The dog does
Chico, California – Photo by Jordan Koons via Unsplash
“No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as much as the dog does.” – Christopher Morley
I really miss having a dog, and I hope to adopt one as soon as we are adjusted enough to have the time and energy for one. For a chatterbox such as I tend to be, it would be nice to have a friend to talk to– one to whom I could say absolutely anything knowing that it would not be misconstrued or repeated.
Since Pasha died in 2013, and especially in the past year, I pass most of my hours in silence now. That’s probably good for me, but I loved all those years of having Pasha to talk to when Jeff and the boys were off at work and school. Like most dogs, he was an attentive listener and seemed to “talk” with his eyes, appearing interested (“Really? tell me more”) or bored (sigh/yawn “There you go again”) or occasionally concerned (“What’s up with you now? You’re acting pretty strange today.”) One thing he never, ever did was walk away while I was talking. He didn’t interrupt or give advice, either.
Those of us who have spent time talking to dogs know how they do that cute thing where they turn their heads to one side and then the other as if to say “You don’t say!” or “What? What do you mean by that?” Our companion animals can be so expressive, it’s no wonder some writers end up acting as scribes for their furry friends, translating their wisdom to the extent that our human words will allow. If you have a dog, cat, bird, or other animal(s) at home with you right now, tell them I said hello, and thank them for helping humanity to defeat despair.
This post was first published seven years ago. The original post, comments and photo are linked, along with two other related posts, below. These links to related posts, and their thumbnail photos, do not appear in the blog feed; they are only visible when viewing the individual posts by clicking on each one. I have no idea why, nor do I know how they choose the related posts. That’s just the way WordPress does things.
- Posted in: Uncategorized
- Tagged: animals, canines, companions, company, conversation, dogs, friends, listening, pets, sharing, talking
Defeat Despair 
Good morning, Julia!
Seven years ago, I didn’t have Spartacus, so this was his first “Hello” from you.
He reacted like a typical teenager:
“OK … aaaaaand it’s time for breakfast!”
Siamese. Teenagers. At least teenagers don’t require as much supervision in the kitchen.
Reading this, I couldn’t help but remember the scene with the Siamese Cat song from Lady and the Tramp. I wonder whether that song has been cancelled as a culturally offensive stereotype. I hope not. Those cats were hilarious.
Sometimes Spartacus reminds me of those Siamese on Lady and the Tramp – and makes me glad I have only one! He’s not really malicious, though, just assertive and very active.
I can’t imagine canceling “We are Siamese, if you please….”
Isn’t there also a song about a Persian cat?
Thinking of it, they’re are a lot of cat and dog breeds with names of places or people.
Your comment made me curious, so I had a very quick look. Yep, CANCELLED. Here you go:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2019/11/13/disney-lady-and-tramp-racist-siamese-cat-song-what-shame/4185695002/
I will refrain from further comment. Those who know me well can guess what I might say about all this.
I am stunned. I should probably reconsider my first-reaction comments in favor of a more thoughtful reply, but at the moment, nothing helpful is coming to me.
Susan, I think your first reaction was spot on. In my opinion, when people spend too much time stressing out over SAYING just the right thing (the “right” thing being an ever-changing target decided by unseen purveyors of thought control) they miss the big picture that is all about DOING the right thing. I say this as the mother of a son with disabilities who has seen him ignored or even mistreated by “enlightened” types who would never DREAM of SAYING the wrong thing — their words seemingly parsed to convey an impression that hides their true bigotry. Actions will always speak louder than words, and I wish people would worry less about words, and more about actually making friends with all sorts of people, being part of each other’s lives, and not just hanging out with their preferred group, be it family, ethnicity, social class or whatever.
It’s nice to hear other people talk to their dogs non stop ❤️ 😅. Did you end up getting a dog or other pet?
No, not yet. I travel a lot, and stay busy with many caregiving details for my son. Plus I’ve looked for a Schipperke before, and have not found one. I’d have to travel out of state to adopt one. I would prefer to get a rescue dog if I adopted again, but for now, I simply enjoy other people’s dogs. My many indoor and outdoor plants are the closest things to a pet that I now have, although I sometimes joke that my little statuette of the Wall Street Bull that sits on my desk is my pet now (on good days for the market, I sometimes say to it “WHO’S A GOOD BOY!!”).
The statue bit 😂