Over the years, I have obtained a new vocabulary in sayings that I picked up since I have dogs. Just like a parent that learns and says new phrases when they get children. It’s not typically something you may say until you have kids or dogs. Some can be the same, but some are entirely different.
“ Don’t get a cookie” you might tell your child and something you tell your dog is usually the same. “Get off the cabinet” or “Get off the table.” It's something that is said here at the farm on a regular basis.
Just yesterday, I was upstairs and heard that tell-tell nose that all dog owners can pick up. I was typing on this blog when I heard the rustling of plastic. In the short time it took me to run down the stairs, an empty plastic bag was on the floor, and every homemade dog biscuit was gone. Three dogs were within 10 feet of it and just wanting to know, I smelled their breath hoping to discover “who” was the culprit was. No luck…
“Don’t eat that.” or “don’t roll in that” is a common occurrence here at the farm too. We spend thousands of dollars on the best food that can be bought and they turn their nose up at it. But what do they eat?
How many times have we seen them eat mulch, sticks, rocks, deer-duck-rabbit or sheep poop? It’s like candy to dogs. We give them the best, and they treat us to the smelly breath of their favorite poop, what a treat for us. Once, Clancy came to the back porch with a gift for everyone. Don’t know how it happened or want to know but he came prancing up the lane with the hind leg of a deer, and everyone was excited but me. Go figure…
“Don’t stand there” is something I say a lot. As you try to sleep, they will get into bed and make themselves comfortable laying on top of me. I just wonder what they would do if while they are in their dog bed, I decided to get on top of them or scoot them off and take their place, they probably wouldn't care.
While I do enjoy the closeness of a dog sleeping with me, I also do enjoy my space. Once, for whatever reason, most of them wanted to be near me and I was being smothered. At 3 am, I got up from the bed and went to the couch where they could be close, but I would have some breathing room. I still had a dog on my lap, but I could at least breath.
This is said every day… “I don’t need you to help me poop.” Dogs are fascinating creatures, and they love smelly things. I know they want to be near us but really, can’t I go to the bathroom by myself and at times I need a little privacy. As soon as I enter the room, here they come and stand in a semi-circle, ears perked up and prancing around. Some have even stood in my underwear. It’s like they never seen this before and they will watch with such intense and bewilderment. They poop, it’s natural, but I try to give them lots of privacy, I don’t even shine the light on them if it’s at night. One of our dogs is very private, and I have only seen them go to the bathroom twice, and they were at a distance. I guess I should have run toward them and said, “what are you doing, need some help?”
You can brush them, take care of their teeth, wash them and ever put bows in their ears on some dogs. But the best thing they can do to pleasure themselves is to roll in a fresh stinky pile of critter crap. I can see them and even smell them 100 feet away, and it’s usually after a bath or brushing.
As I said, dogs are fascinating. In some of the things they do, I will never understand, but at times I have to step back and wonder, “where does that come from.” Ken