For Dunkan

Puppy Lessons

You cried all night -

(the first time you were alone in your life!)

Can’t let me get sleep if you can’t,

Banged against the thick metal of your cage

Walls with your wet nose and whimpered.

It took everything I had not to hold you,

Puppies need training, they say.

I’ve showed you to potty on pads -

But you like to miss by an inch,

or to walk a bit as you’re “going,”

so the discharge ends up in three different spots,

on the pad, on the carpet and behind the desk

that one always poop, thick or slimy,

hidden to dry out and stink the house up

like rotten eggs blended with wet men’s gym clothes.

Even when you do get it right (Good Dog!),

You can’t help but step in it sometimes anyway,

Your too-big paws are too slippery and always get in your way.

Yellow stains all-over your white paws

 and a dunk in lukewarm water and shampoo

 to get you clean - if I can stop the squirming.

Puppies need training.

When I saved you

from sure lone death and darkness

(opened your cage)

that first morning,

you wagged your butt as fast as it could go

and your tail, (Faster than a child

unwrapping a gift on Christmas) followed.

You hopped (more spazzed) and

made me laugh as I tried to cuddle

you to me, and not drown

in your puppy kisses, claws or ear nibbles.

I love you too.

They say, Puppies need training.

But, I think you teach me more than I can ever teach you.

I lock you, all alone, in cold hard cages,

take you from your mother, your brothers,

and let new and over-eager people surround you,

wanting to feel your soft back and belly.

I take you in cars, and you tremble,

(the first day we rode in the car you crawled

Up through my coat sleeve and hid against my back).

I tell you where you can and can’t play,

Pick you up and put you down,

Scrub you cold with gooey wet shampoo

And house you around annoyed cats.                   

Because Puppies need training!

Yet, no matter what irksome, scary or odd

Moment I put you through,

Every time you see me that tail wags,

Those kisses come and your little paws

Reach and reach ‘til they find my face.

You don’t remember the bad - you remember

The good. I cuddle you every night,

Feed you, kiss you, stroke you so gentle.

I give you chew toys and always try to play.

Puppies know what humans do not,

That love is unconditional,

Once it’s said it sticks

(even better than fur whitening shampoo).

Humans need training.

I’ve learned from you

 that when I say, I love you, little one,

it means: always and forever,

no paws crossed, no poopy situations -

though thick and thin (and goopy?) -

can make me forget,

how much I love your puppy kisses.