She’d put on her fanciest dress and crown for this most special day. Fashioned from the finest imported silk and hand-sewn lace, this stunning two-piece ensemble was a gift from one of her aunties for this joyful occasion and it made her feel like the queen she always knew she was. Ruby was turning 7 and was needing to feel especially pretty on this birthday as she was crossing over into the tumultuous menopausal years. Of course, her age was merely a vet’s estimate as her birth records were misplaced during her nomadic period and subsequent shelter sentence, but she could feel this birthday in her bones and joints and knew in her heart she was a woman entering the delicate change of life. 

That wasn’t the only clue. Weight had always been an issue for her with so little height to conceal even the slightest additions, but she’d noticed it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain her slender waist and girlish figure. Yes, for years, that hourglass figure was what kept all the boys down the street coming to her yard to relieve themselves. Of all the neighborhood trees and shrubs they were interested in marking, they were most intent on marking hers and it had always been a boost to her confidence as a woman. Yes, she knew her allure wasn’t just her comely figure. She did, after all, always put a little extra sashay in her step and swoosh in her tail as she passed by their houses on walks with her humans. Aside from metabolic issues, there were other signs of aging she’d noticed, but she didn’t want to dwell on that today. It was a happy day and she wanted to keep on the sunny side. 

The humans had promised a fun outing to celebrate this milestone. She’d come to live with the family 6 years ago and, while they’d treated her well enough, she always thought she brought more to the table than they did. She did appreciate the warm bed and the way her humans tucked her in at night with fluffy blankets. Sure, she was enjoying the homemade dog food her mother human had started making in the crockpot- the simmering recipe of turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, and rice was much preferred to the brown triangles of beef-ish kibble. And the trips in the truck to the country with her human dad were admittedly glorious. But, even after all of those considerations, she felt the scales were still tipped in their favor with all the services she’d provided them through the years. Security had become a real drain on her energies. Current presidential candidates didn’t have as many threats to their lives as these people. Just yesterday, she’d saved her mother human from the bug man by positioning herself between her and the lethal sprayer weapon and, just as she’d settled back down for a nap after that, the UPS man launched yet another attack on the home’s front entrance and she was again stirred to action. 

It wasn’t just the security responsibility that was taking its toll. She had to take the humans walking everyday for their exercise. For years, the humans’ vet had recommended walking them for their cholesterol and triglycerides, but it was becoming more and more of a chore to keep their numbers in the good range as they’d gotten older. Someone had to walk the humans because they certainly weren’t going to walk themselves. She thought about how vermin control also consumed much of her time. The non-stop flow of squirrels, moles, lizards, deer, cats, birds, rabbits, lions, tigers, and bears moving across the property had her barking overtime with their refusal to bring in more help. And, if not for her pre-dawn wake-up calls, there would really be no telling how long the humans would oversleep. She hesitated to even mention how she’d take it upon herself to sort the neighbor’s garbage into categories only to have her dad human come out in his pajama pants and undo all of her work. Still, she was happy with them for the most part. Despite her long work days, the crockpot delicacies and her mother’s habitual use of baby talk made the work conditions tolerable. Especially with the human children gone, she’d noticed an uptick in her mother human referencing her as the baby and that made her feel all goose-bumpy inside. 

Today, the humans were taking her out on the town for a celebration of her 7 years of life- give or take a little. She wasn’t sure where they were going, but she was certain it would be awfully nice. That’s when she decided to put on her best new dress and head outside to load up. 

After a drive in the truck with her considerable ears flowing in the breeze, a long walk through the woods, and time spent barking at the geese in the lake and squirrels in the trees, she loaded back up in the truck. That’s when she saw it in the distance from the truck window. A vision of loveliness- a beacon of beauty- the symbol of juiciness. Her dad human was driving toward the golden arches of culinary excellence and fine dining. Her mouth began to water as she thought about the all-beef patty with melty cheese and she prayed the ice cream machine was in working order. It was her lucky day. She gulped all the goodness as her crown drooped farther and farther down the side of her head from a full day of birthday fanfare and merriment. 

Tired, hot, and stuffed, it was time to head home and sleep off the ill-effects of the celebration. She stretched out on the back seat and thought how she probably did have it better than most dogs. She thought about the year she’d had and all the good times and the bad. She remembered how sad the humans were when Otis died and she saw how much they loved their animals. She guessed they probably loved her that much, too. Through the years, she’d been there for the humans and they’d been there for her. Sure, she still probably put in longer work weeks, but she knew she couldn’t be loved any more in return. And with that thought still in her mind, she drifted off to sleep and dreamed of squirrels and geese and melted cheese and the warm feeling of being loved by humans. What a lucky dog, she was. 

Happy Birthday, Ruby Miller, our loyal friend. 

JONI

Ruby asked that I share the dog food recipe I’ve been using. About 2 months ago, I started making her food to try to help her itching and it has made an incredible difference in the way she feels overall. She’s slimmed up a little and has so much more energy! She’s acting like a pup again. 

Ruby’s Delight

3 lbs of ground turkey or chicken 

1 1/2 cups of brown rice

4 cups of water- sometimes I use 1/2 unsalted bone broth and 1/2 water

3 bags of frozen veggies or fresh- I use frozen and switch it up each week. I’ve tried different combinations of sweet potatoes, green beans, chopped spinach, carrots, sweet peas, and broccoli. 

Cook on low for 6 or 7 hours. Stir it occasionally. She eats 2 cups a day and this makes 6 1/2 days worth. 

Bon Appetit!