小狗Deco安家記

養條小狗?這個問題,糾纏了好幾年.直到狗狗來家裏快兩周了,我的態度很明顯還是負麵得很的.如今小狗Deco加入我們家已經三個月有餘,當我抱起他來,口裏叫著寶貝,兒子和女兒轉過頭來,我還得聲明:"不是叫你們啦."-- 你就知道我愛他的心不知不覺已經溢於言表.這樣戲劇性的改變,當然不在我的預料裏麵,過程和原因也已經在淡忘中,需要好好追憶...

 

抱怨篇

 

三個人硬硬要買條狗。隻有我很不樂意，認準這是自找麻煩,也許這和我從未養過寵物有關.小時候養過貓的老公以前所未有的耐心說服我給孩子們一個機會.可我首先就質疑他們看中的這條狗的來路.狗是兒子ＫＪＩＪＩ找來的，上網沒兩天就看中,非要不可.他爹這種買個東西要比別人花三倍時間研究的人，碰上大活狗馬上頭腦停止思考，自己找理由說：“這是沒辦法的，孩子喜歡，看緣分的。”去了一看，養狗的人住的地方是我未曾見過的窮地方。況且17周的baby,吃喝拉撒玩，要多少培訓？下麵這堆問題誰來回答我:拉屎拉尿?睡覺問題?寄生蟲問題?家裏沒人怎麽辦？

 

象很多其他事情一樣,我最終敵不過他們,在有人回答我的問題之前小狗就進了家門.自從狗來了，這錢就嘩啦啦地花出去了，狗食玩具尿布香波籠子項圈，再沒停過。接下來還要打針，閹割，理發美容請人剪指甲。家裏他爹當理發師省的錢都花在它身上了。"寵物不就是用來寵的嗎？"恍然大悟又心甘情願的嘴臉真讓人看不慣。說這句話的時候他正以柔軟憐愛的眼神看著狗,嘴角是上揚的微笑.

 

如果我愛它，它什麽都按規矩來也就算了。可是它一來，別的沒有，馬上暴露了我的沒有愛心。這不是叫我自找一個火坑往下跳嗎？

 

接納篇

 

上麵的情形和問題持續到有一天--狗狗被帶去改頭換麵梳洗一番,以令人驚豔的姿態凱旋!我越看它越愛.這件事的結論是:知道自己以貌取人總比發現自己全無愛心強吧?好驚險!

 

養了小狗順帶還發現,人了解自己怎麽這麽難呐?時至今日因為這條狗,才發現自己是嚴重的外貌協會的.狗到我們家頭一周四處拉屎拉尿,嚴重考驗我的忍耐力,它的樣子也看著髒兮兮的,煩得很.當他美容後,香噴噴煥然一新戴著紅領巾回來,我,從恨死它立刻360度轉變成愛死它.對上眼以後,現在對它的外貌就沒那麽在乎了.關鍵呢,是一定要有過那驚鴻一瞥的時刻!

 

人氣篇

 

自從狗狗到我家,我們家就人氣大爆炸，小朋友象熱浪一樣滾滾而來，讓人應接不暇,都是因為這隻小狗。因為小狗,妹妹獲得所有愛狗小朋友的羨慕嫉妒,不費吹灰之力!鄰居各家各戶的孩子多次登門,爭相寵愛.家的後院連接著學校的操場,我們家那個估計很難考到第一名的妹妹,每天好幾次帶著半班同學,有男有女,樂此不疲來看後院她的小狗. 狗狗成了他們班的第三個"D"--另兩個分別Derek同學和Daniel同學.這樣無須努力的號召力,將來估計她不成功也難.

 

人不如狗

 

"連狗都不如”根本不是罵人的話，至少在我們家這是真理。每個人都“不如狗”，大家都愛它。

 

我們在院子裏,狗狗粘著我坐著,老公自己坐遠處的台階.我們聊著狗的話題.我問:"它怎麽這麽可愛呢?"老公於是想出了個實驗.他拍拍自己旁邊的位置,叫道:"Deco!"狗立刻跑去坐在他的身邊.接著他又拍拍自己另一邊的位置,說:"老婆!"我把臉向上仰45度,朝另一方向望去,表明了不願就範的堅決態度.老公下結論說:"你看狗狗,你看你 ..."真是的,妻不如狗!

 

一家人

 

現在不管誰回家,小狗都以離弦的速度來歡迎,搖著尾巴要抱抱.無論我們做什麽它都要跟著.到地下室看電影跟著,全家出門跟著,散步跟著,睡覺呢也要跟著,滿心歡喜全心信賴的跟著.好不容易把兩個孩子趕出床中間的地盤,沒想到現在這小狗挑的位置和兩孩子的一模一樣--爸爸媽媽的中間!

 

妹妹蹲在後院的地上撿掉下來的小紅花,跟屁狗Deco圍著她亂轉.妹妹笑著柔聲責備它: "Deco!"一會兒進到屋裏,妹妹消失在餐廳的大桌後麵,我走近一看,她正把撿來的小花貼在紙上,邊是花的小綠竿圍成的心型.心型紅了一半,說花用完了還要出去多撿些.狗安靜地躺在她的腳邊粘著她.不知怎麽我的柔情也碎了一地.

