Even saints need comfort

/ J. F. Riordan

Most of the time Auggie is not a demonstrative dog. He is a very high energy personality who is always on high alert for opportunities to go outside. He has a hair trigger that is activated by our slightest movements. Sometimes it can be a bit much, and I have to continually work to encourage him not to break out in a wild frenzy of barking when I am merely opening the closet to get something out of a coat pocket. His heedlessness in these moments can be dangerous, and I am recovering from a bone bruise on my knee after the combination of his exuberance with my tenacity flung me to the stone floor. Auggie didn’t even look back.

But you would be mistaken to think Auggie does not love hard and deeply. He is wired to run at full speed, and nothing can change that. But he is also incredibly gentle and sweet. I never worry about him meeting a stranger, or being around a child or a puppy. He will sit quite patiently with someone who wants to pet him, and he gives lovely little nose kisses while looking straight into your eyes. Auggie is very focussed on eye contact, and when we’re playing I take off my sunglasses so we can look deeply into each other’s eyes.

When we come in to wash the mud off—after what we call his “slow walk of doom”back to the house—he obediently gets into the shower, and patiently lifts each paw for me to clean without my having to ask. Often when I am bending over him to spray his underside, he reaches up and gives me a gentle kiss.

Sometimes I think he feels a bit lonely or jealous because snuggly, low-key Eli always asks for—and gets—the love he needs. And Eli is both sly and pushy about inserting himself between Auggie and an object of mutual desire, making himself into a giant, furry wedge. It can be difficult to divide attention exactly. So when Auggie asks for attention, I notice.

Last night, Auggie asked. Instead of settling in at the foot of the bed, he was waiting for me with his head on my pillow. He made room for me, and when I was settled, he nestled in, molding the shape of his body to mine, his head resting on my leg. Later he moved up so I could keep my hand on his back. He stayed that way all night, comforting and being comforted.

He is a very good dog.

St. Augustine, Foe of Coyote Pagans

46 thoughts on “Even saints need comfort”

  5. Auggie, you sure do love your Mom and home! JF, your essays are so fine. I save them to read again. They bring both smiles and happy tears. Good day Auggie, Eli, Mom and Dad. Take care of your bruised knee. Soothing tip: Palmer’s cocoa butter.

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  8. Must have been something in the air last night. Tanner pushed up against me last night and needed that extra hugging all night. He is usually happy to be on his side of the bed with just a paw touching me.

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  14. Oh so sweet! Of our last trio only our greyhound Kai would get in bed to snuggle but she was quite boney so it was never all that comfortable for us. We let her do it anyway!

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  15. Just like children, every dog has his own personality. One of the joys of having them is discovering and respecting their uniqueness. There’s nothing like it. Thank you for sharing these moments with us!

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  16. Every one who has loved and been loved by a dog can relate to every word you say! Auggie, what a very very good doggie! And Eli too of course. And all of them. Every single one of them in their souls!

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  17. Every one who has loved and been loved by a dog understands your every word! Auggie, what a good good doggie. And Eli too. And every one of them in their hearts and souls!

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  18. Your boys are beautiful. I have 2 rescues—a labradoodle and what we believe is a lab/pit mix. One high anxiety but gentle, the other will kill you with love lol! He’s my “wedge” lol.
    And your words are always beautiful to me—a calming balm, if you will, in what feels like a high anxiety world right now. Your love and care for all living things touches me greatly—and I try to be that person as well (a stink bug in the house—let’s relocate yo). If I had a mouse in the house, I would be that person who relocated them as well.)
    Just wanted to say thank you for beautiful pictures and beautiful words that bring joy and calm. 💕

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  19. When I see a German Shepherd in our park while walking our dog it always raises my attention level. One day while walking our first lab who was just an 8 week old puppy at the time through our residential neighborhood, a GSD came charging out from a nearby yard. I froze in panic and the puppy released a stream of fluid. Fortunately the owner called it back and no harm, no foul except for wet pavement. Several years ago, I had a similar situation with another Lab walking through the park, this GSD was aggressive and again, the owner came running over to claim their dog before damage was done. Apparently there was another episode where this dog did attack someone or their dog and the owner was cited with a very large fine (this according to police reports). If you ever find yourself in Neenah, I would love to meet Auggie. I think it would help me to realize that like people, you can’t just lump all dogs into one category and maybe help relieve some of my anxiety about these large but beautiful dogs.

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  21. I love your dogs. I love your writing. And I love your writing about your dogs.

    I came to your blog from The Bulwark, and I feel as if I’ve found a kindred spirit. Your recent post about travel mirrored my current feelings about it. Thank you for that.

    My morning coffee is now accompanied by your pictures and posts, and is so enjoyable.

    Please keep writing.

    Chris

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  23. I love hearing about the individual personalities of Auggie and Eli. I think we would all love the opportunity to greet them and give them some love. I guess dear Auggie needed some special comfort last night and knew exactly how to make that happen. It’s so evident how much they love you. You can see it in their eyes. In a way, I’m glad Auggie didn’t realize you had hurt your knee. I think that he would have felt badly about that.

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  31. Sweet Auggie Doggie is so dear!💚He reminds me so much of my Cowboy who was an Australian Cattle Dog. Insatiable appetite for action( he too loved his green ball) and an incredibly tender heart. Auggie is a treasure not only to you but to your followers as well.

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  32. You had observed since Auggie came home from the hospital, he was more openly affectionate. I’m glad Auggie is able express his need for closeness now. His love for you shines in his intelligent, warm eyes.

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  33. He is so incredibly beautiful.

    I was bitten on the butt cheek by a German Shepherd in first grade (my next door neighbors’ trained watchdog that they, thankfully, were able to call off before it did any significant damage). My best friend’s incredibly calm, sweet Beagle mix helped me get over my fear and begin to love dogs again. As an adult I have had four amazing dogs (a Beagle mix of my own, a Chow mix, and two Golden Retrievers) and I’m one of those people who knows all the dogs in the neighborhood and which house they belong to.

    For most of the 41 years since I was bitten, however, I was still a little wary of GSDs- until I “met” Auggie and Eli. After following them on Twitter for a few years, and now in my email, I know that I would have zero fear if I ever got the chance to meet them in person. They are truly lovely and I’m grateful to you for sharing them with us.

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    • I was bitten by a GSD as a child, too. It chased me on my bike and bit my calf, although luckily I was wearing (purple!) corduroy pants and thick (also purple!) socks. It wasn’t until I was a college intern in a television newsroom that I learned what GSDs were really like. One of the young producers there had a german shepherd who occasionally came to work with her. I was so amazed by that dog and by their relationship that I decided then and there that some day I would have a German Shepherd, too.

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  36. Do you still get your other emails? I wrote you a couple of times because I didn’t realize I could reply to these.

    Yikes.

    I am going hip replacement on 27th and Zeus is getting a new dog walker.

    He has started sighthound singing in my absence so this could be a noisy few days.

    I guess you didn’t get those other emails.

    Sorry about your bone bruise. Zeus’ whip like tail can give me a tough bruise and he tends, like Auggie, to be somewhat reactive.

    Zeus turned 10 today.

    I have the bruises on my feet to prove it.

    Hope you get a chance to read my other emails.

    Be safe. Take good care. Zeus and I miss you on Twitter but we still cc: you there.

    Heidi

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  37. Since several people have mentioned wanting to meet your dogs, I have a wonderful idea. A Zoom with you and the dogs. And maybe Charlie…..but only if he promises to behave 🙂

    I say this both seriously and with tongue-in-cheek.

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