Dogs are amazing. They are loyal and will defend you to their death. They will give you unconditional love, asking for nothing in return. Everything interests them and they don’t seem to get bored, they just go to sleep when things aren’t exciting. People could learn a lesson from them.

Right now my two dogs, Ginger and Cinnamon, the spice girls, are trying to get at something under a piece of tin in my back yard. I have no ideas what it is. I have seen ground squirrels, skinks, frogs, snakes and all other kinds of critters in the area. They go from one side of the 20 foot piece of tin to the other, then to the end of it, trying to get under it.

Sometimes all I can see is a wagging tail as they get half way under it. And they are relentless, doing this for hours at a time, day after day. They even seem to try to work together, with one getting on top of the tin bouncing around trying to scare out whatever is under there to the other one.

Cinnamon, the brown sooner, is the one that usually catches critters and brings them up on the deck to proudly share her triumph. My dad called dogs like her that are a very mixed breed “sooners,” so many different breeds they would sooner be one as the other. Cinnamon adopted me at the gun club one night right after I lost Rip to a car.

Ginger is a brindled pit bull that showed up at one of my rental houses. She had part of a choker chain still on her neck and was skin and bones. It didn’t look like she had eaten in weeks. But even in that condition she did not fit the image of a pit bull. She was and is gentle and easy going at all times.

Dog have definite personalities and my two are no exception. Ginger is gentle and quiet. Not much gets her moving fast. Cinnamon is a ball of energy, constantly running around and getting into mischief. And they react totally different to guns.

The first time I got my 12 gauge shotgun out to keep a tree rat from gnawing into my attic I was not sure how Cinnamon would react. I knew Ginger would put her head down, go to the door and lay there, hoping to get inside after a shot was fired.

Not Cinnamon. She came running and got close to me fast enough to see or hear the squirrel fall. Then she ran to it, grabbed it and shook it to make sure it was dead, and brought it proudly to me. She does that every time I shoot and loves to get the squirrel. But she does not like to give them up. Instead, she eats them herself if I don’t insist on taking it and cooking it for myself.

The two dogs are best of friends most of the time. They sleep with one’s head resting on the other and play with each other, chasing each other around the yard with tails wagging. They will wrestle and roll around on the ground growling, but it is not a mean growl and their tails never slow down. They seem to be having fun.

But when they get treats they are jealous of each other. Every morning they get a big Milkbone and they have to sit down before they get it. As soon as one gets hers she will go to one end of the deck to eat it and the other one will take hers to the other end.

Rawhide chews are treated differently. Cinnamon will take hers and gnaw it up and eat it in an hour or so. Ginger will take hers, lick on it for a few minutes then ignore it. At least she ignores it until Cinnamon gets close. Then she grabs it and guards it carefully.

A few times one of them will manage to get both chews and try to keep them from the other. For a while any way. Before long the one with both will get distracted and it is time for the other one to get them.

Cinnamon loves to chase a tennis ball and will kind of bring it back to me. I usually have to grab her to get it so I can throw it again. She will run after it time after time. At least she will if Ginger will let her. For some reason, although Ginger will not go get the ball or even play with it, she does not like Cinnamon get the ball and bring it back.

Cinnamon will run after the ball and Ginger will chase her. Often, before Cinnamon can get to the ball Ginger grabs her collar and they are rolling on the ground. And if Cinnamon gets the ball Ginger will block her, not letting her bring it back.

Dogs are great pets and are wonderful to have. The can give you great joy and comfort you when you are sad. Owners, if you can really own a dog, should treat them with the care and devotion they give you.

The only thing wrong with a dog is they just don’t live long enough. I have buried three of mine in the back yard over the years.

I dread the days I lose these two.