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He says yes and she says NO

by Mark Betts :: Featured: February, 2003

For the few years my neighbor has hinted on how would love to own another Beagle, his passed many years before I ever had the pleasure of meeting him, and he had known of which male and which female he would want bred to receive his pup. We hunt together on a regular basis and he knows all of my dogs fairly well, so I understood why he would choose these two as the sire and dam.

After many discussions with his wife, he would just keep on wishing. Well in October of last year, my family and I experienced a house fire and unfortunately we lost everything. My neighbor insisted that we stay in his place until we decided on what we were going to do. A short time later we were in our new home and I had five requests for pups out of the same sire and dam that my neighbor chose. So a short two months later, out came six pups, perfect I thought, I can give my neighbor the one I was going to keep for all he and his family did for us. Well, fighting tooth and nail, his wife finally agreed. They would come over and spend time with it from the time it was only a few weeks old. Needless to say, my neighbor was very thankful and very excited for this years hunting season.

Just about a week before the pups were ready to go to their new homes, I started to notice that my neighbors wife was coming over way more than he was, I mean like three to four times a day while he was at work. But I didn't mind, I figured she was trying to come to grips with having a dog that she wasn't quite sure she wanted, so good for her I thought. Well the day came for the pups to go to their new home. We called our neighbors and said we were on our way and when we got there, to my surprise, his wife had gotten a bed, a crate, chew toys, treats, and food. She named it Goes Miss Molly.

Relieved to see she had been so well prepared.  After about a week, we visited our neighbors again and Miss Molly spent the entire time on her lap. She was talking to her, and playing like they were kids, my eyes about popped out. So about two weeks later we visit them again and they are in a serious discussion, so much so we asked if we should leave. They said by all means no, maybe you can help he said, can't a beagle stay inside and still be a hunting dog. I said sure. And she started ranting, "you are not taking my dog into those woods were something might happen to her!" Wait a minute, did I hear that right, did she say MY dog? He just looked at me, helpless, what was I to do, should I say something, should I try and help my friend, my neighbor who has done so much for me? I took a deep
eath and the moment I was going to say something, what I still don't know, she started in on me, "don't you go sticking up for him again," she said.  So with that, all the air in my chest was whisked away.

I find this to be the opposite of what is usually meant when He says yes and she says NO when it comes to dogs. The debate will continue between them for as long as the sun shines and the moon rises. But to see my neighbor, my friend, my hunting buddy see his pride and joy all wrapped up like a baby makes me think did I really pay him back, did I do a kind thing or did I just bring him years of thought that say what could a been every time he sees her. For this I am so sorry Tony, but you have my word, you can use any of my dogs anytime you want... If your wife wants to play dress up.