I’ve read those stories. I’m sure you have too.
About the dogs who seem to understand their person is undergoing serious medical treatment so they settle down and offer quiet comfort.
Or how about the high-energy dog who recognizes her sister just back from surgery is a little fragile so she tempers her enthusiastic play?
Well no one will ever write one of those stories about Honey. Because when I’m sick, my dog is a brat.
Only Bratty When I’m Sick
The creeping crud is going around my town. And last week’s cold has devolved to achey muscles, a fever, and a horrible, hacking cough.
Does Honey sit by my side offering comfort by resting her head on my knee? Does she amuse herself by chewing on a bone?
No. Honey’s style is to go dancing around the bed with her loudest squeaky toy, occasionally jumping off my gall bladder to get better height.
In truth, I’d it adorable if I were feeling better. I’d call it playfulness. I’d never call my sweet girl a brat.
But when your head is aching things you normally love become awfully bratty.
Practice Makes Perfect
I’m sure if I got sick more often, Honey would learn how to settle.
Luckily, she doesn’t get much practice. I’m generally quite healthy.
So I guess having a dog who is a brat is the price I’ll pay for rarely getting sick. And I’m okay with that.
But still, it’s a good thing she’s so cute.
Your Turn: When you get sick, are your dogs on their best behavior? Or are they brats like Honey?
What My Golden Retriever Taught Me About Who I Really Am
Abby is generally sweet and quiet when I’m not well & she will occasionally come over to me and place her head on my knee and look up at me with her soulful brown eyes–but I think it’s more because she is thinking “when are you going to play with me, walk with me, feed me, etc than “I wish you were feeling better” : )
We’re all guilty of telling ourselves our dogs are loving us when they’re just looking for something tasty or fun. I bet Abby doesn’t mind a bit if you tell yourself she’s being sympathetic when you’re sick. 🙂
First, I’m sorry you are sick. And I will loan you Roxy. She is a great snuggler when we are sick. Which, is not very often.
Just make sure you don’t give Roxy any extra opportunities to be a puppy nurse. You’ve been through some stress lately and don’t want to make yourself sick.
Our Sally used to know when I wasn’t feeling well and she was a snuggler, so she would snuggle up with me. The rest are pretty oblivious, although I don’t get sick very often so I’m not really sure what Jack would do.
It’s probably just as well that you stay healthy and don’t test Jack’s nursing skills. He’s doing great as a dog. 🙂
We are nice to Mom if she is sick, but I do get called a spoiled brat sometimes on a regular day. I’m not sure what that is all about…something Mom says about creating a monster with me, but I’m not big or scary, I just like to have things my way and be the princess most of the time, but that can’t be bratty?
It’s good to be a princess. My husband and I take turns playing “princess” when we go sailing. The princess is the one who gets to relax in the sun while he other person is sailing the boat.
I guess I can see why your mom might get a little annoyed if you wanted to be the princess all the time. 🙂
From the Husband:
And I would enjoy my turn at being princess a lot more if the tiara hadn’t been made to fit Pam’s head. (Mine, apparently, is too big.)
Haha oh that’s too funny. Good thing you’re not sick too often! Mauja and Atka always know when I’m not feeling well and act accordingly. I think a lot of it is because it’s their nature to guard their flock. They rarely let me out of their sight when I’m not doing well.
Of course as guards, they probably also rarely let you out of their sight when you’re showering, cooking, watching tv, using the bathroom, cleaning… 🙂
It would depend on how long I stayed sick. My guys can keep themselves calm for a day or so, but after that all bets are off, esp. with Jimmy. Even a busy day doesn’t result in a calm evening, so sleeping through one day would just super-charge his batteries.
Your comment reminds me of how difficult your knee recovery must have been on all of you. I can’t imagine how you managed to keep your boys exercised enough to keep them sane.
It’s been so long since I was that sick that I’m not sure even Callie was born yet, let alone Shadow or Ducky. I’ll just sit here and count my blessings! But look at it this way: Honey’s trying to cheer you up by bringing you all her favorite toys to play with. She’s sharing them with you to help you feel better.
