“A dog watch is a work shift, also known as a “watch”, in a maritime watch system that is half the length of a standard watch period. This is typically formed by splitting a single four-hour watch period between 16:00 and 20:00 (4 pm and 8 pm) to form two two-hour dog watches, with the “first” dog watch from 16:00 to 18:00 (4 pm to 6 pm) and the “second” or “last” dog watch from 18:00 to 20:00 (6 pm to 8 pm).”
—Wikipedia
As I sit here throwing prose your way at 4 am, I am on dog watch. My beautiful pup Bella, who just turned 16 a few weeks ago, has been sick. It has been two weeks or so of late-night potty outings, calls to the vet, the checking of breath, boiling of chicken and rice for gentle meals, and just overall caring for whatever my sweet girl has needed. This may sound like me complaining, but it is the opposite. I am incredibly grateful for the fact that I get to do this for her. If you have a pet companion like Bella, you get it.
We brought this sweet soul into our lives when my boys were in elementary school. It was chaos—having two energetic kids, a house full of their friends every weekend, sporting events to travel to, and boating. We were all running at full speed all the time. It was all about just getting to the destination.
As the years went by, we choked back the throttle and had a more leisurely ride. Sure, there were some uneasy seas, but we chugged along, and the girl was right there keeping pace with us. The kids grew up, and we knew it was time to let our pup finally relax at the anchorage and enjoy all the peace the protected space had given her. She has been relieved of her dog watch duties as a new one has come on shift.
We got our Aussie Stella (aka Stellie, BB) three years ago, and Bella has trained her exceptionally well. She is always on the lookout while on watch. There is not a squirrel or UPS driver who enters the yard that she does not warn us about. She keeps the other crew members fit by walking and playing while the canine captain oversees from the bridge as she knows retirement is coming up in the future.
Our aging animal family members deserve this distinction and all the emotional medals that go with it. They have served us proudly, and now we serve them. When they have to pass the wheel to another, do it with all the pomp and circumstance you can. Spend the extra money on that orthopedic bed. The special food, the walking harness with a top grip handle you can grab easily if they stumble. Tiger balm for your back when you have to sleep on the couch during your own dog watch. You will never regret the expense, lack of sleep, or the times your regular 10-minute walk around the block took 30. It’s all about taking in the view now and enjoying the moments before the next destination is on your radar.
I am going to leave you with this—a poem I wrote for her on another 4 am dog watch shift:
For Bella
You sat by my side in fun and in sorrow
Pushed me to walk today, not tomorrow
Watched over the house where the kiddos played
Chased many of the squirrels away
For 16 years you have been by my side
As your body slows, I will take the wheel of this ride
I will sleep by your side on the uncomfortable couch
Hand feed you chicken right into your mouth
Sing you songs so the days are not scary
Understand you are tired and wary
I will not complain about the care you need
Because you, sweet girl, are a gift, not a deed
