Hunter says...............

When I come home, no matter how long I’ve been gone (5 minutes?) Hunter does his rabbit dance – twirl, jump, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Hunter is always glad to see his human.  (Vespa was too, she was just much more refined about it – didn’t always even get up – but always tail wag, she was 90ish already…)  But Hunter is a different story – he is only 5 in dog years  -  still very young.

However – he is wise beyond his years.

We were watching the news this evening – (dinner with Lester Holt!) and so I got down on the floor and asked him – '...+ so what do you think of all this news coverage of the shooting in Las Vegas?’
And he looked at me with his big brown eyes, licked my face and laid down in my lap, belly up.

‘Huh… so what does that mean?’ I asked.   And this is what he said…

‘Ya know..all of this over excitable talk about what happened is not doing anyone any good – yes there was terror, a bad guy killed and hurt humans , but humans responded by showing their best -  humans helping other humans…and that is a very good thing.  Those humans did not deserve to die or get hurt.  And you do need to remember and honor those who got hurt or died.  It’s what you humans do. And it’s a good thing. Really. But, ya know, you keep me from hurting squirrels and those humans who walk by and the mailman and the UPS driver and the occasional raccoon and those random interlopers that I don’t tell you about, by keeping me fenced in – for my own good.  I can bark at squirrels, but not hurt them. Why can’t people do that?  You can bark at people – disagree – but you don’t have to hurt them…  Now I’m not suggesting that all of you need to be fenced in…. but… maybe fencing in the weapons?  Keep them away from people who don’t know how to be good with other humans…..? just sayin’.

And so I asked him this…’ so what should we do, us humans…?’ And this is what he said………

'Ya know how you love me?’ 

and I said, ‘yes, I know – with all my heart.  I do everything I can to take care of you… feed you, take you to the vet (ouch!) walk you, let you run (in the fenced in back yard of course), play catch with your favorite ball or stick, sleep in MY bed, take you for rides in the CAR, walks even in the PARK!’ And whatever else YOU need.’

And he said…

’exactly – you take care of me, putting yourself aside for my best interest…’

And I said, ‘ yes most of the time I do.’

And he said,’

‘exactly – when you brought me home from the shelter you said 'I DO.' A vow – like your marriage to Glenn – we take care of each other. So why can’t you humans do that all the time – with EVERYONE?

 And I said, ‘ damned good question, Hunter, I wish I knew the answer….’

‘Just because I’m born to hunt squirrels – doesn’t mean that you people are born to hunt people…just sayin’…’

free google image 

Hunter, ‘you are so smart…  Good boy!!’