Dogged Determination

Have you ever heard the term "dogged determination"? I think I figured out where it came from. I have two dogs and when they decide on a course of action, there is no stopping them.

My smallest dog, Pete was determined he would get into my garden. It didn't matter that he'd been scolded repeatedly or even swatted a time or two. He just waited until it was dark and we were in bed for the night. Now I don't know what he was after that was so important, but he was truly determined. He would dig under the fence and I would fill his hole with dirt. I even put his own poop in the hole or piled rocks on the dirt. He would just dig somewhere else. One night he dug under the gate. I was fed up! He got in my garden and was digging for gophers. He trenched their tunnels and in one night he dug up all my carrots, green onions and lettuce. He caused more damage than a whole family of gophers. Now Pete doesn't like water. In fact he hates it so much he won't even step in wet grass. So to try and cure him of wanting to get into my garden, I tied him into his hole and sprayed him with a water hose. It may sound mean, but it worked. At least for a little while. Then he decided to bypass the digging and just squeeze between the wire fence and the wood fence. This time I blocked the hole with a peice of wood, piled rocks in front of it and poured bleach over the rocks hoping the chlorine would hurt his nose just enough to keep him out. The last time he got into the garden at night, he used our shepherd, Ashton to push through the gate which was latched with a piece of wire. I didn't want the dogs in the garden because I worried they would go after my chickens. I don't know what those dogs were after, maybe a cat but I heard Pete barking outside my window and knew he was in the garden. I got dressed at 2:00 am and went to chase them out. Ashton ran right out the gate, but Pete ran into the chicken coop to hide. He got into a corner and I didn't think I would ever get him out. If I tried to reach for him he would growl at me and snap his teeth. I tried to scoot him out with a shovel, but he wouldn't budge. Finally I gave up my struggle and went to wake up my husband. Maybe Pete would come out to him. Well my husband didn't want to wake up so I went back outside and Pete had finally come out. He had dogged determination that only caused me major frustration.

Another example is my dog Ashton. (Yes, he belonged to my daughter before she left for college, but I've had him longer and possession is 9/10ths of the law.) Ashton is showing a good example of dogged determination. You see he has very bad hips. We've been giving him medication for several years, but he is progressively getting worse. He no longer can lift his hind leg to pee. He can't really run, but he does trot - kinda'. If he tries to make a sharp turn his back legs just give out. But he's a happy dog and he won't give up. He just keeps going day after day. I came home a few weeks ago and my husband said he didn't think Ashton would last out the summer. I couldn't believe he was that bad, but he is. Some days are better than others, but my point is he doesn't give up. He doesn't lay down and have a pity party. He just keeps trying. I don't think there's such a thing as doggy suicide.

My husband also has dogged determination. He has suffered a severe back injury and has been deemed disabled. He doesn't give in though. If there is anything that needs to be done, he'll do it. He may pay for it later in pain, but that doesn't stop him. He'll mow the lawn, so I made it smaller. He helps around the house. I just let him do what he can and don't freak out if the house isn't super clean. He helps in the garden too, but I try to keep him from overtaxing himself. He sleeps a lot more, but I think it's how his body deals with the pain.

I recently lost my job, but I hope I show some dogged determination of my own and just press forward. I'll learn some lessons from my dogs and husband and just keep placing one foot in front of the other until I'm working again. That's dogged determination!