Recently I visited six of my grandchildren who live in Europe. Two of them live in Central Europe in Slovenia. It is a beautiful country with green hillsides and towering mountain peaks bordering Austria and Italy. The other four grandkids live in Western Europe in Portugal. It is also a beautiful country that is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and looks just like southern California.
Both families have adopted a dog since the last time I visited. The Wynn’s in Slovenia call their dog Broham which means friend in snowboard talk. He is a Boarder Terrier. He is a little guy with a lot of strength. The Shoemakers have a larger dog named Sammy. Both dogs are young and active. Their owners are doing a good job training their new family member to walk, sit and stay. They are learning to play fetch with the tennis ball too. Both are a work in progress.
The Wynn’s and the Shoe’s don’t let their dogs sit on the furniture. But the Shoemakers do allow Sammy to sit on the sofa if there is a towel or blanket on it first. While I was working on the computer this morning I noticed Sammy curled up on a small chair in the room where the kids watch TV. He looked very uncomfortable because he was too big for the small chair. However, when I looked more closely I saw his blanket concealed under him. He knew he could sit on the chair with the blanket. Instead of scolding him for being on the furniture, I actually helped him by moving his blanket to the sofa so he would have more room to stretch out.
In Portugal my job was to take Sammy for a morning walk while the parents got the kids ready for school. It took a few days to learn their routines and I was glad I could help while grandkids ate breakfast. In Slovenia we usually took Broham with us when we walked with the kids to their school. Both dogs really enjoyed their morning walk.
A family pet can be a lot of work. They need to be fed and cared for just like the children. And they need shots and regular medical care to keep them healthy. We enjoyed our dogs Spiffy and Molly when our kids were growing up. Let me encourage you to consider adding a furry friend to your family. Your children will be glad you did and you will too!
You can read 365 more stories by the author in his new book Let Me Encourage You More by Mark Hopper. This second book is filled with new encouraging stories – one for every day of the year. The cost is only $25 plus $5 for postage. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org.
Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper 