Our two out of three dogs needed the doctor at almost the same time. Now they’re home and feeling better. Happy like “pappy” .

How much is that doggie in the window?The one with the waggly tailHow much is that doggie in the window?I do hope that doggie’s for sale.

“My cats inspire me daily. They inspire me to get a dog!” This was by Greg J. Curtis, Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives. On the other hand, there was Anne Lryle, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction except for one group, “DOGS” with, “Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth!” Then there was someone who hid its name but said, “Life without a dog is like an unsharpened pencil. It has no point.” In my case, I love my dogs. I have had dogs in our house since I was born, and my father was happy to see me playing with it (instead of him when he was enjoying his Scotch). My first dogs were Devil and Black, and, because of his coat, my favourite dog was Rugs. And, from then on, I had the attention and affection of a very special, “honorary family member” – a dog. There were dogs all around my family and me all my life. Whether we were living in Trinidad with our beloved pets, or in Barbados (better known as Bimshire) and being chased in my ‘Moke’,”(a small, doorless, electric car for which I paid $1,000 but which cost me $1,500 in insurance annually) by large dogs, I was always having grand canine adventures. In those days, the great humorist, Groucho Marx, always joked about everything, including dogs. He said: “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” But, in my family, whether night or day, we preferred hearing others say, “I don’t care who dies in the movie, as long as the dog lives.” Or “The only person who understands me is my dog.” Then my wife, Indranie, admired two small breed beauties and we got Mitzi” and her daughter Sheba. Then Emily, and a favourite of mine, Scotch, joined the group. Eventually, with support fro our daughter, Jasmine, we got three dogs, which are still with us — first Lucy”, a lady at heart, but an alpha by nature, then Bruno, the loving and peaceful, and the youngest, Don Gino, with his bow-legged, gun-slinger swagger and stature. Despite this, Don showed dogged determination to assert his escalating masculinity and size over the other two. So, in addition to the groomers, Don ended up at the vet to be neutered. Looking from those early days with the “trios”, there were some things we thought were important. These included: Ssrengthening the bond between us and our dogs as a very important part of pet ownership; there are many small ways you can help your dog feel safer, more loved, and more cared for in your home; and dogs can actually read human’s expressions, so it is important to manage your own stress in the presence. As pet parents, bonding with our small ‘fur babies’ is perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences and, when it comes to pups, the connection is unlike any other. In fact, it’s why you often hear the phrase, “A dog is a man’s best friend.”Then you learn that dog language is not a single word but a combination of physical and behavioural gestures for “I love you!”. In addition to the most universal skills of canine affection, including sustained gentle eye contact, learning the weight against you, and bringing their favourite toys, they also had: ‘Love Gaze’, which is when the dog looks calmly into your eyes with a silent “I love you”, and that releases oxytocin or “lore hormone” in both the dog and the owner. Or, they put their full body weight against your legs or side as a sign they feel entirely safe, secure, and bonded with you. Sharing their gifts like squeaky toys to invite you to play with them. A loose, wagging tail (especially wagging more to the right), a relaxed mouth, and soft ears indicate they are deeply comfortable in your presence. And, most of all, following you everywhere in your room, at your feet, or sleeping in your bed to show loyalty and desire to be with you all the time. While the dogs were ensuring they had to work with the owners, the children really loved the humour. Here are some for the kids even when I was around, “Why did the dog sit in the shade? Because he didn’t want to be a hot dog!”; “What do you call a cold dog? A chili dog!”; “What kind of dog tells time? A watchdog!”; “Why did the dog cross the road? To get to the barking lot!”; “Why was the dog a bad dancer? Because he had two left feet!”;  “How do dogs greet each other? “How are you doing?”; and “What’s a dog’s favourite city? New Yorkie! However, when it comes to the bigger folks and jokes, here are some: “My girlfriend’s dog died. So, to cheer her up, I went out and got her an identical one. She went mad, ‘What am I going to do with two dead dogs?’”; A blind bloke walked into a shop with a guide dog. He picked up the dog and started swinging it around his head. Alarmed, a shop assistant called out: “Can I help, sir?” “No thanks,” said the blind bloke. “Just looking.”; My daughter asked me if I had seen the dog bowl. I said, “No, I didn’t even know he could.”; and the final, “This morning I saw my neighbour talking to her cat. It was obvious the poor woman thought the cat understood her. When I got home, I told my dog … and, together, we laughed a lot.”But not all of them, though. Dogs apologise by being submissive. Instead of feeling human guilt, they smooth things over with their “parents”. First is the ‘Guilty’ Look. They lower their heads, pinning their ears back and tucking their hair. Or they avoid “eye” contact by looking away to signal they mean no harm and want to avoid conflict. Some offer physical affection like nuzzling leaning against your legs or giving gentle licks. Some even expose their belly by rolling into their back to show ultimate trust or giving gentle licks! Or they come with peace offerings by bringing you their favourite toy, to initiate a friend reconnect. For many, as one owner said, “One dog won’t solve all your problems, but three might! Or they could create enough chaos to make you forget your problems!” In fact, some say that dogs are like potato chips, you can’t have just one. While one lady said that she is one dog short of crazy, a 60-year-old man said he had three things — one a dog, two is anxiety; and finally, a dog with anxiety. If you are wondering about the phrase, “a three-dog night”, it refers to a night so cold that you need three dogs in the bed to keep you warm.In thinking about those “DOGGIES”, there are some things you learned as a kid. For instance, Robert Benchley, American newspaper columnist and actor, said, “A boy can learn a lot from a dog — obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.”  Then an “Unknown”, and rightly so, said, “If aliens saw us walking our dogs and picking up their poop, who would they think is in charge?” Another one, also “Unknown” said, “You can trust your dog to guard your house but never trust your dog to guard your sandwich.” And, like three dogs, here is the third “Unknown”, “The only person who understands me is my dog.”