Parting of a friend
Last night, Cookie our Rottweiler passed away. How Cookie came to be part of our family three years ago is an essential part of the story.
First lest talk about Rottweilers for a minute. This dog's genus original breeding came from Germany. It was called the Rottweil Mezgehund (“Butcher Dog”). Rottweilers are strong and very intelligent. They have been used as messengers and guard dogs but also as search and rescue, guides for the blind besides their original use as herding dogs. In fact this type of dog, goes back to the Roman Empire.
While primarily a herding dog, it gained it’s reputation as a ‘Butcher Dog’ not because it was a killer but rather because Rottweilers were used by butchers at markets during the middle ages. The dog carried the money for the butcher in pouches tied around their necks. You know, no one was going to mess with the butcher’s dog or the butcher for that matter. *
I had the wrong impression of this type of dog for a long time. Until Cookie came to us! My now son-in-law brought the dog which was residing in his parents home. His parents had many more dogs and Cookie really needed a home. Cookie adapted the minute she walked in the door. Actually Cookie the dog, got along quite well with our resident Cookie (a female cat). Cookie gave us a lot of work, roaming around our back yard but also a lot of joy. And I don’t know that you can call it love, but Cookie sure was happy to see me every time I went out in the back yard. There was this competition between Corky and Cookie as to who would get petted the most.
I have a weight rack in the back and what I would have to do while working out is pet them in between sets. They would move as soon as I started the set and my 30 second rest would be devoted to paying attention to both dogs. It became part of the workout.
My sons (the twins) go in the habit of walking her and Corky (our other dog) in the afternoons. She really enjoyed those walks. Although my wife complained about how Cookie would lie down on her flower beds, Cookie was very obedient and could give you that look that only dogs can give their owners and make everything Ok.
Cookie now peacefully rests in my back yard. My son-in-law and myself (after checking with city ordinances), buried her in the back. There was a spot she was fond of, the grass would not grow there because she would sort of dig around that area. That spot is now hers for ever. Cookie was after all, a sui generis.
The very last workout with Cookie was to bury her. Only this time there would be not petting in between digging rests.
While I have lost a friend I’ve gained a son-in-law whom I hope to keep for ever as well.
* On Rottweilers
First lest talk about Rottweilers for a minute. This dog's genus original breeding came from Germany. It was called the Rottweil Mezgehund (“Butcher Dog”). Rottweilers are strong and very intelligent. They have been used as messengers and guard dogs but also as search and rescue, guides for the blind besides their original use as herding dogs. In fact this type of dog, goes back to the Roman Empire.
While primarily a herding dog, it gained it’s reputation as a ‘Butcher Dog’ not because it was a killer but rather because Rottweilers were used by butchers at markets during the middle ages. The dog carried the money for the butcher in pouches tied around their necks. You know, no one was going to mess with the butcher’s dog or the butcher for that matter. *
I had the wrong impression of this type of dog for a long time. Until Cookie came to us! My now son-in-law brought the dog which was residing in his parents home. His parents had many more dogs and Cookie really needed a home. Cookie adapted the minute she walked in the door. Actually Cookie the dog, got along quite well with our resident Cookie (a female cat). Cookie gave us a lot of work, roaming around our back yard but also a lot of joy. And I don’t know that you can call it love, but Cookie sure was happy to see me every time I went out in the back yard. There was this competition between Corky and Cookie as to who would get petted the most.
I have a weight rack in the back and what I would have to do while working out is pet them in between sets. They would move as soon as I started the set and my 30 second rest would be devoted to paying attention to both dogs. It became part of the workout.
My sons (the twins) go in the habit of walking her and Corky (our other dog) in the afternoons. She really enjoyed those walks. Although my wife complained about how Cookie would lie down on her flower beds, Cookie was very obedient and could give you that look that only dogs can give their owners and make everything Ok.
Cookie now peacefully rests in my back yard. My son-in-law and myself (after checking with city ordinances), buried her in the back. There was a spot she was fond of, the grass would not grow there because she would sort of dig around that area. That spot is now hers for ever. Cookie was after all, a sui generis.
The very last workout with Cookie was to bury her. Only this time there would be not petting in between digging rests.
While I have lost a friend I’ve gained a son-in-law whom I hope to keep for ever as well.
* On Rottweilers
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