What Are Your Pet's Favorite Things to Do?

Alex and Kelly

By Linda Cole

Over the last six months, I had to say goodbye to two of my canine best friends, Alex and Kelly. Both of them lived long, happy lives, and when it's time for a pet to cross over the Rainbow Bridge, all we can do is hold their memory in our heart. I can’t help but smile whenever I think about the favorite things they loved to do. Pets are like us in many ways, and have their own likes and dislikes.

Alex, a Beagle/Terrier mix, was my little yapper. She would wander around outside in her enclosure patrolling the area for anything that warranted closer inspection. If it moved, she yapped. Barking was something she really enjoyed doing. It was her way of letting me know she was on it, even if “it” was just a plastic bag blowing down the street. My office window overlooks the dogs' pen, and when she had trouble finding her “off button,” all I had to do was call her name and tell her to come.

She was usually at the far end of the pen, and dutifully trotted over to the window as if to say, “What? Can't you see I'm busy?” She'd be quiet for awhile, until something moved, and she was off on another adventure, yapping as she ran over for a closer look. Alex loved following insects moving in the grass or watching a butterfly flutter around her head. She'd sit and watch birds flying overhead, and always had her nose in the air to catch scents blowing by. She was always alert, just in case something moved and needed her attention to let me know...something moved.

Kelly, a Jack Russell Terrier mix, was 17½ years old when she passed. As far as she was concerned, I belonged to her. She always knew where I was and what I was doing around the house, and was by my side, inside or outside. Although, during her younger years when a rabbit bolted out from underneath a bush, she couldn't resist a good chase. She was, after all, a terrier. But she always stopped and returned as soon as I called her back. Kelly's absolute favorite thing was snuggling with me at night, and she'd drift off to sleep knowing I was safe by her side.

Figaro

Figaro and Mozart are feline brothers. Both of them like to sneak up behind me in the summertime when I'm wearing shorts to give me “love” bites on the back of my legs. Figaro loves to sit on my shoulder so he can view the world from a higher perspective, and Mozart's favorite thing to do is race up a curtain, and climb on top of the curtain rod to perform a death defying balance act across the rod to the other side.

Pogo is a cat who loves to dance, but it's how he starts his dance routine that makes me a smile. He will appear to be sound asleep, or dozing in a sun puddle on the floor. Suddenly, it's as if the dancing bug bit him, and he's up hopping around the room on his back legs.

Keikei will do anything for her CANIDAE dog treats. She loves to learn new things, and as far as she's concerned, walks should never end. She thinks it's time to go back outside as soon as she gets inside. She loves cooler weather, and after a snowfall, she's always anxious to get outside to play in the snow. She's also a ham, and one of her favorite things to do is posing for pictures.

Shelby and Riley

Riley is a Terrier/Chihuahua mix, and the youngest dog in my pack of six. She has one of the most adorable stares I've ever seen. It's a playful, sideways stare she uses when she wants to play. Riley loves to jump up on my bed, roll over on her back, and wiggle her body back and forth in the middle of the bed. In the morning, I'm greeted with doggie kisses to help my day start off right.

All of my cats like to crowd into one of the picture windows to watch squirrels race up and down a tree right outside the window. They also enjoy keeping tabs on what's going on in the neighborhood. But the one thing they all love to do is stalk a small remote control car racing around the room. I get tired of the game before they do.

Pets are as individual as we are, and that's what makes them special. Never take for granted those close to you, whether human or a furry best friend. Remember their favorite things, because it does warm your heart with memories that never fade.

Read more articles by Linda Cole