Giggling Doggies!

James and I were acting silly with each other not long ago. Cubbie was just lying down and relaxing. I noticed that when we would act silly, Cubbie would wag just the tip of his tail. That is when I realized that dogs can giggle! 

When Cubbie is happy or interested in something, he wags his tail. When he is all-out excited, he wags not just his tail, but his whole body. But sometimes, as he did the other day, he just giggles!! 

When Cubbie giggles, I can't help but giggle back!

All Creatures Great and Small... They Are All Creatures of Habit

I hear it said all the time that people are creatures of habit, and that is true. We're not the only ones though. I saw a perfect example of this yesterday. First the "players." Cubbie is our almost three year old (in December) German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix. He seems almost small to me most of the time (for a shepherd that is), but most people think he is huge. Tony is an average-sized orange semi-long-haired tabby cat who will be two years old in February.

Cubbie, Tony, and I have developed a fairly regular routine on most days. I put Cubbie on his leash and we go out to check the mail. Tony trots alongside Cubbie out to the mailbox, then as we slowly walk back to the house (stopping for a doggie potty break or just to sniff and dawdle) Tony runs in front of Cubbie, through his legs, and over to me for a scratch on the head.

Yesterday, without even thinking about it, I threw the routine off, and it was Tony who reminded me of it. It was too early for the mail, so Cubbie and I walked around to the back of the house to turn the water on. Tony didn't see where we went. As I was turning the water on I heard Tony. He was out by the mailbox, meowing and looking for Cubbie and me! I called to him, and at first he couldn't see me. I called to him again, and as soon as he saw us he ran back to join us.

Being a creature of habit, as we all are, when he couldn't find us Tony went to the place he knew we always go.

Stupid Dog? I Think Not!

A story my mom told me years ago came to mind tonight. It is a true story about a dog her dad owned.

My mom's family lived on a farm just out of Elgin, Illinois, but I believe this happened before my mom was born. One day my grandfather drove the family into town. While they were gone, a neighbor came over and decided to help himself to my grandfather's grain. He started loading the sacks of grain into his truck. The whole time he was loading the grain, my grandfather's dog sat and watched him. I'm sure the neighbor laughed to himself about what a stupid dog it was. Just as he was loading the last of the grain, the dog jumped into the driver's seat of the neighbor's truck. The dog sat there and refused to let the neighbor into his truck until my grandfather returned home!

Stupid? Not that dog! He could have chased the neighbor away, but he would have just returned another time. By preventing the thief from getting into his truck, the dog allowed my grandfather to know what his neighbor was up to.

I'll bet that dog got a special treat that day!