puppy love is real

More than just pets

If you believe that the love you feel for your four-legged bestie is real, science has your back. Studies show dogs affect our oxytocin levels much the same as human babies do, so the bond we feel is just as great. Our pets are more than companions. They are truly family.

We adopted our ten-year-old corgi, Clementine, when she was a year old. She helped us through a tough spot in life, and we love her dearly, yet we wish we’d raised her from the start. She’s sweet and well-behaved, but she isn’t an openly affectionate dog. She will not crawl in your lap or lick your face. She may or may not come when you call her– in fact, when we first adopted her, she ran the other way when we called her name.

Our search for a pup

When Clementine was around six, Don and I talked about getting a puppy. I looked for breeders in Michigan and Ohio, but didn’t have much luck. I didn’t understand the concept of getting on a waiting list or putting a deposit down on a possible litter, either. In spring 2021, I tried searching again, and found several Michigan breeders online. We put a deposit down on a puppy due in October from a breeder in Charlotte, MI. Shortly after, a breeder from Romeo, MI that I’d contacted earlier had a buyer back out, so we got our corgi puppy from them in early May.

Cowboy

Cowboy is now four months old. What a joy this little stinker is.

Why Cowboy? Don and I love old westerns. I liked the name Maverick, from the TV series with James Garner, but Don pointed out people were more likely to associate Maverick with Top Gun‘s main character played by Tom Cruise. That was a hard no for me. Then I discovered our pup’s father’s father (grand-sire?) was named Milkywey’s Goodtime Cowboy. We liked that! So our pup’s AKC registered name is Stony Creek’s Downtown Cowboy.

Cowboy and Clementine

Cowboy adores Clementine, and so badly wants to play with her. Expecting her to romp around with an energetic pup, however, is a big ask.

People have asked if she’s jealous of the puppy. I don’t believe dogs get jealous, not in the same way humans do. She clearly maintains her dominance over him in the household by wanting to be fed first, and she’ll push him away from his food if she gets in the same room while he’s eating, but this isn’t jealousy; it’s dominance. She also bosses him around when other dogs visit and they get rambunctious; but again, this is dominance– she cannot abide anarchy on her watch.

Clementine willingly shares her water bowl and prime space under the table when we humans are eating. She lets him have all the toys. All of them, even Squeaky Pig. She doesn’t mind if he’s on my lap or we play fetch, but if I’m passing out ear scritches or back rubs, she wants in. When I work on training, she wants in on that, too, especially if I’m passing out treats. That’s typical dog behavior. So, no. I don’t see jealousy.

Clementine just doesn’t want him pawing her. Fortunately, Cowboy is smart enough to give her space. Time will tell if he’ll challenge her dominance when he’s older. Lately I’m starting to see playful teasing on his part, and she seems to be getting more tolerant.

Anyway, the humans in our family adore him. He’s funny, smart, and so affectionate. He consumes a lot of our energy right now, but we don’t mind. The great thing about dogs is if you put time into training when they’re puppies, you’ll have a well-behaved dog you can take just about anywhere. I find dog training to be rewarding, especially when they look at you with those big puppy eyes that say “What do you want to teach me next?” The heady feeling is irresistible– it’s the oxytocin at work.

Let’s just call it love.

Enjoy this silliness from Cowboy:

---

Thank you for visiting.

Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist:
Multi-finalist award winning novel In the Context of Love
Picture book Gordy and the Ghost Crab
Latest poetry chapbook: Sleepwalker

Connect with Linda: LinkTree