The Mighty Paw!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I have a couple of hand holding, or should I say paw holding, Doodles.

When we brought Fudge home, she would often sit by our side and extend her paw. I had never had another dog that did this, so I started reaching out and holding her paw. She seemed to like it and take comfort in that simple gesture and I have to admit, I like it too.  Even now, she likes when you stroke her paws when she is lying beside you and sometimes, I watch TV just holding her paw. Lots of times, if you are in the middle of a good belly rub and stop, she will move that paw in the air to remind you that you are not finished. We stop sometimes, just to see her do it. In the morning, if she gets back in bed when my husband is still sleeping, she will sit beside him as close as she can get to his face, and extend her paw in his direction as if to say, “hey mister, commence with the rubbing.”  Fudge is very ladylike in her demands, never pushy, and I imagine she is like the Queen of England with her subjects.  You might not like it at 8 am in the morning, but I bet if the Queen wants one of her ladies-in-waiting to scratch her back, I doubt the lady-in-waiting says, “Do you mind if I take a rain check?” but rather, “Is this the right spot?”

Vern, on the other hand, has huge paws and knows just how to use them.  I sympathize with Vern; because rumor has it I have big paws myself.  I have worn an 11B shoe since before I got out of eighth grade and used to hate shoe shopping with my mother.  My mom insisted on taking me to the one store known in town for its geriatric footwear and unless I liked wearing black shoes that looked like I came over on the Mayflower, I was out of luck. 

As I got older, it was easier to find shoes, but then I started having problems with my feet and ended up one day at a store that specialized in shoes for problem feet.  The gentleman that owned the store waited on me and spent a lot of time measuring and examining my feet and told me he thought I would be more comfortable in a 12.

 

Next, he asked me the width I have worn all my life and when I told him a medium, he said I was now either a wide or an extra wide. Once we clarified that he was still talking about my feet, I thanked him for his help and said, “Well, at least I know if you can’t help me, I will be able to get something at the clown shoe shop.” 

When I called my husband to tell him the search was over and Bigfoot had been found, he tried to be nice and told me a 12 wide was not that big of a shoe size. I appreciated his kindness and agreed with him that my feet were not that big if A) I wasn’t a female B) My parents were Kangaroos or C) I was the male lead in a Porn film and my name was Dickie Longstocking. 

I also went on to tell him, as far as I was concerned, the only good thing that might come out of all this is if we happen to lose our oars in the water when canoeing, I could help out with my feet as long as I take a few Pilates classes before we go, but I made him swear that he wouldn’t start calling me Oarie Laurie. 

After that, the only other comment he made about my feet happened when I told him a woman at the food market came up to me at the deli counter and told me I had very petite feet for such a tall woman and he asked me if they allowed her seeing eye dog in the market.

 

So, you can see Vern takes after me in the big feet department and like Fudge, he loves to use his paws and to have you hold his paws.  The problem with Vern is that he does not realize how big he is or that a human being is not made to be stepped on by a ninety-pound dog. He also cannot gauge the space he needs to clear an area and this has caused a few minor incidents.  If my husband is not paying attention when Vern decides to jump on the bed, he is usually quick to regret his inattentiveness as Vern always seems to land on my husband’s nether regions, or as we now call it in our household, The Never Going to Work Again Region.  I have the same problem when Vern stands up to reposition himself on the bed or couch and my lap happens to be in his way.  Thankfully, my childbearing days are over or they would be by now.

If Vern sits beside you on the sofa, he always likes to put a paw on your shoulder and if he can maneuver his other paw around your other shoulder for a Doodle hug, he will try.  He leans into you like he is smelling your hair or something and I have to say it always melts my heart.  The only part I don’t like about a Vern hug is he has been known to miscalculate the distance his paw needs to go around to bypass hitting your nose and/or eye for a painless hug.  I also anticipate problems if I start going to the doctor with bumps and bruises and am asked to explain to a Social Worker who is causing me all this pain and I have to ID Vern in a lineup.

I guess I could start wearing a helmet and mouth guard while sitting around my house or lying in bed at night, but I can’t imagine that it is going to help my love life. My husband already has enough problems sweeping me off my extra large feet, he certainly shouldn’t have to wait until I remove my helmet and spit out my mouth guard to give me a kiss.

 

Meanwhile, I will continue to be “pawed” by my lovable Doodles.  It certainly works better than one of those worry stones that you are supposed to rub on to ease anxiety.  Personally, I would choose a Doodle paw to rub any day of the week.

P.S. Remember, I am tall and Vern is tall. We need big feet to hold us up or we would tip over :) I bet the Science Group would agree!!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Great blog! Love the big paws! Jack too is a pawer and loves to hold hands. 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Camilla, My sister-in-law wears a size 5 shoe. Her kids have bigger feet than she does and she has a lot of trouble finding shoes, although I have never seen her in light up shoes :) Surely, there are some somewhere in your size...LOL!!

Nancy, Thank you! What about Nedderbutter?? If he wants Fudge, he has to hold her paw :)

Bonnie, Thank you! Your Clumber Spaniel sounds like Vern with the big meaty paw...LOL!!

GBK, I laughed all through your comment. I can just see a surprised guest in that Lazy Boy :)

F, I love those stores. I also like to go to Nordstroms, but basically I am lucky enough to get all my fashionable shoes from the Podiatrist :)

Jane, Thank you! That must be so hard with Murphy and heart breaking for you. You are a great Doodle mom! Loved the comment about your DH...LOL!!

Elizabeth, Glad you liked that name..LOL!! Thank you!

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Bailey is a "pawer" too...Loves to have her feet rubbed......And the reference to "Dickie Longstocking" LOVED IT!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Loved this blog...as always, Laurie!  Guinness is a gentleman and keeps his paws to himself.  Murph is NOT a gentleman and tries to put his paws on me every chance he gets.  I actually think it's pretty endearing, but with our tough love regimen around here I just can't allow it.  So, when he gives me those big eyes, and places his paw on my lap, I'm forced to remove it and not even acknowledge this loving gesture.  Obviously, it breaks my heart every time....but I need to do this for him.  My DH used to put his paws on me too, but after seeing my reaction to Murph he seems to be a bit reluctant these days.

[F, Calla & Luca]

BTW, Shoebuy and Zappo's are the best thing that has ever happened to me in terms of shoe buying. Are there still shoe stores ?

[GBK]

Loved this!  Buddy is my big hugger and Loves to hold hands....  He still has his dew claws and he really holds your hand like a person would with thumbs!  Kona gives paw, and that is her signal she is jumping into your lap for a snuggle.  She is NOT asking permission, she is TELLING you "I am on my way".  I have to warn people that sit in the lazy boy :)  I had similiar problems with shoes as a child, but it was the width, not the length.  I remember that special shoe shop well.....

[Bonnie and Kona]

Great blog, Laurie. We had a Clumber Spaniel who wanted to hold hands but did not use the Queen of England approach. He would take his big meaty paw and swat me with it or plop it on my knee and dig his claws in until  I held it. This dog was a perfect clown. We loved him to bits.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Great post.  Clancy likes his paw held also.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Loved this post so much, hilarious as always. Darwin likes me to hold his paw and I always think it's so cute. Also, I definitely think having an irregular shoe size would be a pain. My friend has kid sized feet and has a hard time finding running shoes that aren't glittery, or light up. (I personally wish I had an excuse to wear light up shoes.) :-)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Sherri, I agree...Vern and Sophie can't help their aim is bad and Fudge and Winston know what they want :) Thanks!!