Well, at first Ralphy was a dog that I told myself I would just deal with, being as he was not a big dog. Then he was the dog I had to protect. We were living in our old house at the time, which was a split level and we were up stairs when this BIG scream came from the living room. So we drop everything and run to see what was the matter. It was Ocean holding her ear. As were trying to calm her down to see what had happened she said "Ralphy bit me" so, without hesitation Steve proceeded to go discipline him. Than I had to leave Ocean be for a min, and go protect this dog that I didn't care too much for. After all it really was not his fault that he bit her. Ocean was about 4 at the time and Ralphy was her first pet. She really didn't understand dog language, but I assure it only took that one time.After becoming the protector, I became VERY annoyed with "this stupid dog". He would follow me EVERYWHERE, and I mean EVERYWHERE! He would sit RIGHT outside the bathroom door. He would run out the door when he heard my keys and want to come for a ride. If I didn't take him for a ride he would run down the stairs and run circles around and greet me. So, your probably thinking that's not so bad. Well looking back it wasn't but, it got worse. When I would try and have snuggle time with Steve, Ralphy became jealous and would nip at Steve. LOL OK, kind of weird, after all he was Steve's dog. Why would he be turning on him? Ralphy started to not listen to Steve, and would only listen to me. SO, now I had to be his boss! All this for a dog I didn't want to care for.
This went on for a few weeks. Then we found out that we were pregnant! OK not the news we wanted at the time but OK! As my belly started to grow, Ralphy became even more protective. My husband and the father of my child was not allowed to touch my belly in the presence of Ralphy, because if he did, he would get bit. So, now I had to become the mean one and kick Ralphy off the bed or out of the room or wherever.
It was all starting to make perfect sense. Ralphy knew I was pregnant even before we did. He knew all my aches and pains when I was pregnant. I had a lot of hip problems with Keona's pregnancy, and lil Ralphy would come lay behind me or sit beside me and put his back on my hips. WEIRD, you think? Well kind of, but the heat from his back sure did help the aches and pains.
So, after all that and my starting to grow a liking to this lil dog. Keona was here. Keona was now Ralphy's Baby. He would go where she woul
d go. If she was sleeping he was right there with her or laying outside the door guarding it, and would nicely and quietly come get me to let me know she was awake. If she was having a bath he was right there watching. He was SO good that he would even let me know when she needed a diaper change. You would think I could smell it on my own, but after years of working with special needs adults and some that were in diapers, you become VERY immune to the smell so, unfortunately I couldn't always smell it. Anywho, it was very cute to see how he interacted with Keona especially as she got older and a little more Mobile. He tolerated her pulling his hair and tail. Guess we could have thanked Ocean for preparing the way.OK so I fell in love with Ralphy and became very attached, it only took me about a year! SO, about another year or two later, we went back to visit family in Canada, and unfortunately we could not take him with, because Steve was on fire call after fire call. So, Ralphy went to go spend some time with Gramma Dot. He knew who she was, because that was his first home before Steve. I felt content in knowing he would be well taken care of and well loved, and I still to this day have no hesitations that that was the case. Well... One evening there was a huge thunder and lighting storm. Ralphy HATED thunder. He would run and crawl under the bed or come jump in between us. Thunderstorms were just another way for him to get a little extra love. Anywho that evening at Gramma's, I don't know if he couldn't find a hiding spot or what, but he had a heart attack and died. Getting the news while on vacation did not go over well with any of us. Steve was out on a fire and it was just myself and the three girls. We had cried for a while. We have even tried to have a couple of dogs since. Our first attempt was a bigger dog, a golden doodle named fitz, that we bought as a baby. We had him for a few months until he became a Clifford and outgrew out apartment we were in while we built. So, Fitz went to stay with some friends of ours. Once we moved into our new house we brought Fitz home, and I still couldn't find it in me to like him so, he went back to our friends and that's his family now. Next was a lil shi tzu named Diego. Working very hard not to replace Ralphy. It was hard to love Diego because he was just like a cousin to Ralphy. I tried and tried and prayed that I could find the love in me for this lil puppy. The kids loved him but in all reality it was I that would be the one who cared for him. It ended up not working out, and we took him to a very nice shelter where he would get adopted by a family that will love him.
There was never anything wrong with Fitz or Diego. It was me. I never understood how people could get SO attached to their pets. I now understand and still to this day miss my lil buddy and companion Ralphy.
