A dog enjoying the hot summer days – Happy Gourmand

The hottest days of summer are often called “dog days.”

This is because the Dog Star, Sirius, rises and sets with the Sun at this time of year. It is the brightest star in the sky and in ancient times it was thought that its heat added to that of the Sun and was the reason why it was so hot.

It looks like we might have a break during these dog days, which I’ll be happy about, but the canine star I want to talk about this week is the one who lives with us, our dog Freyja.

She shines all year round, so I thought I’d share some of the wonderful things I’ve learned from her that make my life brighter.

Here’s some background. Freyja is a chocolate Labrador retriever, the breed of dog I’ve owned my entire adult life. They’re known for being friendly and goofy, equal parts athlete and couch potato. They’re also known for being greedy. You know how they say people are like their dogs? Yes, it’s true.

Freyja is cute (I tell people she practices being cute when no one is around) and has a wonderful smile. She loves being around people and is curious about what’s going on (if nothing is happening, she likes to sleep, usually at someone’s feet). How can you not love an animal with these qualities?

She reminds me every day of the joys of living in the moment. Daily walks always have something interesting to see—she’ll see it first—and something to smell (did you smell the flowers today?). Every time she darts around our vintage trailer with complete abandon, I smile. (We call it “doing the zoom.”)

She’s also a foodie, but she focuses mostly on healthy foods. She has a knack for snacking on only the ripest raspberries in the garden, and she loves it when the grounds crew throws out her leftover kale if they’re picking behind our house. Every time my husband comes home from a day of catering, she reaches into his pockets. She knows he’s saved her a piece of carrot.

I guess I should say she’s a foodie, because really, she’s just motivated by her stomach. She may not know how long it’s been since we left (we get the same enthusiastic greeting after 10 minutes or all day), but she knows what day it is. That’s the day we go to the movies and come home with some popcorn to share. Have you ever seen a dog catch popcorn in slow motion? It’s incredible. (If you’re on Instagram, check out my feed this week—I’ll be sharing another video of her.)

Having a dog helps me remember to make the most of my life, just like Freyja does with hers. It’s hard that dogs don’t live very long—the other side of the rainbow bridge has a few star members that I miss every day. But I believe that Tigger, Roo, Satchmo, and Ella have all made me a better human being, and their souls simply contain too much pure goodness and unconditional love to outlive them.

If you don’t have a dog, I hope you have a friend who offers you that kind of special connection. Or maybe you have your own spiritual connection to the universe that helps you keep your special spark, your own canine star, alive.

If you’re a dog lover, I can certainly remind you that the magic they bring is accessible to anyone who passes by. Whenever you see me with Freyja, it would make her happy if you came to say hello and give her a cuddle. And I can always use another smile in my day too.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

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