November 19, 2015

We Were Wild Once


I grew up in rural southwestern Colorado on five acres, with another neighboring ten that remained vacant for most our time there. It was all my stomping ground for stream-wading, fort-building and bareback rides on my pony. We got our dog Poppy in the deep of winter as a tiny puppy and my mom had to remind me to let her rest - I wanted to show her my whole world on that first day. She followed me until she got tired, then would plop down in the snow and cry until I picked her up and snuggled her into my furry coat. In the summer I stayed outside with her every day until sunset. We ran through the scrub oak and sage brush inventing games of chase and hide and seek. I was an only child; dogs have always been my sisters. I'm sure we used one if we took her places, but I have a hard time remembering Poppy on a leash. 

When I was in college my parents bought a bigger, more rural piece of property. They had to extend the road to get there - it was literally the end of the line. On visits home with my previous dogs, Lasya and Freya - who existed primarily as city dogs - got to experience the feral delights of weaving through the pine trees in the snow, of running unfettered through the tall golden grass. That property was sold after my mom died, but Lasya was still able to have tastes of freedom in the canyon country at the first place I boarded the horses when I moved them to Castle Rock. Freya was a clingy dog with some leash reactivity and I never felt she had the same thirst for liberty that Lasya did. In that same way, I don't think Boca is missing out in the suburbs. She scrabbled for survival on the streets of The Bahamas and has a serious appreciation for sofas and scheduled meals. 

Ruby is another creature entirely. Lately we've been playing with her flying disc on the long-line - she dashes after it and makes some impressively acrobatic catches. Sometimes she runs in circles around me flinging her disc back into the air, virtually leaping for joy. It's a safe way for her to enjoy some independence, to have more than five or six feet of autonomy, but I find myself asking if it's enough. My dad told me my dogs live in heaven with me, but Ruby's heaven is something I can't give her where we live. She is an extremely athletic, energetic dog whose reactivity prevents us from enjoying some of the options other city-dwelling dogs have, such as dog parks and dog sports. The answer, of course, is a yard of our own. How dog crazy do you have to be to consider buying a whole new home for your 18 lb. terrier? 

When animals are your family, priorities change. I'm not sure that now is the right time - the local real estate market is insane - but I have started to think about moving in the near future. I love my townhome - it is absolutely perfect for me and I thought I would stay there for the long haul. It's hard to think of leaving it, until I browse homes for sale online and imagine Ruby zooming around a yard of her own. We could set up our own agility equipment and play flying disc. Ruby could dig holes and salivate over chattering squirrels. Boca is happy as long as she has a spot of sun to lay in, but Ruby was meant to fly. As a country girl, I've adapted to the metropolitan landscapes, but my heart never forgets its wildness, something fueled by the scraps of blue sky patch-worked through windows and power lines, the season's leaves littering concrete, the triumph of a running dog.

9 comments:

  1. I made that decision, as you know, to move to suit my animals, and financially it was a disaster. Is it silly to move for a dog? Never. It's silly to move to impress your peers and get a more-car garage. Impressing dogs is totally reasonable.

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  2. I don't think you're crazy for wanting a yard for Ruby. I really hope that we can have one for the girls someday, too! Having a yard definitely makes everything easier. It's the only thing I miss about my inlaw's house.

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  3. That's not crazy at all! Our next house we want at least 1 acre so that I can build a little flyball lane and agility course! :-) I'd like to be able to play with the dogs in the comfort of my own large backyard as opposed to public off-leash areas where I have to constantly be scanning for dumb ass dog owners and off-leash menaces.

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  4. Lovely post. I like learning about your childhood, and definitely think you should get Ruby a yard. I mean, it's fine if you don't, but think of how much fun you'll have!

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  5. For the entirety of Teddy's life in this family he has lived here, in the woods. I have no doubt that things would be very different if we lived in the suburbs. Being in a busier environment would definitely up his anxiety. It gives me no end of pleasure to see him totally relaxed with the peace and quiet of home. The fact that you are considering a move just for Ruby makes me think you're a pretty special person. She's lucky to have you!

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  6. Not crazy at all! A yard is an AMAZING thing to have! We didn't have a yard until Nola was 1.5yo, and the difference was incredible. I love it.

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  7. SO not crazy. :-) And I love your writing, Lara...you just brought me right back to my own childhood when I read this. Always look forward to your posts!

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  8. I moved to my property just for my dogs. I will put up with being snowed in and any other issue so my dogs can continues to have space to run etc etc...it's not crazy in the least.

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  9. We have a small fenced in property here which is more concrete than yard, but I yearn for the day when we can move further west into farmland and have open field and woods and SPACE. I have never felt comfortable in small, crowded spaces. Just have to convince the city raised, urban loving husband that its better to live in the middle of no where.

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