Of Children and Dogs

Resurrection Sunday always reminds me of egg hunts when my nieces and nephews were little. And how our father and son Shepard Collies Roscoe and Puppy wanted to be involved.

The dogs loved those children and were very protective. Roscoe was all white. Puppy brown. Whenever my nieces and nephews played in our yard Roscoe and Puppy would join in. In winter they would chase them down the hill during sled rides.

So, on Resurrection Sunday (or Easter as it is known) the annual egg hunt would take place. The children were told to stay in the house and away from the windows while I and another family member hid them. Then they would be allowed outside to begin the search.

In the beginning Roscoe and Puppy were allowed to stay outside while the eggs were hidden. But the children were smart. They would use Roscoe and Puppy as hunting dogs. The children would follow the dogs as they sniffed for eggs.

So, we had to put the dogs in the house with the kids. This did not sit well with them. I could see them looking out the window as we hid the eggs. I could hear them barking as well.

After hiding the eggs, we would open the door and almost be trampled by the dogs. They wanted to be outside with the kids. But we would hold on to them until the children were outside. So, it was back to the window to bark and jump up and down.

When the children were done, we’d let the dogs out. They would run and jump on them sniffing for eggs. We would count to see who found the most. Then the children and dogs would go back inside, and we’d hide them again.

It was so much fun. I loved the interaction between the children and dogs. There was a feeling of unconditional love that you could feel.

All the children are grown up now. There are no more egg hunts.

But there are a lot of memories. Every Resurrection Sunday I look out into the yard. I see and hear the children and the dogs.  

It was a special time.