Max And The Remote

The Problem Child
(click to see the BIG picture)

I have been up to my ass in projects and work the last couple of weeks. Economic downfalls have a tendency to make a lot more work and stress for those that "haven't" been laid off yet. Rest assured that a lot of the folks that are still working are starting to envy those that aren't.

I have been working on a lot of things recently, but most of them aren't finding their way to being documented on my blog, yet. They will, just have patience. Frustration and hard work make for great blogging fodder in the long run.

But just to keep you satiated, here is a little story that I has been unfolding for the past several months.

Pictured above is Max, short for Maximus. He is a puppy that was dumped off in our neighborhood about 6 months ago. By the time someone found him, he was almost half dead. We took him in as a playmate for our other dog, Bacchus. Bacchus is pretty much the perfect dog and is well on his way to becoming a "Therapy Dog" that goes to hospitals and helps recovering patients. The same can't be said for Max.

Max has turned out to be our problem child. If there is such a thing as canine ADHD, Max has it. He is a smart dog, but he has no attention span or impulse control. End result...he is destructive. Ceiling fans, shoes, bottles of shampoo, light bulbs and television remotes are just a few of the things that he has destroyed in the past 5 months. Not to mention his ability to jump over 5 foot tall fences and his never ending desire to jump on total strangers to try and lick their face. Mind you, it LOOKS like he is going for your throat, but he just wants to say hi to you and be friends. But the average visitor to our house thinks they are about to be mauled. Max is almost 50lbs and sold muscle. He knows he is bad, but just can't help it.

The wife and I have often talk about 'giving him back' or taking him to the pound, because he is just too much work. Times are tough, and Max just makes it a bit tougher. We really don't need that now. But that is just the frustration talking.

We won't be getting rid of him. After his long walks, when he is tired and passed out on the couch, you can tell he is a happy dog. He doesn't fully realize how lucky he is, but he is starting to figure it out. He would be dead by now if it wasn't for us.

Although we sometimes don't realize it, he makes us come to terms with things. All good things don't come easy. Those things he destroys?, we can live without them, they aren't that important. He teaches us to keep a neater house (if we leave it where he can get to it, who is really the stupid animal?) He reminds us, that in these tough times, there is nothing better than running through the neighborhood at night and then coming back to a warm couch. That seeing him snuggle with our 110lb Great Dane and kiss her is one of the simple joys in life.

Despite his destructive and chaotic nature, he is a gift.....and not all gifts are pleasant in the beginning. But they pay off in the long run. I expect a BIG dividend from Max in about 3 years.

MAX....SIT!...........Good Dog......