Dad, Dog & "Life Lessons" - 05/02/08 02:54 PM
I learned a life lesson from my dad and a dog when I was about eight years old.
Being raised on a rural farm in West Texas we had many animals and pets growing up. My dad had a German Sheppard named Chief. And of all the pets and animals we had growing up, this is the only one I ever knew of my Dad getting attached too. Chief would run and jump in the back of my dad’s pick-up any time Dad left to go to the farm. I remember how Chief would seem to be smiling with the wind blowing in his face, his tongue wagging in the wind. If my dad ever left without him he would run for miles to the farm until he found my dad. He would stay with him all day until he came home at night. They were the best of friends.
Chief had one very dangerous habit; he absolutely loved to chase cars. My Dad tried to break him from chasing cars by scolding him. I remember how sad and broken Chief would look when my Dad would scold him. But it was just too much of a temptation and Chief continued to chase cars and I believe my Dad just couldn’t scold Chief any longer.
One day Dad was going to the farm to change the irrigation water and asked me to go with him. We got into the pick-up and Chief jumped in the back as he always did. As we were leaving, a car was coming down the road toward us, Chief jumped out to chase the car. As Chief approached the car Chief slipped and slid under the car. My Dad stopped and jumped out to see about Chief. Chief was lying beside the road, he was howling and yelping and writhing in pain. My Dad leaned over to put his hand on Chief’s head to comfort him and Chief bit his hand. I remember to this day the look on my Dad’s face. He loved this dog very much and was in shock from the accident. Then when trying to help, getting bit by the dog he loved.
My Dad was finally able to get Chief back to the house were he made a place for him to rest. It was apparent that the accident had broken Chief’s back. My Dad called a veterinarian to come and help Chief. The vet came and told Dad that it would probably be best to put Chief down. Dad asked was there not something that could be done? The vet said Chief would probably not live thru the night and if he did he would probably not be able to walk. Dad just could not let go of Chief and decided to see if he would live.
The next morning my Dad got up to go see about Chief, as soon as he opened the back door he found Chief laying on the back porch still barely alive. But Chief wanted to be closer to my Dad. Dad would hand feed and water Chief every morning and afternoon for weeks. Chief finally got to were he could hold his head up and then to were he could sit on his front paws. Chief’s back legs were paralyzed.
Many months went by and Chief finally got his strength back to the point he could stand. After about a year Chief was able to balance on his hind legs and kind of hop on his back legs. It wasn’t pretty but he was getting around.
One day my Dad was headed out to the farm and Chief hopped over to the back of the pick-up and tried to jump in but couldn’t. My dad got out of the pick-up and went and picked Chief up and sat him in the back. When they left I am not sure which of them had the biggest smile.
Chief lived a very long life after that terrible accident. He never chased cars again!!! My Dad lifted that dog into and out of that pick-up thousands of times over many years. Chief passed away when I was seventeen years old. My Dad shed few tears in my life, but he did that day.
My Dad taught me through his example, that sometimes the things we love most can bite you even when you’re trying to help.
My Dad taught me to stay loyal to your loved ones, even when they bite you.
My Dad taught me doing the “right thing” is not always the “easy thing”.
My Dad taught me not to give up on the ones you love, even if others do.
My Dad taught me that loving is not always easy, but stay firm in who you are.
In our effort to recover from the pain caused by betrayal, I guess I look at it as another life lesson. Just as I will never forget the lesson’s I learned from my Dad and Chief, I will never forget, but perhaps learn from these experiences as well.
I don’t know what experiences you may have had in your life that has molded you into who you are. I believe that “life lessons” are what shape us into the person we become. My Dad is a very big part of “who I am”. For that I am very thankful.
Best wishes,
Merlin2
Being raised on a rural farm in West Texas we had many animals and pets growing up. My dad had a German Sheppard named Chief. And of all the pets and animals we had growing up, this is the only one I ever knew of my Dad getting attached too. Chief would run and jump in the back of my dad’s pick-up any time Dad left to go to the farm. I remember how Chief would seem to be smiling with the wind blowing in his face, his tongue wagging in the wind. If my dad ever left without him he would run for miles to the farm until he found my dad. He would stay with him all day until he came home at night. They were the best of friends.
Chief had one very dangerous habit; he absolutely loved to chase cars. My Dad tried to break him from chasing cars by scolding him. I remember how sad and broken Chief would look when my Dad would scold him. But it was just too much of a temptation and Chief continued to chase cars and I believe my Dad just couldn’t scold Chief any longer.
One day Dad was going to the farm to change the irrigation water and asked me to go with him. We got into the pick-up and Chief jumped in the back as he always did. As we were leaving, a car was coming down the road toward us, Chief jumped out to chase the car. As Chief approached the car Chief slipped and slid under the car. My Dad stopped and jumped out to see about Chief. Chief was lying beside the road, he was howling and yelping and writhing in pain. My Dad leaned over to put his hand on Chief’s head to comfort him and Chief bit his hand. I remember to this day the look on my Dad’s face. He loved this dog very much and was in shock from the accident. Then when trying to help, getting bit by the dog he loved.
My Dad was finally able to get Chief back to the house were he made a place for him to rest. It was apparent that the accident had broken Chief’s back. My Dad called a veterinarian to come and help Chief. The vet came and told Dad that it would probably be best to put Chief down. Dad asked was there not something that could be done? The vet said Chief would probably not live thru the night and if he did he would probably not be able to walk. Dad just could not let go of Chief and decided to see if he would live.
The next morning my Dad got up to go see about Chief, as soon as he opened the back door he found Chief laying on the back porch still barely alive. But Chief wanted to be closer to my Dad. Dad would hand feed and water Chief every morning and afternoon for weeks. Chief finally got to were he could hold his head up and then to were he could sit on his front paws. Chief’s back legs were paralyzed.
Many months went by and Chief finally got his strength back to the point he could stand. After about a year Chief was able to balance on his hind legs and kind of hop on his back legs. It wasn’t pretty but he was getting around.
One day my Dad was headed out to the farm and Chief hopped over to the back of the pick-up and tried to jump in but couldn’t. My dad got out of the pick-up and went and picked Chief up and sat him in the back. When they left I am not sure which of them had the biggest smile.
Chief lived a very long life after that terrible accident. He never chased cars again!!! My Dad lifted that dog into and out of that pick-up thousands of times over many years. Chief passed away when I was seventeen years old. My Dad shed few tears in my life, but he did that day.
My Dad taught me through his example, that sometimes the things we love most can bite you even when you’re trying to help.
My Dad taught me to stay loyal to your loved ones, even when they bite you.
My Dad taught me doing the “right thing” is not always the “easy thing”.
My Dad taught me not to give up on the ones you love, even if others do.
My Dad taught me that loving is not always easy, but stay firm in who you are.
In our effort to recover from the pain caused by betrayal, I guess I look at it as another life lesson. Just as I will never forget the lesson’s I learned from my Dad and Chief, I will never forget, but perhaps learn from these experiences as well.
I don’t know what experiences you may have had in your life that has molded you into who you are. I believe that “life lessons” are what shape us into the person we become. My Dad is a very big part of “who I am”. For that I am very thankful.
Best wishes,
Merlin2
