Dogs who love too much.

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.

~ Roger Caras

Every night at my house is a three dog night. If you aren't familiar with the meaning of a three dog night (or think it's a rock band from the 70's), it means it is so cold that it takes sleeping with three dogs to keep you warm. I know what you're thinking, and yes, there are times when even I think I am crazy to let three dogs sleep on my bed. Most of the time two of them aren't any problem. Then there's Chance, the dog who loves too much.

Chance is the black cocker spaniel who has only one eye. Chance was a rescue who came to us from Kokomo, Indiana after being abused so severely that he lost an eye. He also suffers from seizures, and I can't help but wonder if Chance might have had a brain injury from his abuse as well. My friend Shari once told me that female dogs love you, but male dogs are in love with you. It is true. If you looked up puppy love in the dictionary, Chance's picture would be there. No matter where I go or what I'm doing Chance has to be there, and if he's able to touch me, lay on my lap or snuggle behind my legs he is all the happier. There's nothing like waking up in the morning with a little puppy face plopped on the pillow next you with that one soulful eye waiting to see his mom.

Chance has one fault. He's a poser. A poser is defined as one who habitually pretends to be something he's not. Chance does it to get attention, he fakes injuries. Whenever we have a group of friends or family over Chance will fake an injury if he feels he isn't getting enough attention. The first time he did it we all fell for it. He limped around, hobbled, and laid in one place so much we were convinced he had either broken a leg or dislocated his hip. Everyone at our house that night babied him and carried him around, making over him as if he'd been hit by a car. So the next day I took him to the vet,where he was xrayed and manipulated and proclaimed to be perfectly healthy; there wasn't a thing wrong with him. Upon hearing this Chance jumped up from his pitiful state of despair and pranced out to the car. He's done this same thing several times, always when we have company, and always when he feels like he's not getting enough attention. The most recent episode of this behavior was last Sunday night...I think it had something to do with the four little girls who were here and the fact that Chance became their patient to take care. After all, he was limping, not able to put his front paw down..."how can you be so mean, Aunt Cris, he's hurt..."

So Chance enjoyed the attention and the spoiling and laid on the couch under a snuggie looking quite pitiful until he heard the front door shut for the last time. Only then did he slowly raise his head and do a one-eyed sweep of the house to assure the coast was clear. Healed by some miracle, he jumped off the couch and raced through the house like a crazed animal. Poser.