Kola Part Two

I had never had a dog before Kola. She is a Chocolate Lab. (thus her name) I always imagined myself to be a Collie lover. I didn't have a clue about Labradors until I met my husband. He grew up with a Black Lab named Cole and was convinced that we should carry on the family tradition of having a Lab.

I didn't need a dog. I had three young kids. I really didn't want a dog. I already had several jobs to take care of. I might have agreed to a stuffed dog, a wind up dog..But then, I got outvoted.
My daughter enlisted the support of her brothers to "buy" a dog. "Now Mommy, I have it all worked out....we'll each put in some money so you won't have to buy the dog..." along with many assurances that they would take care of the dog and love the dog and there would be no problems with having a dog. Many a parent has had the same assurances. And many a parent has found the reality of bringing an animal in the house is that there are more responsibilities entailed than anyone had anticipated. And many of these responsibilities are left to the person who is at home the most...that would be me.

When she was a pup, she followed me around asking me with her eyes "so what are we all doing today...need any help?....oh that looks interesting.....need any help?....want to play?....need any help?" Her offers, were not what I particularly wanted or needed. The kids and my husband were over the moon. Kola was the best thing since sliced bread! She would play with them, love them, lick them, let them chase her all around the house, share their unwanted (and sometimes wanted) food....yes it was for them, a match made in animal heaven.
Most puppies carry with them a recipe for "getting into stuff" and Kola was no exception. I had no idea that Drywall, Japanese Maple Trees, Shoes, Slippers, Baby Books, Stuffed Animals, and Remote Controls had such sensory fascination. She even chewed through the security system that we painstakingly took 12 hours to install to keep her enclosed in the backyard. Many phonecalls went in to interrupt my husband at his work with an accusatory "Guess what YOUR dog did today?"

And yet, she grew on me. I have yet to admit that to my family. She has a way of looking at me that could charm the socks off a snake. Her expressive eyes follow every move and she tries to respond appropriately. She has ears which pick up tones and innuendoes that elude my other family members.

She is inordinately aware of our pleasure and displeasure. As she has aged, she has a way of looking at us that says "oh, right, so sorry, I forgot I wasn't allowed up (in)(around) there".

She loves rides - and hates the water. I wish I'd had a video camera the day my husband determined that no Chocolate Lab of his was going to be a water-hater. Labs are known for saving the lives of drowning people. But Kola has never been convinced that she is THAT much of a Lab anyway. There's my husband carrying her 100 pound brown body into the water and walking to where she couldn't touch the bottom. She let him do it, all the while, her eyes accusing him of a dastardly deed. The minute he let her go, she swam with all her might OUT of that water and begged us not to make her do that ever again.

However, open up the vehicle door, and she is all for fun and games! You just have to say 'wanna go Kola" and she is in the vehicle like a shot, sitting up pretty in the back seat waiting for the party to start.

One day, I opened the doors of the van to vacuum it. As often happens, I found something inside that needed to be put away. So I ran inside to take care of it, and then remembered I was supposed to phone Mrs. Diddleydoo about something or other. And while I was on the phone, I thought I would check my emails and then realized my office desk was a mess so I began cleaning it up.

Twenty or so minutes later, my husband came in with a quizzical look on his face. I asked him what was it about? And he said "I am wondering why Kola is sitting in the back of the van". So I went out with him and there she was sitting up as pretty and as straight as could be as if to say "I know Marni is going somewhere fun and I am not about to miss out". It took us a while to convince her that the van wasn't leaving for anywhere!

Would I do it again? Get a puppy? I can say for sure...there's absolutely not a chance...ain't no way ....at least not.....yet.....

But I can say for sure that Kola has taught me the beauty of having a family member who will be on your side and come and lick your face when the rest of the world has rejected you.

I love her.....now.....