All the children and the dogs need a little bit of Babcia now and then. Babcia will give of herself endlessly to the children, and the dogs are a secondary thought to her but she still manages to show them some affection even though she is not a dog lover.

For as long as I can remember, Babcia has never liked dogs. In her defense I think it’s more about the fear of animals than actually not liking dogs. I myself was terrified of dogs when I was little. Babcia says I used to want to cross the street when I saw someone ahead walking their dog. After moving back to West Virginia when I was around 5 years old, we’d go to visit my aunt and uncle in Ohio across the river; they had dogs. I had to be carried from the car to the house lest a dog make contact with me and I’d cry. Some of this fear came from Babcia no doubt, and some of it was due to the fact that I was just a very shy child when I was young.

When everyone’s power was out and winter harshly struck back home, Babcia ended up surrounded by dogs. Sophie has two dogs (Pluto and Gus) which she’d bring back and forth one or two at a time. They are both smaller dogs. Babcia can tolerate them more easily, but she has to be careful not to trip over them as her mobility isn’t at it’s peak any longer. My daughter has two dogs, and when she, her husband, and the baby came to stay with Babcia while their power was out… the dogs were part of the package. Lily is an older dachsund and is well behaved; she likes to lie near her people and rule the roost. Jameson is a hound-mix puppy full of life and a sense of adventure – the opposite of what Babcia looks for in a dog. Poor Jameson took the brunt of her aversion while staying there, although it doesn’t phase him and he just continues on his merry way. Let me clarify that Babcia is not mean or abusive to animals, she just feels uncomfortable when surrounded by them.

Here’s where I’m going with this. What do all Babcias do to satisfy and appease their guests? Come on, you know this… they feed them. Adults, children, dogs, it makes no difference. Only feeding a dog has side effects; it makes them love you and follow you around even more. The result for Babcia was that the dogs followed her around the house, and when Babcia sat down on the couch, guess who was perched up right beside her… dogs. She had unwittingly made them love her. They became her little fan club which is the opposite of what she wanted. While she was tolerating them, they were adoring her with eyes full of love and hopes of another treat. It was her nightmare come true that she had unknowingly created for herself. The lady who didn’t particularly love dogs was the subject of admiration to all the dogs in her vicinity. Oh the irony. We told her that if she didn’t want them to follow her every move, to stop giving them treats and table scraps. Yet she persisted.

Which leads me to believe this bombshell… Babcia secretly likes some dogs. I believe she can appreciate the company of a small, quieter, less active dog like Lily or Gus. I think some of her fear has faded over the years. All of us have dogs, and I believe that her being around them has helped her to overcome some of that anxiety. I still think that a young and energetic dog like Jameson is a bit much for her, but given the right dog I think she can tolerate and (gasp) even care for it just a little bit somewhere deep down in her big Babcia heart. I also think that she sees the dogs as an extension of her beloved family, which is why she tries to be understanding where they are concerned. I bring my own dog when I come to visit and although she doesn’t greet Jessy with kisses and hugs, she puts up with her because she loves me.

Time moves on and things change. Power has come back on, everyone is back in their own homes, and the dogs have left the couch and their spots beside Babcia. I know she feels a sense of relief, yet I can’t help but think that she maybe misses them just a little bit. (The dogs I mean) I know she loved having company and loved spending time with her great-grandson while they were there. Babcia is a giver. She is happiest when she is caring for her family. It makes her heart full. I know she loves us all very much. Even Lily. Maybe not so much Jameson. But maybe just a teeny bit.