This week marks a special time for my family. Saturday was the anniversary of when I came home. Sunday was Angel Lemmy’s Gotcha Day anniversary, and this Friday is Angel Chuck Billy’s birthday. Three pups, each with their own unique personalities. Today I’m sharing how we each differed in some key areas.
FETCH
Lemmy: His game of choice was “Har! Har! I have the ball and you don’t!” Oh how Lemmy would run with glee once he got the ball, zigging and zagging across the yard avoiding capture. His favorite person to play with was Grandpa, who would happily run after him, laughing all the way.
Chuck Billy: “Fetch Is Life!” That was Chuck Billy’s motto. There was no such thing as too many rounds of fetch. Only extreme cold and ice were excusable reasons not to play. And the only ball he’d play with was the Bacon Scented Squeaky Ball. Thanks Pepere for introducing Chuck Billy to his ball of choice.
Asa: I’m more of a cheerleader, than a competitor. I greatly enjoyed running behind Chuck Billy cheering him on as he retrieved the ball. Then running next to him as he happily brought it back to be thrown again. Chuck Billy wasn’t too interested in sharing the ball with me, and I didn’t mind because I knew I wasn’t as fast or as coordinated as him. But occasionally he did let me get there first, especially after I lost my eye. He knew I needed a victory lap every once in a while.
ADVENTURES
Lemmy: Lemmy was more of a homebody, than an adventurer. Don’t get me wrong! There were certain places he enjoyed visiting, especially one specific beach. But overall nothing made him happier than hiking in the woods surrounding our home. As time passed those woods slowly disappeared as a neighborhood cropped up. But there’s still one trail that the older neighbors refer to as Lemmy’s, and for those who ask, will happily tell new neighbors about the quirky dog who walked in circles around his family on it.
Chuck Billy: Chuck Billy was a natural adventurer! He’d quickly get bored going to the same old places. But take him to a new trail, and he was always urging us onward to see what was around the next bend. That is until his dinner alarm went off! Then as if a switch was flipped, he would insist we turn around and head back to the car, gaining speed the closer we got to the parking lot. Not sure how he did it, but he somehow calculated the time the drive home would take as part of it. Thanks to Chuck Billy we enjoyed the best of both worlds, an adventure and dinner being served on time. Oh how his adventurous spirit opened up a great big world to us!
Asa: I love going places! Unlike Angel Chuck Billy, I don’t get bored with repeatedly visiting them. So whether it is brand new or someplace we’ve visited a hundred times, I put on my biggest grin and enjoy every adventure! It was on adventures that Chuck Billy didn’t mind me taking the lead. Boldly I guide my pack around each twist and turn in the trail, tethered to one of my humans, so they don’t get lost.
DINNER
Lemmy: This is where our personalities differed the most. Lemmy did not like it in the least if the pack was not together. Back then Dad worked long hours, or worst yet he’d be traveling and away from home. During those times Lemmy would go on hunger strikes! Oh sure Mom was always there to feed him, but Lemmy would refuse to eat until Dad returned. This became especially problematic during the times Dad would disappear for a week or more. Try as she might, Lemmy would refuse all meals, even if Mom added favorites like cheese, banana or peanut butter to it! Nothing could convince him to eat. Not even his favorite human, Grandpa! Grandpa would make special trips to convince him, but Lemmy would have none of it. Well that is until day 3 of Dad’s absence. The first two days Lemmy would survive on water, but by day three he would just go back to eating like the hunger strike never took place!
Chuck Billy: Maybe it was watching too many of Lemmy’s hunger strikes, that inspired Chuck Billy, even as a puppy, to insist on dinner being served at precisely 5:00 PM? He didn’t care if Dad wasn’t home, or if Mom was busy on her computer. He was not about to wait for anyone or anything. If it was 5:00, he knew it, and we were going to eat, no matter what was happening! Thankfully for breakfast Chuck Billy was a lot more flexible. Whereas for dinner, he would start reminding Mom around 3:00 PM, first with the stare, then the stomping of paws, and finally culminating in a tantrum the closer it got to the appointed hour. I’m also wondering if it was thanks to Lemmy that Chuck Billy was always willing to eat my meal if I wasn’t quick enough?
