the life of a dog

When the first rays of the sun warm the eastern sky, I start to roam. After all, I've been shut out of the house away from my humans all night long. Apparently they want me to guard the yard or something. I just don't understand why I'm outside with Firestorm while Queenie gets to sleep inside on a nice blanket. So when those first rays of the sun begin to light the yard, I start terrorizing the puppy.

He's a long, lanky Doberman - only 11 months and already taller than I am! We are both hungry (it's been so long since supper), so to remind our humans that it is time for breakfast, we start wrestling and making a lot of noise. This usually pays off, because Queenie will come bounding out of the door pretty soon, rested up from her lovely night indoors and ready to play. In fact, things will get so wild in the yard (and maybe I help it along just a little bit) that I usually get let into the house, just so 'the dogs' will be quiet and those who are still sleeping (it's only 6 AM after all) can continue in slumber.

This is the part I love. As soon as the door is opened and my name is called (somewhat brusquely, by someone who is still in their pajamas), I go flying down the hallway, skidding to a stop right in front of my favorite door - Rachel's bedroom. Ah, yes. A couple appropriate scratches and I may or may not be let in to sleep under her bed. If not, I'll just curl up right against her door so that she can't leave without me noticing. Plus, if I've had a busy night barking at every sound and wrestling with Firestorm, well... I'm exhausted.

Rachel is so nice to me. She usually gives me a taste of her breakfast and lets me sleep by her bed while she checks her email and gets ready for the day. Then in the mid-morning comes a most important date in my schedule - morning naps in the sun with my buddies. The three of us dogs line up - sometimes in front of the gate, sometimes on the grass - and snore away in the sun. Sun-bathing is almost a lost art in these busy days of the modern dog.

We generally spend our early afternoon begging to come in the house. Depending on whether Rachel is at home or in town, she might take pity on us and allow us in. We love coming in to take our afternoon naps on the living room rug.

Suppertime is a definite highlight of the day. Queenie always gets fed separately. This I can't understand. I know Rachel keeps telling me it is because Queenie gets special medicine, but I just don't think it's fair that she gets fed first and usually gets a small helping of leftovers to go with her pills. Just because she's the oldest dog doesn't mean she should get the best! I knew Rachel first, after all. (This is a very sore subject with me, so please don't bring it up unless you plan on hashing it out fully.)

Sometimes, if Rachel is feeling brave (and has someone else's help) we get to go on walks around the neighborhood. The humans say that this really helps us obey and keeps our energy in check, but I HATE walks. I really despise them. Maybe partly because they make me wear this ridiculous backpack.

After another lovely wrestle around the yard, stirring up all sorts of dust clouds, we usually get let into the house to be with the family for the evening. If we are good and don't get into any trouble, we might even get to stay in the house until Rachel goes to bed. Usually, though, Firestorm (he's such a little boy dog) starts being naughty and then we all get kicked out.

I'm not a big fan of night time. I like to bark at a lot of things, just because I don't know what they are or how they might hurt me. It helps having the puppy around, though... he likes to bark at things too, so we make a good team. A couple times, we've even had men come up to the gate and act like they were going to come in. A few ferocious barks, and we were able to scare them off. We make a good team, that puppy and I.

The best part about night time is the digging. I always like finding new holes to dig and new plants to uproot and eat in the middle of the night. This is my reminder to Rachel that I don't really like being separated from her for so long.

And that, is the life of a dog.