Dogs, More Than Mans Best Friend

This is Boomer guarding my plate last night.

Every guy needs a wingman.  In my case it's a "wingdog," Boomer. Boomer loves going for rides, helping keep the barn clear of cats when I'm cleaning it.  Stopping any car that heads down our driveway and making sure they aren't a terrorist or smuggling cats.  He backed some lady down the lane one day, it was him walking slow and her backing the car all the way off our property.

Boomer also keeps the land clear chickens, big chickens, small chickens, even chickens that look like geese.Boomer also lives for the times he gets to help put the neighbors sheep and cattle back in their field.

But the thing that makes Boomer the best wingdog ever is he guards my stuff.  I can set a plate of food anywhere, even the floor, look at Boomer, tell him to guard it and don't let anyone near and he will stay right there doing just that.  Even though he would love to dive face first into the plate, he for some reason takes guarding very serious.

That happened last night. I had a plate of a sloppy joe type mix, fresh hot, tasty, smelly and it was on fresh hot Rhodes rolls.  I had just set the plate down on the slide out counter next to my side of the bed when the buzzer went off on the washing machine.  (Yes I do a majority of the laundry in the house, no matter what Brenda says)

I looked at Boomer, told him "Guard my plate, don't let anyone get it."  Then I walked out of the room, went down the hall and completely out of sight to the laundry room.  According to science research dogs do what they really want to do when there is no human within sight. This was the ultimate test and If I came back and the food was gone it would have been OK since I left it in a room full of dogs.

When I got back, the plate was intact, not even a single piece of hamburger was missing.  Now Boomer looked really nervous, mostly because Daisy was giving him the sideways "you are so gonna die" look.  But he had stood his ground, guarded my plate and lived.  I so shared with him including the licking of the plate at the end.

There are things guys need in life and a really good wingdog doesn't come along very often, but when they do enter a guys life, they are special. As I always say, just lock your dog and your wife in the trunk for five minutes and see who's happy to see you.

To Boomer, this is my online tribute to you. As much as it drives Brenda nuts, you will always get to lick the plate clean when I'm done.

Kevin Mee