I’m not what you would call an animal lover, but I do like being around them, and we generally get along pretty well. But there are a few stories I like to tell about times a very shy pet warmed up to me when that had never happened before. So here we go.
MeadWestvaco relocated its Information Technology group from Dayton, Ohio, to Richmond, Virginia, a move I elected not to make. It was the correct decision, for without it, I would not have met my wife. My friend and co-worker Jeff did make the move, and a few years later, I made the drive to visit him and his wife. When I arrived, Jeff let me know they had a dog, Katie, but it was unlikely I would ever see her over the next three days, mainly because she doesn’t like men. Over the next three days, we visited wineries, saw some sights, and caught up with what was happening with our careers. We would chat in the living room in the evening, no Katie in sight. But during my last evening there, Katie made a surprise appearance, which was a stunner to Jeff. He could not believe it. She didn’t come check me out or ask for a scratch, just laid in the middle of the living room, hanging out. That’s only half of the story.
The following year, I was headed back in Jeff’s direction, and he was open for another visit. I pulled my car into his driveway, grabbed my suitcase, walked to the closed door, and knocked. Katie was barking like crazy at the unknown stranger at the door. When Jeff opened the door, Katie saw me, immediately stopped barking and walked away. It was as if when she saw me, she said, “Oh, you’re that guy that was here last year, and you’re OK.” It was now my turn to be stunned. I thought I would be lucky to get a chance to pet her, but now I think she saw me as family. Over my two-night stay, she was always hanging around with her happy, wagging tail.
A friend of mine had two cats, and during a visit to her place, she said I was unlikely to see them, particularly since I’m a man. That man thing must be real, but then perhaps I’m a quieter and calmer version than most. About ten or fifteen minutes into our conversation, both cats made an appearance, truly surprising her. But it didn’t stop there. They both jumped up on my lap and began a cat’s version of saying I like you. First, lots of purring. Then the kneading with their paws. Also called making biscuits, because the motion looks exactly like a baker working with dough. That’s an indication they feel totally secure. Pretty cool. Finally, the bunting (or scent marking). They have scent glands located in their cheeks, chin, forehead, and the base of their ears. When they rub their face on yours, they are depositing pheromones on you. This creates a "colony scent," signaling that you are a safe, trusted member of their family. All that turned her surprise into total shock. And I had two new feline friends.
My daughter-in-law’s dog, Maggie (short for Magnolia), is a Catahoula Leopard Dog, the only dog breed native to the state of Louisiana. She’s fairly large at around fifty pounds, and they were bred as multi-purpose working dogs, used for herding wild hogs and cattle. She loves and is very protective of her owner. When I met Maggie for the first time, about ten years ago, she barked like crazy, and while she was not mean, she made it known she was the boss. I was told, of course, that she did not like men. She was a hard sell, but after a while, she made it known that I was OK, even going so far as to jump up on my lap when I was sitting on a recliner. She had not done that to anyone except my daughter-in-law, and she was quite shocked. Now she still barks when she first sees me, but quickly turns to her getting petted and me having my face licked.
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