Let Sleeping dogs Lie

Let sleeping dogs lie

Sleeping dogs are just that – sleeping dogs. And, growing up I would read this expression in my English books or dictionary and I would always wonder – “What does it mean let sleeping dogs lie”.

Fond of dogs as we all are, I had not one but three, four, the number kept growing as they mated and brought little puppies that I took care of, loved, and spent most of my waking hours with. They were my responsibility, not because anyone dictated that responsibility to me, but because I had made them my responsibility. From the day a puppy was born, he became my responsibility especially the puppies who were born to one of the mothers – for as soon as she got her puppies and after a day or two of recovery, she just got up left them, and never came back to nurse them or take care of them.

From her I learned that a mother could very well just abandon her children – life could be harsh. But that was as far of harshness as I saw, that is not to say that home was a calm peaceful place, but at that time I did not involve myself nor wanted to.

Dog – sleeping or not, just a dog

And, still I wondered about the expression, especially since I could not imagine my life without my dogs especially that one who was always so close to me to the extent that when I became ill – a lot and severely – he would stop eating until I started recovering and would be seen always under my window.

And that was all that my knowledge was about dogs – good loving animals that were indispensable to a growing girl or boy.   Since I loved to play outdoors, care for the garden as well, so they were my constant companions.

Years would pass, and still the expression would nag at me, but the explanation I found in the dictionary was as far removed from me as night was from day.

Let Sleeping dogs lie

Sleeping dogs were just that, and that was all that it was. And even though I had been forced to leave my dogs behind when we relocated from the place that my Dad had been working in, still they were a favorite with me.

Lovely childhood memories were associated with dogs – my dogs – and maybe nothing else.

Then, the day came when I was no longer a young girl, and I came to understand as only a woman could; the meaning of – Let sleeping dogs lie. 

Read further at Let Sleeping Dogs Lie – the Real Meaning.