ESL Blogs

A few years ago, I adopted two freshly weaned puppies from the same litter. The particular breed of dog is known as a Labrador Retriever. In the US, we just call them Labs. They come in a variety of colors and are one of the most friendly, intelligent, interesting, and loyal K-9 companions (in my opinion) that a dog owner could ever have the pleasure of spending time with. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labrador_Retriever . I'll allow the link to give further explanation of the breed. While at the breeder's home and choosing these two lovely animals, I decided on a male and female puppy to bring home with me. The female was named Judy and the male, Miles.

At first, they were small and cute. When they reached about five months of age, every piece of furniture in my household had teething marks in it (along with my own hands). The garden was filled holes they'd dug. It reminded me of attempting to raise rebellious teenagers. My own daughter was only ten years old at the time. I can safely say my experience was non-existent at that time. The days passed while both of them developed maturity and loyalty. 

As they became older, I began to notice distinct differences in their personalities that can only be attributed to their gender.

Judy awoke early in the morning and followed me around the house and property as I got ready for a day's work while Miles was still sleeping. She'd been trained on command to fetch my morning newspaper at the end of a long driveway. Later in the day when both of them were awake and alert, Judy barked at anyone who rang the doorbell or walked past my home. Her protective nature always made me smile. Miles just sat patiently and wagged his tail.

While hunting ducks in my own late fall and early winter, they were trained to immediately jump into the pond and retrieve this hunter's prize. Miles was always the first to navigate the very cold water. Judy usually hesitated momentarily while looking at me in disgust. If she had a way of formally communicating with me, I'm sure she'd say, "let my brother do it. This water is far too cold for a lady.". Miles was always the true hero in this scenario.

When the sun finally sets, both dogs are and where truly appreciated by me. My love, praise,and admiration has always been expressed for their effort. As I wrote this blog during my own late evening, Judy is still with me while sleeping on a comfortable spot near the foot of my bed. Miles passed away due to a rare illness about a year ago. Whether snoring loudly in my own bedroom or looking down upon me from the "doggy afterlife", both have always been equal in my eyes.

The entire situation reminded me of human gender related behavior in many ways. I hope all EC Members can see the symbolic comparison.