DESCRIBING RUFUS

Last week at church another Maltese owner and I were discussing our dogs. Hers is five years old and a female, whereas Rufus is two (still an adolescent) and a male. I could tell that she was surprised when I began describing his behavior to her; obviously, there is a big difference between the two.

He has such a mind of his own!! That’s the biggest problem!! Here’s an example: It’s time for him to go outside, so I say “Rufus, let’s go outside.” Most dogs (Jesse is a good example) run to the door, tail wagging, ready to go. Here’s what Rufus does. I stand at the door with the leash looking out and say, “Let’s go see Joe or Izzy” (two dogs up the street). Rufus slowly saunters up to the door and if he gets in front of me, I know he’s willing. I can put the leash on. However, I cannot try to put it on anytime before that or he will run away. If he happens to be asleep on my lap, I can just pick him up and take him out, a ploy I use often.

One morning he didn’t want to go out first thing, so I fed him his breakfast (white chicken meat and dog food). After breakfast he always has a greenie (a ridiculously expensive green dog treat shaped like a tooth brush that all dogs love). I told him he couldn’t have one until he went outside. I took the treat with me and got the leash, and he understood immediately. Out the door he went and I have never seen him do his business so fast. But I’m not about to give him one of those every time I want him to go out. For one thing, they are expensive, and for another, he’s not supposed to have more than one a day, according to the box. I do give him a small treat when we get back inside (something that looks like a miniature potato chip, but it’s called a chicken chip), so as smart as he is, you would think he would remember that.

And here’s another thing: he’s a very picky eater. Jesse will eat any kind of dog treat you give her; not so with Rufus. I have found maybe two types of treats that he will eat and one of those he grew tired of and won’t touch. That is, unless Jesse is here and then he will eat anything just to keep her from getting it. Right now I have at least three bags of dog treats in the pantry that he turned his nose up at and walked away. And it’s so embarrassing when I go through a drive through bank or drugstore and he is given a little dog biscuit. He just looks at it and refuses to take it. How ungrateful is that?

When I began wanting a dog and planning for one, I really thought I would have a sweet, pliable little one who would love me and obey me on command. Well, that’s not what I got; instead, I have a little rascal with his own personality who wants to play all day and sleep right up next to me at night. The sleeping part was exactly what I had in mind, so that’s okay, but I surely didn’t bargain for the independent cuss I got.

Now that I have him, however, I wouldn’t take anything else; he keeps the genius and me so entertained that we are amazed we did without him for so long.