The pretty princess in the photo is an insect hunter. Aside from hundreds of captured insects, she has caught a rat, a squirrel and discovered a snake under my bookshelf. The rat was gross, and dead. I did not witness the slaying of the poor squirrel, but my mom’s landlord did and watched the entire scenario without coming to tell me what she was doing, which as I said, was killing a squirrel. And yet she is the most sensitive and sweetest dog I’ve ever met!
Anyone will tell you so because it’s true. She’s my, “tender-heart,” a fellow-doglover who once met her told me. Her tenderness and sweet spirit shines, especially to people who can see these sorts of things.
She wanted to get that snake. I was too scared and dialed 911, but that’s another story.
Insect hunting is by far her greatest skill. She discovers every crawling creature that enters our home. Sometimes at night we’ll be lying together in the dark watching television. She’ll be curled up in her little ball with her head tucked in between her legs, sleeping like dogs sleep, and all of the sudden she’ll jump up. I know she has suddenly become aware of a bug.
I don’t know if she hears bugs crawling or smells them, but she sure knows when they are about and I’m talking anything from the smallest spider to those huge long awful looking bugs that folks around here call water bugs.
I get up and follow her wherever she goes; into the kitchen or often near the fireplace. I wait ’til she stops, which she does, and stares. I turn on a light and try to kill it before she gets to it.
I kill spiders and bugs in my home. I didn’t use to do this, but now that I live in the woods and have nearly died from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, I figure from now on, it’s survival of the fittest.
The other skill my insect hunter has is judging people’s nature.
We both have a new friend now as a result of her ability to attract nice people. Our friend is ten years old. She is as sweet as my four-legged is!
They have fallen in love with each other. Our new friend is not only really sweet but is also strong and tall. She can definitely handle the leash when my tender princess takes off running and pulls as hard as she can. Watching the smiles on both their faces as they run together is awesome!
Yesterday they played and I could tell it was hard for the little girl to leave. She wanted to stay with us but I was sick and needed to go inside and rest. She looked into my dog’s eyes, gently stroking her soft little face and head. My dog’s eyes stared directly into the girl’s, and it sure looked like love to me.
The little girl noticed it. Realizing she couldn’t stay with us, she sat down on my porch amongst the leaves and branches, which didn’t bother her at all. “Does she say bye to everyone this way?” she asked me.
“No, she doesn’t,” I told her, which is true. “She loves a few people more than anyone else,” I added. “She loves my son, but she has taken to you for sure.”
“She’s the greatest dog in the world,” the girl said. ” I love her.”
I had hugged our other dog as she was rubbing the silky fur my insect hunter is covered in. She had watched me. I sensed that she really wanted to hug her new 4legged love. I wondered if she had ever hugged a dog and remembered my first time.
I was in Texas with my girl Free who blessed this earth from 1993 – 2006. My good friend asked me if I talked to my dogs. I realized I didn’t. She asked if I ever gave them big hugs the same as I would a person. I didn’t. She taught me that day how to love more my canine companion.
I remembered how great it felt the first time I gave Free a big strong hug and began talking to her. I hugged her pretty much every day after that. Now, if I forget to hug my dogs, then something was wrong with the day.
Our new young friend stood there, a bit antsy it seemed, and realizing she had to leave she reached down and hugged her furry friend. I could tell she loved it. The only thing she seemed to be aware of was the experience of the love of a dog.
It was an awesome love to witness.
My dog has brought me a new friend. We both love being with her. They run and sometimes we talk. I love our conversations. You don’t have to pretend around children. You can just enjoy the moment because that’s how they live. In the moment. A lot like dogs.
A Dog's Welcome Home
DOGKISSES 
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