Asa: I’ve always been a slow eater. As a puppy, I would easily get distracted and wander away from my bowl, or pause to daydream. That’s when Chuck Billy, who I think broke speed eating records, would swoop in and finish mine. We started getting fed separately after Mom realized I would just let him eat my food. But isn’t sharing a meal an important part of being family? Anyways, I never had to worry about what time meals were served. Chuck Billy always took care of that for me. Then he left us. It’s been over a year now and I still don’t feel the need to remind Mom for dinner or breakfast. I know she has everything under control. She won’t forget. Unlike me, who sometimes is really quite surprised when she happily calls, “Asa! Dinner Time!”
TREATS
Lemmy: By all accounts, Lemmy was addicted to peanut butter. If someone said the word in front of him, he would happily start doing every trick he ever learned in rapid succession in anticipation of getting his favorite treat. Which is why the aforementioned hunger strikes were so upsetting. My brother had amazing willpower when he was holding a grudge about something, and would refuse his favorite treat! Also Lemmy was surprisingly fussy when it came to other foods, and often would spit out treats he didn’t like, while patiently waiting for something better to be offered.
Chuck Billy: He didn’t like playing favorites. Peanut butter, oranges, blueberries, bananas, broccoli, kale, you name it, he ate it! I’m pretty sure peanut butter was his favorite though. There was one coveted treat that Chuck Billy was always denied. Try as he might, Mom never would share her chocolate with him, that is until his last day. Oh how he relished finally tasting that much anticipated treat. Oh how Mom cried finally giving in to his desire for it.
Asa: Please don’t laugh. But my favorite treats are kale and spinach! I love the stuff, and have been known to coming running from the farthest point in the house in anticipation of Mom sharing a piece with me. I love it so much that Dad even planted my own kale garden! This is followed by my second favorite treat of broccoli! My mouth is watering just thinking of it now. Sure Chuck Billy would call me weird, but as Popeye would sing, “I’m strong to the finish, because I eat me spinach!” However, just like Chuck Billy, I’m not opposed to eating anything offered to me.
PETTING
Lemmy: Lemmy loved the hind end scratch! He would stomp his paws in the cha, cha, cha, much to the delight of those petting him. Ok, so that would be awkward for those who didn’t know this. Because trying to be helpful, rather than approach people head first for petting, Lemmy would turn around and stand with his hind end towards them, wagging his tail, waiting to do his happy dance.
Chuck Billy: He preferred having his front legs scratched. Chuck Billy would let people hold his paw, while having his leg scratched. Lemmy, by the way, never let you touch the paws. He’d even go as far as to tuck them underneath himself to protect them at all costs. Chuck Billy didn’t dance while being petted, but he sure let the person know if they stopped too soon! He would first put his paw on the person as a little reminder, then it would eventually escalate to a different type of paw stomping than Lemmy’s. It was a tantrum!
Asa: I enjoy a good scratch behind the ears, but I’m not bossy. So whereas Lemmy would back up to you for petting, and Chuck Billy would put his paw on you to get his leg scratched, I’m happy just as long as I’m being petted, even if you miss behind the ears.
SURVEILLANCE AREA
Lemmy: Lemmy always had everything under control, literally under. He preferred to be under Mom and Dad. If he could wedge himself under their chair, he would do it. If not he would slide in under their legs if they were sitting on the couch. Also he’d insist on having his head on their feet, so if he drifted off to sleep, he’d know if they moved. If they were standing, he’d position himself between their legs. Facing forward if he just wanted to be close. Facing backwards if he wanted his hind end scratched. And if they weren’t around, you could find Lemmy under the sofa table, desk, or kitchen table. His favorite spot though was wedging himself under the rocking chair! His habit of tucking his paws underneath him really came in useful there.
Chuck Billy: Chuck Billy would position himself where he could keep an eye on all of us. Preferably, he would keep one of us next to him, while choosing a comfortable spot where he could see all activity in the room, or adjoining rooms if the situation called for it. However, he was not opposed to sitting away from everyone, if it helped him to keep track of each of us. Yes, that annoyed him if he couldn’t be petted while supervising, so occasionally he would insist on Mom or Dad repositioning themselves to better suit his needs.
Asa: I’ve been accused of being a velcro dog. I prefer to think of it as being a cuddler. I like to be touching someone at all times. I’m also a leaner, and will put all my weight against someone. So whereas Chuck Billy stayed in one place if someone moved, I must follow as close as possible. The pack must stay together!
So there you have it. Three pups with three very different personalities. Each special in his own way.
