Love it or hate it, we dogs make copious noises before, during and after most of our activities. The one I’m focusing on today is getting ready for sleep. I begin each night in a beautiful leather chair in the master bedroom. I adopted it as my own, after one of our cats in his last days, kept using it as a toilet. The humans cleaned it and bought a new cushion, but just don’t seem to sit in it like they used to. Good for me!
As I settle in for the night, A-Dog is usually settling in as well. Sometimes she’ll watch some TV or do a bit of work on the computer, but eventually it’s lights out and quiet time. That’s when our troubles start. I methodically prepare my mouth for sleep at set intervals. A-Dog describes it like I’m trying to clear peanut butter out of the roof of my mouth. And it drives her bonkers! Quiet is really relative to a dog. I don’t even realize I’m being noisy, but I hear her muttered comments loud and clear. Most of these comments I cannot type here… Does she forget that these ears I have aren’t just soft, cute accessories, but can hear very well? My masticating sounds last on and off for about 15 minutes and then I’m off to dreamland. I think A-Dog gets so worked up sometimes that she can’t fall asleep for hours. What’s a dog to do?
If you’re a loyal reader here, you know that I usually try to explain my dog behavior and sometimes give advice. Not this time. I have searched many pages on this www and have only found mentions of this phenomenon in veterinarian journals referencing dogs in poor health. I must say that it made me a little paranoid and a lot hypochondriac. UNTIL I found this Facebook Group which helped me feel healthy and could say “In your face!” to A-Dog. It’s title is I like the schlurping sound my dog makes when he/she is tired The group was created by Jamie of Cowbelly Pet Photography. I can’t thank her enough for the validation. Maybe she can convince A-Dog that all us girls and dog-lovers need to stick together no matter what the racket.
Here endeth the doggie lesson! Not much of a lesson, I know, but it did make me sleepy!
Hello.
I’m A-Dog and I wanted to be the guest blogger today to express how great Scout makes me feel. Below is my love letter to her…
Dear Scout,
You and I have spent a lot of time together these past several months, now that I work from home. I have enjoyed almost all our time together and you, my dear dog, make me laugh more than any other being on the planet. I laugh at your goofy play and when you speak to me in your “roof, roof, roof” language. I laugh at your sleeping positions. I smile when you tilt your head and perk up your ears or when you just move your eyes and the little bumps over them make your face so expressive.
Dog smiles are so pure, and Scout, you smile when it’s our time to play or walk or go for a swim. I may grumble about it beforehand with all the pressures we humans heap on ourselves, but I never regret the time spent giving you what you need. And it takes so little to make you happy and satisfied. Belly rubs, ear rubs, really any kind of rub is met with appreciation and you always snuggle up when I need a little love.
You’re most special gift is always being happy to see me. Happy doesn’t cover the sheer exuberance your whole body displays at seeing me after a short time apart. This is when you talk to me the most. You pick up a toy from your basket and walk around, talking with it in your mouth, circling back to me again and again. You crave my love and I am so honored to give it to you.
From puppyhood, where your backend always seemed to be running ahead of your front end…to now, with the grey hair on your chin, I appreciate your goodness of heart and your solid furry brown-ness. I hope you’re with me and our family for a long time to come.
You’re my girl, Scout :)
Dogs know words. Doesn’t matter what language – we speak the language of our pack, our family. We learn our name and “NO!” first and then from there, it’s up to you to guide us through the rest.
If we take a puppy class with you, we learn commands. We learn them through repetition and reward. You learn how to talk to us and about “Management Skills.” In my puppy class, a “Management Skill” was the sole responsibility of my humans. You left the shoes on the floor, so I ate half of them. A Management Skill would be to pick them up and put them out of reach. See, not my fault. You left the loaf of bread on the counter, so I can place my pretty paws up there, turn my head gracefully and grab that gluten with my happy mouth. Management Skill=Place Bread in Cupboard.
How do dogs learn words? Some say it’s similar to Fast Mapping. That’s a mental process where you can learn one new thing when it’s among familiar things in a group. It’s how little kids learn words. And how often do you think of us dogs as little kids? Almost all the time, right? Anyway, you can read more about fast mapping here http://whyfiles.org/shorties/154dogtalk/ with Rico the dog showing those humans how freaking smart we are. Another factor in our learning words is that we don’t talk. We just listen (most of the time.)
I suppose repetition followed by an action is another way we learn. I knew some humans that stopped saying the word “walk” because my friend, Henry the terrier, would just go crazy! The humans started spelling the word W-A-L-K and can you guess what happened? Henry learned to spell. Made me proud :) Not sure where that phrase dumb dog came from – an insecure human?
Some of us dogs do know more words than we let on (i.e. – my blog), but are just as happy to perk up our ears when you expect it. Right now, I have to go ’cause I just heard two of my favorites, “grilled cheese.” Make sure you let me know what your favorite or most unique words are – would love to hear them!
Here endeth the doggie lesson – woof!
From Scout the Dog’s Archives
That’s what A-Dog and Shoes-on-the-Floor have been saying. Almost every time I’m near them, it’s “OMG, you smell!” Let me shed (ha ha – dog pun) some light on the topic from down here in doggydom.
First of all, the smell doesn’t bother my nose. I love when things smell bad. Why do you think I rub my neck on that dead squirrel on the ground? I put my nose right up the droppings of my friends just to check them out, pee on it and smell it again. So, all the fussing about my smell, falls on deaf doggie ears.
I have heard at the vet (THE scariest place) that a healthy dog shouldn’t smell. Here’s what you do: bathe me. Radical, I know, but it should work. And please, use something that doesn’t have a lot of chemicals. I lick myself over and over again, so whatever you use, I will be sampling it.
If I still smell, then it could be a bunch of different things. My diet may need adjusting. I suggest more meat and some more meat. Or I’ve heard about glands on the backside having problems. But every self-respecting dog should be able to maintain those for you. Otherwise, you’ve got an attention-seeker on your hands. Check my teeth, ears, coat, bark bark bark (that’s blah blah blah for dogs)… it’s gotta be something. You’re the human – you figure it out.
I’m gonna go stick my head inside a shoe. There’s plenty to choose from on the floor in this house. Here endeth the doggie lesson – woof!
Hey! That’s my head right there.
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