Wow, you’re an Amazon! I think I’m pretty healthy. But my regular job has me teaching people who insist on bringing their germs into class. 🙂
Maybe I need to train Honey how to bring me tissues and cough drops. That would be good for both of us.
I guess your blog didn’t like my reply.
I wonder if it’s something in the water. Bd who is usually so cuddley and lovely and knows when I need a hug was having none of it last night. He wanted to play and run and when he finally settled next to me on the settee it was the far end and not curled up on me.
Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Of course if our dogs only did what we wanted them to do, they’d be more like stuffed animals. And who wants that?
Haley always know if I’m not feeling well and will cuddle up beside me. Once when I had a bad stomach flu, she licked my face so much, I think she thought I was going to die. I kind of felt like I was going to die too, lol!
Oooh, you don’t think Haley was trying to jump start a regurgitation process, do you? 🙂
Oh geez, I never thought of that, haha! 🙂
Harlow does that too. My theory is that she thinks that since it is making her happy, it should also make me happy since she is happy. LOL – dog logic…
Monty and Harlow
You may be onto something. Maybe I need to put a tissue box in Honey’s toy basket. That way she might bring me something actually useful. 🙂
My dogs are also brats when I’m sick. Maya can be a great cuddler when I’m not feeling well, but too much of that and not enough of walks or play and she can be a real pest. 🙂
Imagine that, dogs that needs walks and play? 🙂
Luckily, my husband has picked up on the fact that the best way he can help me when I’m sick is to walk Honey before going to work. It makes the whole day go better for both of us.
I’m very seldom ill. However, when I am, Blueberry will often go outside through the dog door if I am interrupting her nap time with my incessant hacking and/or sneezing, nose-blowing, etc. Also, what’s with her trying to stick her head in the toilet with me when I am vomiting? I want to tell her, “I am not playing. This is not a game where I am the mama eagle and you are the eaglet.”. But usually, all I can manage is a vomit-y grunt and a weak elbow to get her out of the line of fire.
My last dog, Shadow, would eat my used Kleenex if I left them laying around. I guess the brand new ones were too dry? (Ew!) And if I did manage to make the Kleenex land in the trash can near the bed, she would just go in and pick them out while I was napping (passed out, napping, same difference).
OMD! If Honey ever got near me when I had a bout of food poisoning, I’d instantaneously become a cat person.
Lots of dogs love a good old messy Kleenex. In fact, Honey is the first dog I’ve ever known (including foster dogs) who doesn’t harvest the trash can for yummies.
Glad to know Honey’s not the only bad nurse out there. It’s a good thing she and Blueberry are so cute. 🙂
From the Husband:
I would not have anyone suffer and struggle the way Blueberry’s human did just to be able to post such a wonderfully detailed comment.
But, to make lemonade from lemons, perhaps it could be turned into a treatment for another frat movie by National Lampoon, creators of “Animal House.” (It seems said human ought to be able to make a little cash from going through all that. . . )
well, we have two dogs… one maltese who is a love and he cuddles and loves you when you aren’t feeling well. our yorkie on the other hand, doesn’t even seem to care one way or another… it seems he doesn’t even notice if you aren’t feeling well. however, the brat (yorkie) does settle down and love you if you cry. he seems to understand that emotion and wants to comfort you. i guess he figures if you are sick, you should still be willing to play with him!
I’m rarely sick, but I have my down days that the dogs are really good about. They are fairly calm in the house for the most part. The hard part if I were sick would be them driving me crazy wanting in and out! lol
Feel better soon!
Of course if the worst happened and you did get really sick, at least you’d have your own ambulance corps. You need to teach the dogs the way to the hospital when you get enough snow to go mushing.
Theo and Nelly are natural snugglers and good company when anyone is feeling sick. They have been great and gentle companions to me and even seem to know which arm is broken. Sophie on the other hand… I cringe when she gets close to me. She is just exuberant and oblivious to my distress.
Not a brat – just loved.
Honey’s such a sweetie – easy to see that through your posts!