I wish my dog could talk
July 19th 2009 00:23
Scratchy Greyhound wasn't the brightest pup in doggy school, the one most likely to be a brilliant and inspirational leader of dogs. He was, rather, voted Dog Most Likely to Chase His Tail. The only honour he got was a Most Determined award in first-year Dog Food Container Pilfering class.
What he lacks in IQ points, however, he more than makes up for in gentleness, huggability and sweetness of nature. For the most part he's a predictably easy-going greyhound. He's a follower rather than a leader, a dog of few opinions and few words.
He does get talkative, but only when he first wakes in the morning. Conversation hour for Scratchy is 5.50am. Employing what can best be described as an inquisitive whine, he likes to stand outside my bedroom door and talk about the first hint of dawn and the stirrings of winged creatures, and the joyful prospects these things bring such as a walk to the park followed by breakfast.
The first thing that needs to happen of course, says Scratchy, raising his voice a little, is that this door needs to open. It's a message he's happy to repeat at five-minute intervals, in between being yelled at to go away.
For most of the rest of the time, however, Scratchy has little to say and gives the impression that all is well in his world. There is just one exception.
Several times a day, when I am busily working in the study, Scratchy gets off the sofa where he has been snoozing, walks the length of the hallway, stops at the door to the study, and looks in. He looks straight at me, and he holds the look for several seconds. He doesn't come in for a pat, he shows no sign of recognition or emotion and, having looked, he always returns to the sofa or another sleeping spot.
The look Scratchy gives me from the doorway is disarming. It's direct and piercing. It's inexorable, as if something is troubling him and he is looking for reassurance. At least, I prefer that explanation to the alternative, which is that it is an accusing look and I am myself the cause of the concern.
It is a look at odds with everything else he does, and with everything else he is, and I would dearly like to know what's behind it. I wish Scratchy could talk.
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Comment by Carolyn Cordon
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Comment by Norm
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Comment by Chris Champion
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Speaking of early risers, "Norm" is almost an anagram of "worm". Isn't that amazing!
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Comment by Chris Champion
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He's lovable all right. And I'm happy to let you have him for an hour a day. 5.45am to 6.45am would suit me. He doesn't eat a lot for breakfast. Just drop leave him in the back yard after the run in the park
Comment by Queenie
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Comment by Chris Champion
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You make an excellent point. The again, maybe companion animals are better off not understanding what we say, given the rubbish some of us utter at times
Comment by Roux
Roux 'b Doux, dog speaker
Comment by Heidi/Clyde
Ut's abaht time SOMEONE set ther record straight,ut's a bit rough all them Hoomans carryin' on abaht us not unerstandin' them in'it?
Geeze why wouldn't Scratchy look troubled? Dun you look troubled when your Mom seems ter like ther compooter more then you? Heidi an me ud let ther Missus know whut we thinks abaht thut.
There's ther Big Boss sittin' an tappin away ut ther flamin thing an actin like he dun give a rat's arse abaht Scratchy an food an walks an stuff an he wonders why Scratchy looks troubled? An everyone ses ut's Scratchy thats a brick short uv er load! Geeze, ther Big Boss doesn't even have ther sense ter come in out uv ther rain. I reckons he needs er holiday, er loooong holiday. D'yer think he's goin' lamb brained with all thut compooter stuff?
Me mate Heidi ses I dun write proper lingo but ut least I unnerstans plain lookin! Thut's more then yer could say fer ther big boss!
Clyde.
Comment by Roux
While there are times I have trouble understanding your lingo, I usually manage to fathom your meaning, as my mom manages to understand mine, when necessary. Why Big Boss can't figure out that Scratchy is simply trying to figure out why anyone would be willing to coop himself up in one room tapping at those silly things with pictures, I don't know. Nor do I understand the big ones, humans, do all that tapping either. Seems a waste of play or sleep or eat time to me.
Roux
Comment by Chris Champion
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Clyde, I hear ya. You make good points. And to you and Roux both I say, I tap at the keyboard all day to earn something called money with which I buy dog food. Can you understand THAT?
Comment by Roux
Thanks for explaining.
Roux
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I was worried Kharis, our oldest Pharaoh Hound was sick, because he hadn't eaten all of his dinner for three nights in a row. Then, yesterday, I saw a spot of blood on the kitchen floor. A quick personal check up on the two Pharaoh Hound girls, and there was the answer!
Ananaka and her daughter Missy have both come in season, and having girl dogs in interesting conditions in the house always distracts Kharis from his food.
So it's lock up time for the two PH girls, and time to keep an eye on Kharis so he doesn't forget his house training and decide to mark his territory inside.
Kharis is ten and a half now, but he's still got an eye, and a nose, for the ladies!
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