Marvelous Moose

This summer, John and I have had the distinct pleasure of hosting Moose (aka Mr. Moose or Moosie), the approximately 8 year old, 90 lb chocolate lab that used to be John’s but has for the past several years lived with his son, Anders, in Vernon, BC. Anders and his mother have been away from Vernon this summer so Moose came to live with us here on Galiano Island, which is pretty much a dog paradise.

It’s been awhile since I’ve lived with a dog for an extended period and, for those of you who have pets, my revelations will be obvious but for me it’s been a good reminder of what welcoming an animal into one’s life can provide and how it can remind us of themes that are also true of living with humans.

Moose has his own unique personality (photo above is of him covered in sand from a recent roll on the beach). He is sweet but bullheaded. If he doesn’t want to do something, he doesn’t do it. He is not high in energy but he can sometimes take off at random times on a walk with no warning. He loves food and it is never far from his mind. So just like us humans, he is his own specific self and nobody else. When we took him to our neighbor Bonnie’s who does dog-sitting in her huge, beautiful property replete with gorgeous gardens, Moose quickly jumped into a bathtub full of dirty water which was part of her landscaping (see photo below). Luckily, Bonnie was unfazed as I think she loves dogs even more than her gardens.

Having Moose here has made it easier to meet new people because he is a very popular guy. A large number of those who come in contact with him want to meet him, learn his name, pet him, and make a fuss over him. I’ve noticed that young women in particular are drawn to him. I’m not sure why this is as I would have thought a big, brown lab would be more a “guy dog” but this has not been borne out. But men love him too and taking him to the Saturday market always results in meeting at least one new person or couple.

He is less interested in other dogs but tolerates their attention. This summer, he has spent a lot of time with Mr. Biggles, the dog owned by our friendly neighbor Kate who has been so welcoming to us. Mr. Biggles is very affectionate and likes to lick Moose’s face. Moose does not reciprocate, being the strong, silent type, but he also doesn’t protest or withdraw. Photo below of Kate with Moose and Mr. Biggles.

We’ve gone on many a hike with Kate and “Biggs” including to Matthews Point beach about an hour from our homes. Biggs is a faster walker than Moose but they both made it no problem and were already in the water waiting for us before Kate and I even emerged from the steep trail down to the sand.

Along with his unique personality and his ability to attract friends, both dog and human, Moose’s presence has reminded me of how we change and age over time and also that we are not immortal. Even over this summer when Moose has had a lot of exercise and has lost some weight so is in fairly trim shape, I’ve noticed just how much he sleeps. The vet told us that we should now see him as an older dog and treat him accordingly. I was surprised to hear this but watching how much time he spends lying around, it seems that he is slowing down just like us.

Even more poignant, I spent a week in Portland with Kelsey and Garet in late July. I drove down and took Moose with me since John was not around. Moose spent a lot of time with Monte, Kelsey and Garet’s Golden Retriever who is about the same age as Moose (photo below of the two of them). After we left, Monte had emergency surgery for a mass in his spleen and, sadly, has been given only 6 months to live. And yesterday, my cousin’s 68 year old husband shockingly dropped dead of a heart attack with no warning. Neither dogs nor humans live forever and while we know this, it takes a reminder now and then to drive the point home. Try to enjoy your pet and human friends and family while you have them and they have you.

Good looks are another thing that matter whether you are a human or a dog. Moose gets a lot of “what a handsome dog” comments. Like beautiful and handsome people, I’m afraid that attractive dogs also get more attention than those that are less so. I could be wrong but am thinking I’m not. In this vein, I decided to take some portraits of Moose using the portrait mode on my iphone camera. Here is one that I like:

As Moose ages, his muzzle is going grey. John snapped this terrific photo below that shows a different side of Moose’s looks. It’s hard to believe those photos are of the same dog!

Finally, one of the reasons it’s been wonderful to have Moose around is the unconditional love that he offers. As bullheaded as he can sometimes be, he is always sweet and affectionate. He has added a lot to our first summer on Galiano and we don’t know whether we will have him here again. I am glad to have shared a bit more about this lovely, friendly, funny fellow and some of the reasons he has added so much to our life here.