy for Juniper to come for an overnight stay So the next morning they dropped her off…thanked us and then went on their way When they left we we made sure not to make a ruckus, not to cause a commotion or too much of a fuss…Realizing although we both knew who Juni was…she really didn’t know us. She must have been wondering…the two people she loves…where in the world did they go….and why did they leave me in this strange house with two people I don’t know. She kept looking at the door…every time it opened a crack… Hoping, I imagine, for Ryan and Amy to come back. So to help her cope with the situation….to accept her confusing paradigm…. we let her snack a little more than normal…and threw her ball a thousand times. We did the best we could to let her know everything would be all right… One of us stayed home at all times…so she could keep us in her sight. We gave her love, we exercised her, we kept her safe and warm and fed… but she was still a little nervous when it came time for to bed. So after a small discussion Deborah and I agreed That I’d sleep in the spare bedroom and take Juniper with me. I think Juni understood…as she matched me stride for stride… and before I even invited her up…she was sleeping by my side. I think sometimes we forget how our pets can be affected by a family tragedy… Which is why I shared my bed with Juniper last night… and why we both slept so peacefully