Oh, there’s the dog thing…

2021.

Ireland.

Oisín-Darragh D’Arcy.

COVID-19 vaccinations: one down, one to go.

Not bad considering global circumstances.

The highlight?

Oisín-Darragh D’Arcy.

All legs, all brawn, all brindle, all cheek, 100% four-month-old puppy, and his dog Mum going through a canine identity crisis of sorts.

Supposedly a pure Jack Russell, he is all legs, and character traits that make me suspect other genetic influences, like DNA left behind by whippets or greyhounds. It doesn’t matter, however. I don’t discriminate.

At just 15 weeks old and already 4.7 inches over the size of an adult Jack Russell, he has thrown my life around in the best way possible the past 6 weeks, and turned it into the responsibility of a lifetime. After 18+ years without having a dog, I am savouring every second.

Oisín-Darragh,

The first time I saw you, you were underweight, and less than half the size you are now. But, you captured all of me the minute I saw you. When a few days later the breeder walked over holding you in his arms, I forgot personal civility by not greeting him, and yelped, “Oh my God!”

Nothing more, nothing less.

“Oh my God! He’s even more beautiful now!”

You are not just a normal Jack Russell

You are different, alternative, even.

Like family and friends would say, “Kinda like you, so!”

Despite a lifetime’s experience having a dog, when I closed the front door, all that knowledge evaporated into thin air. I cried tears of joy and laughed at the same time when I sat down after the breeder left, and I looked at all your different black and brown striped brindle markings. You may be a Jack Russell in name only, of that I am sure, as your rare coat looks like a deer, or that of a whippet or greyhound, but even if you came into the world in a Muppet costume, you are just stunning.

Right now, you are stretched out next to me, and I see life reinvented; I feel yours running through mine, after so many nightmares about Wolf, your predecessor. I broke down following another awful dream where I found him old and starving after running away. When he returned, I sat on the pavement and held him tight, unwilling to let him go. It was as if subconsciously he told me that it was time to let him go because I had cried long enough, and that surely my heart was big enough for two dogs.

And now you’re here

Just like Wolf, I loved you from the moment I first saw you.

You are here for two reasons. I’ve so much to give you; 18,5 years without the light pitter patter of dog feet has created an abundance of love to give you, so you will have everything you need, and more.

The second reason will be a challenge for both. I want you to be my eyes and ears when MS sends fireworks through my body. Despite the gigantic task at hand, in a short 5 weeks you’ve proven yourself a quick learner and have adapted to my primary set of needs. When hyperacusis makes sound unbearable, and when trigeminal neuralgia turns my facial nerves into lightning bolts, you seem to know to be extra quiet. You picked up my odd sleeping habits even when your tender puppy age requires toilet breaks each couple of hours, but you happily sleep long hours or adapt to microburst snooze-fests.

Somehow, you just know.

You can read every move I make.

You are more than remarkable.

Wherever I go, there you are, as synchronised and punctual as an atomic clock.

Wherever I pause, your body touches mine, even if it means you must twist your body in awkward positions. When I take a shower, you’re in the bathtub with me. When I am doing the dishes, you lie either on, or between my feet at the kitchen sink.

What is it you feel?

I wish you could tell me what makes you this connected.

But, I am realistic

You and I will have to overcome certain difficulties, one of which is my perceived view on time, while I know time is a non-existent concept to you. Both of us have body clocks, but that’s about as far as your time management goes.

You live in the ‘now,’ and what happened yesterday has gone some place none of us know. No doubt some of your memories stick, and with a bit of hope and good luck, it will make you remember you are loved beyond measure.

You also don’t live in the future, because you don’t grasp there is such a place to look forward to. That means your behaviour will mean a lot to you in the moment, and something I will learn from. Together we will create new normals, a new philosophy only we understand and practice.

Sadly, because time as such is of no use to you, I will sometimes have to leave you for a few scant hours. Just know that I will always return to you, and you will be on my mind every single second we’re apart. Because time is something humans created to control the world around us, we have become addictive to its role in life. Everything is fitted with date and timestamps. The day I stop being your human will receive the same stamp.

In the meantime, we must make it the best life we both deserve.

Several weeks in, you have grown to be a courageous leader. One with a noticeably short attention span; therefore, dog, meet your short-attention-span-sister. Together we will fi… Oh, look, a squirrel!

Er… where were we?

I will forgive you any transgressions when your eyes wander to the kitchen or the garden, or when I am sitting in your favourite spot on the large leather couch.

