About thirteen years ago, we adopted a puppy from the local Humane Society so our children could enjoy the pleasures and responsibility of owning a pet as they grew up. I can remember driving home with the new puppy licking their faces and the three of them trying to decide on a name. After much discussion, they agreed upon the name “Sid” aka “Sidney” after a character in the movie Toy Story. If you know who Sid is in Toy Story, you can recall that he is not a very nice character and displays bad, corrupt behavior throughout the movie to the toys. Let me tell you, our Sid, demonstrated the same behavior once we got him home.
I can recall him chewing numerous pairs of shoes, eating through the linoleum floor, gnawing the corners of our coffee table, and he even figured out how to maneuver his way out of his crate. I have repeatedly told him that he was too smart for his own good!
Have you ever seen the movie Marley and Me? If you have, then you’ll understand why dog obedience schooling just didn’t work. This cute, devilish dog had grown on us and he was a big part of our family. We thought that as he got older he would “grow out of it” and slow down so this would only be a temporary stage for him. WRONG!!
He’s now thirteen and still has his puppy energy and rambunctiousness! Last week we had baby gates up to block him out of the living room where our grandson was playing. Our dearest Sidney did not like being confined and was displaying his discontent with a few ‘barks’ which we ignored. All of a sudden, he came running full force down the hallway and plowed the gate right over!! But being the cute, innocent puppy that he is, he ran over to our grandson and gave him kisses with his tail wagging furiously! He turned around from our grandson, glared at us and laid down at our feet with a groan and a sigh.
While our dog may not win an award with the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, he has become an indispensible part of our family. Stay tuned for more “Adventures with Sidney.”
