When I was growing up, I recall that our dogs always wanted to go out. They would make a break for the door anytime we opened it and it was often hard to persuade them to come back inside. I don’t know why our current dogs always want to come inside, but they do. We have a lovely yard, lots of shady areas, plenty of room to run, a shady porch, but even in perfect weather, they long to be inside. I like to think it is because of their desire to be with us, but I believe that lolling about on the furniture is their chief motive.
Some cry and scream:
Others are more dignified. This one knows that his noble visage works like magic on us. ”It’s hot out here,” he is saying, “But don’t trouble yourselves, I’ll endure. No really, just sit and enjoy that cold drink and I’ll wait right here until you’re ready to walk those three steps to the door to let me in. I wouldn’t want to make you go out of your way…”
I am very happy to see that my former poetry teacher, Mary Ruefle, has a poem featured on the Writer’s Almanac today. Here it is. I hope it makes you happy.
MY HAPPINESS
by Mary Ruefle
I laid my happiness in a field
My happiness lay in the field and looked up at the sky
My happiness extended the same courtesy to the clouds
My happiness in the field was visible for miles around
My happiness was visible to the hawk
My happiness was fond of the beetle beside it
A porcupine lumbered by
My happiness followed it
Perhaps because it was being followed
the porcupine “stole” my happiness
My happiness lumbered along after itself, happily
We came to a road
The porcupine went into a culvert and didn’t come out
And that was the end of my happiness
Cute Doggies! They want to be with Mama haha!
Your blog posts make me happy!
: )
What Annie wrote…your blog (and your dogs!) make me happy!
They DO want to be with you! Ours are the same; they would rather be following me around, “helping” me with chores, than snoozing in the shade outside on a balmy day. It’s crazy, but boy, I always do feel very loved (and never lonely). It’s a good life, isn’t it?!
Good thing her dog didn’t follow it!
Went to a wonderful dog show yesterday. Happiness.
Love the poem, love the doggie pix. Happiness.
Their personality traits always crack me up. My terrier would live outside if she could. She loves to sunbathe. Every day she waits for me to open the front door and out her bed in front of the glass door so she was catch some rays. Similar to Gomer, my girl doesn’t bark when she wants out. She comes into the room, sits and stares at you until I acknowledge her. Sounds strange but it’s actually cute!
Happiness is your post! Thankyou.
what kristinseattle said!
They are breaking my heart! Look at poor Gomer… Please let him inside so he no longer suffers patiently in sweat while you are bathed in the cool breeze that swirls about your air conditioned abode.
Ann, if you haven’t yet — you must see “Buck”! I thought about you and Mark all through the movie. xo
Your dogs are very SMART! Who wouldn’t want to lounge around in a nice, comfy home all day?
Most dogs run for the hills when there are young, screaming children around, but when the house is quiet, I think they would much rather be inside enjoying all the comforts of home.
Well, my Sunday just got off to a wonderful start. I LOVE seeing pictures of your “family”…..also love your humor. Thanks for this post!
I think that your dogs are amazingly bonded with you, and they want to be in the action, that cannot possibly be outside, all alone, with them trees and birds and a snake or two, not to forget the nice breezes and the sunshine…. Yes, convinced that they are become hominids, somehow. Of course, Holly is cutter than heck, just wondering what is going on inside. And Gomer is more dignified… he is just letting you know whereabouts his thoughts are at.
Sweet!
The sign in the City from previous post, I do not know. I cannot see very well. If I did not know Denis Leary (or about), I would have thought the fellow was promoting some insurance sale of some sort… and would not have looked twice. The last series (of the) starts mid July, as per the monotonous and somber advertising on FX in between whatever it is they are showing. And I will watch that.
I love the photos!!! It makes me smile.
I thought of Mark all the way through War Horse the other night!
*** DOG LOVERS PLEASE HELP!!****
we brought home a wonderful new pooch yesterday and thus far, our only challenge is getting him to pee and poop in his dog run (5′ x 15′). we bring him down there but he won’t go…. he holds it until we take him on a walk. he is very eager to please, but he doesn’t think he’s allowed to ‘go’ there. we’ve brought him down there (it’s off our deck) on the leash when we knew he’d need to go. nothing. when we’re walking he’ll go anywhere and everywhere, so he’s not particular. HELP!! ann? anyone?? thanks!!!!
Lisa, you don’t say how old your new pooch is. If he is an older dog, he may be used to a very specific environment for his hurry-ups (as we call them). I say, just give him time to acclimate to his new environment. And of course, praise (jump up and down, applaud) when he does his hurry-ups where you want him to. I think things will all work out in the end. Did I just say that?
thanks, sandra! he’s about three or four years old, we think. his foster mom said he isn’t particular at all about where he goes. he hasn’t gone there, even once, though. we had him there for 20 minutes tonight – nothing. then we took him about 10 yards away (outside the run) and he went immediately. yesterday he tinkled on a plant on the deck and we reprimanded him and took him right down to the run…. maybe he associates that? *sorry to hijack the blog*
Lisa, I wouldn’t reprimand him. Ignore “mistakes” and praise like crazy when he finally goes where you want. This has worked for me any way.
Lisa, It sounds like he wants to keep his immediate space clean. Dogs will do this. If you use his run to be outside too, that is what it is. It is part of his home.
I have two wonderful German-Shepherds,who have enormous space to play and do their business but they always go off into our woods to go, outside the “living area” of our property.
If he is doing this, he is being a good boy.
Hope this helps.
Stephanie
I won a contest for dirtiest windows for some window cleaner
you had to submit a picture of your dirtiest window
and it was my dog wanting in
not to hijack your blog (again)
but here is the link if you want to see it
I won a 100 visa card!
http://mandatorybloghere9.blogspot.com/2010/01/goober-says_06.html
That is such a funny poem you shared too
love it
Tammy, your dog is absolutely beautiful! I hope you buy him something with that Visa card…I think his gorgeous face won it for you!
They just want to be with us always. Isn’t it great!
Lisa,
Just give the dog time to get used to the new space/s & to what you want from him. At first, our rescued pit girl wouldn’t potty when we took her out on walks, she’d hold it until we got back home, then go straight to the back door to be let into the back yard where she’d finally go. Over time I made our walks longer & longer, when Luke pooped or peed I just about knocked myself over w/celebration. Within a couple weeks Elphie figured things out: potty in back yard = no response, potty on walks = party & praise. Once she started going on our walks consistently, we began praising her for going both in the yard & on walks.
The initial message did ingrain itself though, she can be in the yard for an hour now & still prefers to potty away from home, on her walks. Dogs do have an instinctive desire to keep their space clean. Luke, my service dog, is loath to potty near hotels we stay at; he waits until we’re at least a block away even when he’s desperate!