Has your pet been good enough this year to merit a Christmas gift? Or has your fur baby been bratty enough for you to consider leaving their stocking unstuffed? Since it’s the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to ask other pet owners what their dogs and cats have done this year to land them a spot on Santa’s naughty or nice list, and what their pets should expect to find under the tree. After making a list and checking it twice, here are some of the stories pet owners shared:
Small Niceties
Many people couldn’t think of one spectacularly naughty or nice thing their pets did this year, but spoke of the small things that made them deserving of Christmas gifts. Like Laura Gill, who bragged about her Golden Retriever Nikki not barking for the past week. Anyone who is trying to teach a dog to be a little less vocal can probably appreciate the quiet time. For her good behavior, Nikki will be getting a bone for Christmas.
For Goodness’ Sake
Sometimes it takes the thoughtless behavior of us humans to point out how good our pets really are. Rissa Watkins shared this story about her dog Mocha, an Aussie Shepherd/Chow mix:
“He has been a good dog this year. Someone closed the door, blocking the doggie door. Poor Mocha cried and ran around and acted strange. This went on for a few hours. I got home and realized the door was closed and let him out. Poor boy desperately held it instead of going inside.”
Will Mocha be rewarded by Santa for his good deed? “Heck yeah, he has his own stocking,” said Rissa. “He will also be getting a new bed.”
Good Will Towards Men and... Cats
It can be rough introducing your dog to a new partner, let alone their cat. Crystal Ray has a Shih Tzu named Zeus who manages his unwilling new cat roommate with grace:
“Zeus has been very nice this year, considering how he has been treated by the grumpy cat that shares our home. We moved into my boyfriend's house about six months ago,” Crystal explained. “He has a gray tabby cat named Baby, but she is anything but a sweet baby. Zeus does not bother the cat and would never hurt her. On the contrary, he is a perfect gentleman in a fur coat. She growls, hisses and slaps at him, but he keeps his distance in an attempt to get along. Sometimes he looks at her like she's nuts!”
Her feelings about her dog will definitely ring true with many pet owners. “My dog is getting a Christmas gift because he is part of the family, and I love him dearly,” said Crystal. “I care more for my dog than some of my human family members! I plan on going shopping for a new squeaky ball. His old one was his favorite toy before it disappeared. Maybe Baby did away with it!”
What is it about holiday decorations that our feline companions just can’t stand? Or maybe it’s just that they love these a little too much? Kim Morgan has firmly placed her cat on the naughty list this year for willful and intentional harming of an innocent pumpkin:
“We hunted down the perfect pumpkin for Halloween this year, decorated it, and arranged a beautiful display in our dining room. One morning I walked out to discover that my beautiful pumpkin had been used as a scratching post by our cat Libby,” said Kim. “With some creative carving I was able to salvage the pumpkin, but I wasn't happy about having to do it in the first place. It all worked out in the end, though. We had the coolest jack-o'-lantern on the street!”
Will Libby be getting a Christmas present this year? “That would be a definite... NO.”
Last-Minute Bad Boy
Sometimes good dogs just have to let off a little steam, or at least that’s what I have been telling myself. When I began writing this post I was all set to boast about how my chocolate Lab Wuppy’s couch-destroying and “not listening” days were firmly behind him. He’s been such a good boy this year.
That is, of course, until I took him for a free run behind a friend’s fence. The day before Thanksgiving, beautiful weather and the whole neighborhood is outside. Having a ball with his playtime, Wuppy spots the two tiny dogs my friend’s neighbor brings out. Surely they want to play too! Quick as lightening, Wuppy dives under her fence, makes a hole in it and sprints to greet these new playmates. These little guys are less than thrilled to make his acquaintance, but that’s no skin off Wuppy’s nose. He proceeds to tear through all of the back yards and greet everyone, thrilled by the exclamations of how pretty he is.
When I finally caught him and walked him home, the bounce in his step was unmistakable. This had been a most excellent day in Wuppy’s mind. I’ve given it some thought and decided one naughty day doesn’t discount the whole year. (I’m a softie.) So Wuppy will still be getting his new toys and CANIDAE Snap Biscuits for Christmas.
Naughty Little Angel
Fellow CANIDAE RPO blogger Langley Cornwell has a heart-wrenching antidote that puts all of our pet trials and tribulations into perspective. “My dog jumped out of a third story window,” Langley shared. “That was pretty naughty.”
Overwhelmed by the sounds of new people in the house, her American Bulldog mix Frosty jumped from a 30 foot high window! Six excruciating hours of searching later, Langley’s little angel showed up, completely unharmed. Frosty was taken to the vet and, miraculously, no internal or external damage had occurred.
Did your pets have any “naughty” or “nice” moments this year? We would love to hear about them in the comments! What should they expect to find under the tree?
Top photo: Matthew Harrigan
Bottom photo: brenbot
Read more articles by Tamara McRill
On the good list en on top!Mine husband became sick on his hart and on his back same time .. So he was only be able sit one the tafel on a special chair .Cat Twinkle came than lay beside him on the table.. Like a pass on you..He gave a lot of comfort..Mine husband is now much better.. but we never forget this time with him and they are became more very very close...
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding, everyone around here is always good. At least they try to be good, but no animal can avoid being a little naughty sometimes and the thing of it is, they really don't know they are naughty most of the time
ReplyDeleteLibby was certainly naughty! Loved this article! Langley's trial really was a scare... glad it all worked out in the end. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been through a lot with animals but that day, when Frosty tried to fly, was the absolute worst. My heart races every time I think about it. Fun article, Tamara.
ReplyDeleteNice article and cute pictures, especially the Santa kitty!
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