Scamp's Story
About thirteen years ago, my younger son brought home a six week old Cocker Spaniel puppy. This was supposed to be his dog, but it didn't work out that way!
When Scamp was about six months old, my husband James retired and was home most of the time. Scamp really 'bonded' with James and from then on until my husband died, Scamp was his dog. Scamp was pretty fond of everyone in the household and wanted everyone to stay home, all of the time. Read 'Separation Anxiety complex!' But when my husband left, Scamp seemed to be inconsolable!
When I retired a number of years later, my husband was in failing health and Scamp sort of became 'my dog'. he still loved my husband, but James didn't seem to have as much patience with Scamp and often pushed him away as he was feeling too ill to want to play with Scamp, who has always been very rambunctious when he is in the 'play' mode.
When my husband passed away, Scamp looked for him to come home a long time and then just really became my dog. He has always wanted his 'family' members to stay home with him, but now he goes into a panic mode when he can't find me.
So now, I have a dog that is like an extension of me! If I go into the garage, Scamp goes into the garage. Out into the backyard, you guessed it, Scamp goes too. When I go to bed, Scamp goes too! He would like to sleep on the bed, but I draw the line there. If I go into the bathroom, Scamp wants to come too and he waits by the door until I come out. (I can't convince him I don't need his help!) When I leave the house to go somewhere, Scamp barks and cries until I come home. My sons say he has an 'abandoned dog' howl, but I have never heard it, so can't really say. They say it can't really be described any other way.
Scamp is starting to show his age, (just like me!) he can't see as well as he used to and he is slightly deaf as well. He is getting white hairs in his golden-red coat and he suffers from arthritis in his legs at times when the weather is bad. But he is a healthy dog, not over-weight (unlike me!) and still wants to play.
Sometimes I wonder, what do dogs think about? Does he think he was abandoned by my late husband? Is he afraid I will abandon him? I think he does think that way. Why else would he act the way he acts? When he loses track of where I am, (he really can't see well at all, although at times he seems to see better than other times), he puts his nose to the floor and runs from room to room in full panic mode until he finds me. As soon as he does find me, he is calm and plops down to sleep.
Scamp is a very loving little dog. He wants to be petted quite frequently during the day and will rub his head against me like he is trying to pet me! Like all dogs, he really enjoys his tummy rubs! He also loves ice and begs for ice every evening. If he doesn't get ice on the first begging try, he gets quite insistent and no one can hear anything because of his loud barking.
If you have read this far, by now I am sure you know that Scamp is completely spoiled and very much loved. I hope he is with us for a very long time.