Proof that dogs are man’s best friend By: SARAH REYNOLDS-SEWERYNIAK
SUN SCENE
If you walked up to my parents, Norman and Diane Reynolds, and asked them what I always wanted from the moment I could walk and talk, they would say, hands down, “A dog.”
As a 4-year-old I begged and pleaded for a dog and the response I would most get was, “You’ll lose interest.” So I carried a stuffed animal around the clock to prove them wrong.
When I thought I’d had them beat they would reply with, “Do you know how much work dogs are? Are you going to take him on walks and clean up his poop?”
My favorite response from my father was, “I lived on a farm almost all my life, I’m done with animals.” He would then give me a story that would really show his age. “When I got married to your mother and moved to the suburbs, I can’t tell you how thrilled I was that I now had a thermostat where I could press a button to turn the heat on.” It really pulled at my heart strings that he had to walk up and down a hill to get a pail of coal to carry to the house for heat back in the day.
Finally at the age of 12 I asked my father one more time for a dog. I had no interest in school and my grades showed it. So my father made me a deal. If I made honor roll all year long, I would finally get to have a dog.
I worked hard for hours after school to try and raise my grades and sure enough after one full year I fulfilled my end of the deal. So once summer vacation started I went to my father and said, “I did it, we can get a dog!” With a look of terror in his face he said, “Well, lets go to the SPCA.”
Right before we were about to leave he said there was a catch. He said that we wouldn’t be able to get a dog because they’re too much work, but he would give me a cat for my reward instead. My jaw dropped and I did what any smart-aleck 12-year-old would do. I said, “I knew I should have made a binding contract.”
So we got our cat. Her name was JoJo and my parents loved her. I would often catch my mom holding her late at night as if she was a baby and my father loved to create a commentary of what JoJo was thinking. She was perfect and I liked to think that she thought she was a dog.
But something was still missing though. I still wanted a dog. I asked my parents again. “But we have JoJo,” they said. I would often reply that it would be nice to give her a friend and they would simply tell me that when I get married I could have all the animals I wanted.
Sure enough that day came. I met my husband Matthew and we got married this past October. We purchased a house in the Village of Hamburg, and finally the day came when we went to go find our dog.
We thought about what kind of personality we wanted and perhaps, if we had the opportunity, what kind of breed we wanted too. A few weeks after we got back home from our honeymoon we embarked on our adventure to find our dog. It was a moment I had waited 22 years for!
We had spent the better part of a weekend looking for our perfect dog and one sunny Sunday in November we were introduced to a three-month-old Weimaraner. We were in a field and he ran right up to us and plumped down on our laps and let out a huge grunt.
We continued to spend some time with him and anytime we did anything that pleased him he let us know, with a grunt. We knew we had met our guy and decided to take him home. When my husband asked what we should name him, I looked at the pup, and the pup looked at me and tilted his head with great distinction.
“Let’s name him Henry,” I said. “Perfect,” my husband replied.
Wiemaraners are a top breed that are known for their intelligence. Sometimes when I look at him I don’t see a dog, I see a person. For starters, he doesn’t sit on his hind legs. Instead he sits on his rear end and props his back up on whatever is behind him, which gives him a very humanistic look.
One day when I let him outside to go to the bathroom, I walked away to get the mail and when I came back I was startled when I thought I saw a medium sized man trying to open the screen door. Thankfully, it wasn’t a potential intruder, it was Henry.
From time to time he’s even been known to visit The Sun office. My husband even bought him a newspaper squeak toy, fitting for a pup who’s mommy works for the paper.
My parents have even fallen in love with him. My father gets so excited to see him and they even dog sit for us every once in awhile.
Henry seems to win over all the dogs he meets as well. He gets very excited when he goes over to my Aunt Virginia’s house to play with her dog Ky. He also enjoys playing with my good friend Michelle’s golden retriever, Milo.
Henry has also given my in-laws Jerry and Kate a sense of relief. Unfortunately their dog Rusty died recently and while their home feels a little empty without the patter of little feet, Henry certainly has filled that void.
One of Henry’s favorite stomping grounds in the area is Clyde’s Feed and Animal Center, where he gets doted on by the employees and receives treats galore.
He even loves his vet. While most dogs cringe and fight their way to the door, I find myself fighting for Henry to slow down. Dr. Eladio Adorno of Adoring Pets in Hamburg is one of his favorites, along with his staff. As soon as he walks in he is ready for them to give him some treats.
No matter where he goes he brings people a lot of happiness. Most of all my dream has come true and I couldn’t have asked for a better dog. He is sweet and gentle and just loves to cuddle, especially on cold winter nights.
While he has enriched my husband’s and my life I look forward to giving him the best life a dog could ask for.
If you see us walking through the village don’t be shy and say, “Hello.” Henry will love it, and he’ll probably give you a grunt to let you know.
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