Burren’s
Lair
The Dump. The Mutt Mosh Pit. The Sand Trap. The Great Icky.
Those are all names for Burren's Lair. It is under the old picnic table in
the dog yard, shadowy, dark and cool, often damp and rank just like I remember the
musky dirt floor basement of my childhood home in Goodville, Pennsylvania. The basement was not 'good' in my
imagination; I had to fetch potatoes up from there every night for our supper and was convinced the bottom of our house harbored
a dungeon with skeletons in a far corner I hadn’t yet explored.
Yesterday, I did the equivalent of
fetching potatoes from a yucky place. I cleaned
Burren’s lair. Burren is my dog. Maybe part Catahoula Leopard Dog, part Border collie,
part anybody’s guess but, mostly part hoarder. I have a dash of collecting myself, but I
stick to pretty things like bird nests, rocks, books, teapots. Burren likes
dead, decaying things. Figures I’d end
up with a collector dog.
 |
| already half cleaned up |
Just for the record, this is what I
found in Burren’s Lair: one half eaten cow
hoof, a bitten up nylabone stuck vertically in the ground for better gnawing traction,
20something sticks from our storm littered yard, one log, 3 chunks of maple tree bark,
2 rotting apple slices, the carcass of an expensive frog stuffed toy, a weather
beaten marrow bone, one strip of miniature horse hoof, sand (ok, I put the sand in there for ease of clean up),
dirt, rocks, dog hair, piece of bird nest (ah, I can appreciate this especially
since the baby bird poo was already cleaned off), baby bird feet (disgusting!),
dried grass clumps, spoon (and I blame the kids for stealing my spoons), a
piece of fabric from my neck pillow (the brat), a red Dove candy wrapper, tufts
of batting from the expensive frog toy, grandkids' plastic sand shovel, the garden
hoe I forgot to put away, a wet soggy decomposing Blue Dog Bakery bone (what?? She wants to eat my neck pillows but not the
bones I buy especially for her?), and a piece of ribbon binding from her blankie.
Burren came to me a few months ago; I adopted her from Bonnie Blue Rescue in
February this year, and already she’s taught me much.
1. Persistence pays. Burren is determined to dig holes in the yard.
I’m equally determined to stop her. I fill each of her new creations with dog poo. (give me a break; I tried everything else!) She leaves that hole, but ponders her next move. Currently, she’s trying to perfect the skill of flicking turds
out with a dainty, delicate toenail so she can excavate some more, without
actually coming in skin contact with the ‘nasty’. If she learns this skill, our dog yard is
toast.
2.
Sometimes it’s okay to give in. As my friend Patty says, so let her dig. I put
sand under the picnic table and buried some toys in it just to attract her
attention. I even got down on my hands
and knees and pawed the sand for her. She nearly killed herself from all the excitement.
In complete giddiness she dug and snapped at the sand, eating great mouthfuls
of it. I envisioned insides turning to cement and feared for her life.
3. Surrender.
(another form of giving in) Massey, the Jack Russell older bratty brother,
took over the sand box. Burren left it for weeks.
4.
Wait. Those
who don’t have the same passion will soon tire of pretending they do. While you
are waiting and honing other skills.....
5.
Gather happiness around you.
Especially when life is boring or difficult, know how to comfort yourself by gathering what
you love around you.
 |
| still quite proud of her remaining stash |
6.
Treasures are everywhere! Open your eyes, look,
dig up, listen, sniff, savor, savor, savor!!!
And if you can’t quite let go of the moment, a little hoarding is
acceptable.
7.
Don't worry, be happy. Happy, happy, happy, bounce, bounce, happy,
happy, happy, always happy!!! Burren’s
theme song. Odd how trusting she is with
a history of being dumped on a deserted road as a young pup, shuffled and loved
through many different foster homes for months before finding me. Instead of becoming grouchy and suspicious
she became more trusting and happy. (thanks
again Bonnie Blue Rescue foster people!)
She lived as if each place were a new adventure with new doggie siblings
to get to know. Life is good!
8. Be a kiss up.
9.
Don't guard what you’ve stored; share extravagantly! Burren
was genuinely happy I found her stash. Such
exuberant wriggling and prancing about as I knelt in The Lair. Didn’t matter what sounds I emitted as I
plucked up things, whether chuckling or gagging, she assumed each noise was a ‘shout
out’ over her exquisite finds. She was so sweet about the removal, I decided to
throw her a bonfire party.
10. Enjoy life. If life gives you sticks, make a bonfire!
 |
"Ummm, those are mine but I'll share" |
 |
| Burren's reward for stick gathering. (what am I doing, allowing her to eat from a stick? Now she'll be more stick obsessed!) |
 |
| Want, want, want to snatch those boxes of good sniffies but I'll distract myself |
 |
| not sure about that smoke! |
Resting in after-party glow
Joyfully,
Sharon and family