Remember this though: until your brain grows large enough to think without biting, I am the alpha dog in the den and in the pack.

For now. Hanging on by a thread, I dare say, but hanging, nevertheless.

You see, you communicate better with me than I do with you. You must wonder why on earth I am asking you if you need to pee or poo in English, Flemish or Dutch, but one day, it will make sense to you.

You probably don’t know there’s such a thing as different languages to begin with!

Then again, when you look into my eyes when you’re lying on my chest, and we’re literally nose to nose, you’re so not afraid as I teach you, “Oisín, no biting. Kiss!”

Your body language skills are something to behold. As a 15-week-old puppy, I catch you staring at me with canine stealth when I am busy doing other things, or when you need me to be quiet when one of your puppy naps arrives. You apply a haughty glance when you see me sitting in your favourite spot in the garden, couch, or the bedroom.

In short, yeah baby, you got attitude, and I like it!

Right now, you’re asleep and fearlessly kicking my hands while writing. I’m sitting smack bang in the middle of our favourite place. It’s a leather 3-seat couch. Mighty comfortable. That middle seat is not up for debate according to you, but this time I’m willing to fight for it.

Funnily enough, you have an odd relationship with the couch. Instead of adding jaguar-style leap techniques to your efforts to land on your throne, you jump upwards in front of the couch instead, not moving an inch closer to it. It’s funny, I must admit, so Japan, prepare to unveil a new type of Olympic events: canine high jumping. I’m sending my boy!

Today, you’re still not a forward-leaping couch jumper, but you’ve made progress by crawling in, meaning your efforts are enough for me.

You’re talking to me right now.

Oh, I need to be quiet?

Says who?

Remember, me alpha dog.

You, beta.

Sorry kiddo, you’re not my boy long enough to begin some type of reverse reinforcing me. Pavlov would turn in his grave if he knew that his positive reinforcement is now reverse psychology applied by dogs to control their humans.

When you yawn, it becomes massively clear that you are destined for greatness. You have a mouth bigger than Mick Jagger and dance like Michael Jackson. Like me, you like vanilla-flavoured coffee; you’re also not afraid of eating Alpro blueberry or cherry yoghurt; drink Alpro coconut milk or almond milk. You quite like the healthy superfood thing like kale, broccoli, and chicken dog treats. Rugby: puppy and adult dog training videos are your thing and you immediately liked Queen + Adam Lambert, including Lambert solo. The beats of Runnin’ are your favourite. These are mine as well, although his complete catalogue of vocal artistry is utterly mind-blowing.

I’ve already had so many magical days with you. Remember how we slept on the couch and you on my chest the first three weeks, right next to your crate because I was afraid you might experience separation anxiety after leaving your litter? You didn’t suffer any anxiety; the only one afraid was me after just a few hours of having you. In the meantime, your crate is standing idle at night and is only used as restaurant where you eat during the day. You also still sleep between my head and the headboard of the bed, or on the armrest on the couch, having pushed me aside. For some reason, you continue to catch your ZZZs on my chest at night, or right next to my face or in my armpit. When you crawl to your desired space, you ever so elegantly smack your chest and skull against my face.

The thing is, Mr D’Arcy, you are not 1.5 kg anymore. You have grown into the size of an adult Jack Russell already, with a skull made of stone. The time has arrived to enlighten you about facial pain, some of which you set off, but the usual cursing and nit-picking about it have disappeared to the nirvana of MS-symptoms without fail.

In short, dear Oisín-Darragh, you are holistic trigeminal neuralgia medicine.

Thing is, just seeing you sleep is a wonder. You often lie on your back with all four paws stretched upwards, or I find your nose blowing air in my ear when your head is on my pillow. When I wake up from the sound of your breath, I know you rescued me from the traps of self-isolation and doubt about the future.

You’re my leader. The one with a rare brindle coat, all legs, and even more character with an already proven ability of running to the front door faster than I can.

I am your human. The proudest, happiest human ever.

You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.

2018 Winner Best Blog Post with ‘3443 Needles’, Blog Awards Ireland, Ashville Media Group, Dublin, Ireland
◾Everyday Health: Top 10 MS Blogs to Follow in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018
◾Feedspot: Top 50 MS Blogs to follow in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
◾ MyTherapy: Multiple Sclerosis Blogs: 10 of the Best in 2019
◾ MyTherapy: Best MS Blog for Simplicity 2018
◾ Blog Awards Ireland: Finalist 2017, 2015, 2014; Winner Best Blog Post 2018 (Awards competition discontinued from 2019 onwards)

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