Tattle Tale
Number 2, Volume 1
Zuzi Makes Friends
Even people who are not dog lovers know that dogs make friends for you. Strangers who stop not to greet you, but to admire your dog. Inevitably a conversation is started and it is never about politics. Human civility evolves because the dogs mandate kindness.
Today on an outing walking along the beautiful Riverwalk in The Woodlands, Texas, I took Zuzi on a training sojourn in the lovely park. When a group of dog lovers accompanied by their pooch broke into a cacophany of delightful squeals of "Oh, how cute!" I simply had to take their picture as a reward for caring about dogs.
Later, Zuzi very excited with their howling, as dogs like to run in packs, ran right out of her pink harness which is still too large for her, and away from me to watch the ducks. I frantically ran after her yelling: "Zuuuuuuuuuuuuzi stop!" But my admonition fell on her deaf ears as she has a stubborn mind of her own. Luckily, a dog lover stopped her and told me she was "adorable." His dog looked on arrogantly thinking, "I always obey commands you silly pup."
I am ashamed to say, I was a sprinter in high school, a few centuries ago, and won awards for being the fastest runner, but today a little three pound four ounces of energy won the race.
A few feet away near the fish pond, a little boy stopped to pet her with his teddy bear in his arm. Zuzi wanted to bite it, so I had to teach her another lesson that you don't take what doesn't belong to you. Something our politicians should also learn!
An elderly lady coming towards us stopped and asked if she could hold Zuzi because she missed her Shih-Tzu so much, that due to illness she had to give her dog to her daughter. Of course, I let her wiggle and give her kisses.
The weather was a warm 80 degrees and many people were enjoying eating lunch at outdoor restaurants. A woman waved to me to come over to her table, and asked if my dog was a Shih-Tzu, to which I responded yes, and could she please give Zuzi some water from a paper cup. One of the women at the table came back with a large cup of water and ice.
At least seven or eight people walking down by the Riverwalk stopped me to admire Zuzi. With her sweet face and feisty personality, I think she is going to steal the show. I will train her to be a service dog and take her to care homes when she is older, as she is so soft and cuddly, I think she would make many a person who once was a dog lover rekindle warm memories of a dog they once owned.
Dogs will force you to walk, even in the rain, and to get up off that couch. They will stop to meet your neighbor and put a smile on everyone's face.
Dogs are our best friends and loyal companions. When Tzu-Lyn (Zuzi 1) passed on at the age of 14 1/2, it broke my heart, and I decided I could not go through the emotional pain of putting another Poodle or Shih-Tzu to sleep.
—Alinka Zyrmont