 

Deco就是妹妹的小走狗,這樣說毫不誇張.狗狗雖然也經常敷衍我們,和哥哥又親又鬧,跟我們親熱要我們抱它,妹妹才是它認定的主子,那忠誠的樣子常常讓人忍俊不禁.走到哪裏都跟著,沒看到就心神不安.這會兒還和我們親熱著,一聽妹妹移動了,立刻飛奔過去尾隨.妹妹也以心相待掏心掏肺.這兩個長像和脾氣相似,在一起就是一道亮麗風景.我問妹妹:"狗狗是你的BFF(Best Friend Foever)嗎?"她回答我:"不是,它是family."我敢保證,這也是小狗頭腦裏想的!--我們就是一家人.

 

名字的由來

 

Deco這個名字是它的原主人給的.取自2002年入葡萄牙籍的巴西人德科,曾經輝煌一時的足球明星.叫這個名字聽說是因為狗狗相對於它的狗兄弟們顯得很活潑,尤其喜歡玩球.因為他出生在4月中,會跑會跳時天氣回暖,大概有好多時間可以在室外玩.原主人讓我們盡快想好我們自己要的名字告訴她,好讓我們一周以後來領它時叫習慣了.全家人想來想去,決定用它原來的名字.一來隻有兩個音節,叫起來鏗鏹有力;二來Deco和廈門話"短褲"的發音一樣,奶奶叫起來肯定順口.

誰是幸運者?

聽說我們養了條狗,朋友特別帶女兒來拜訪.看狗狗集寵愛於一身感慨說:"Deco和你們在一起真幸運."我借用那位收養中國孩子的美國媽媽的話回答:"幸運的是我們."雖然聽起來是調侃,實際上是我們全家的真心話.美國十八世紀的幽默家Josh Billings說:"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself."Deco無疑是這樣無條件的愛我們的.而我們愛它是不是因為他是這麽活潑可愛溫順還富有幽默感?

 

結局

 

我可以想象自己現在看狗狗的樣子: 柔軟憐愛的眼神,上揚的微笑的嘴角.似曾相識啊,這不是老公三個月前的表情嗎?--養狗,不知不覺改變了我.這是我始未料到的!

 

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(英文版本,不是中文版翻譯)

Our Dog Deco

Three people in my family agreed that it’s about time to have a dog except me, for I was not ready yet. To tell you the truth, I thought I might never be ready.

 

My two kids, my son Brooklyn, who is now twelve and a half years old, and my daughter Alicia, who just turned eight, had been asking for a dog many times. Year after year, I always told them, “Let’s wait until you two can take care of the dog.” Not confident that I could handle more, I really didn’t want to deal with any pets. Life was already very busy for me without a pet.

 

On the other hand, my husband was not against the idea at all. Having a dog seemed inevitable this time. I made it clear that it was the kids’ main responsibility to take care of the dog. People wanting the dog should look after the dog, right? Being asked to write responsibilities in details, Brooklyn quickly came up with the duty sheet without hesitation. Everyone agreed to sign on it. Dad would help  bath the dog and I needed to purchase doggy necessities. The two kids would do the rest:  walk the dog, take out the dog to pee and poo, and feed the dog.

 

Brooklyn was the one that put in the time to do the research. First, he went to Kijiji to check what he could find. Seeing the dogs he liked, he used Google to find more about that breed. The three of them were all excited and had many conversations about the pet they were about to get. After doing the research, they found a couple of dogs they all liked and made a few phone calls. The night before our vacation to Chicago, we got the chance to see the dog they had picked.

 

The little dog, Deco, named after the Brazilian-born Portuguese professional soccer player, was 16 weeks old. He was a cute, gentle toy poodle. The kids and my husband all fell in love with him at first sight. I still wasn’t sure. The three decided to buy the dog, so we put down a deposit and planned to pick him up after we returned from Chicago a week later.

 

We had a very good time in Chicago. The kids couldn’t help talking about their new pet all the time. A day after we came back, Deco was in our house already! Of course, we had picked him up.

 

As already predicted, the trouble began. Deco was a 4 month old baby in need of potty training. Unfortunately nobody in the family had any doggy experience; as a result, Deco urinated and defecated all over the place. This really drove me crazy; however, it didn’t affect the love of the other three. Having agreed that Deco needed to be trained properly, we talked to the people around us who had pet experience, we checked YouTube for advice, we searched the web for help—most important of all, we bought Deco a crate! After one week of training, Deco was much less messy.

 

Next, it was time to dress Deco up. We decided to give him a makeover. Daddy brought Deco to a grooming store one day; and Deco came home all clean and handsome. This was the time that I fell in love with him.

 

Having been with us for almost 2 months now, Deco has become an important member of the family. He greets us when we come home, he follows Alicia and Brooklyn everywhere, he likes to play with us, and he can even do some tricks!

 

Having a dog is not such a bad thing at all; actually, it is a lot of fun to have Deco. I am happy that I gave in and welcomed Deco to our home.