“What’ll I Write About Today?”

My dog is staring at me. I don’t know how many other people have dogs who stare at them, but mine does it frequently. The stare can be modified to express different things. Often the stare says “I want to go out now.” This is accompanied by glances toward the door when she catches my eye, followed by little trots to the doorway and back if I don’t immediately indicate I’ve gotten the message. It generally ends with Yarntangler backing her play, and Clancy and me out in the field in search of really good smells, and the occasional pile of something to roll around in.

The stare can also mean “I want some of your food.” She will ignore a nice full bowl of perfectly good dog food, and stare, occasionally whimpering a bit for effect, until I put down my plate with the leftovers on them.

Right now, she’s staring at me with neither of the characteristic signs. She’s just eaten (and although that is rarely a factor in the “I want your food” stare, she just doesn't look hungry), and we’ve been for our walk already. No, this is a different stare; and I think I’ve figured it out. Clancy is working on her blog.

She started it a few days ago, after sneaking onto the computer when Yarntangler wasn’t looking, and for a first effort by a gourmet wiener dog it wasn’t bad. I even left her an encouraging comment.

Ever since then I’ve noticed a change in Clancy. She observes things with much more intensity, and there are places she sniffs at longer than she did in the past. She’s found several areas on our walks in which she never previously took an interest, and has done some digging in odd places. She seems to stare a little longer at the neighbor’s dogs, and at the birds that gather on the electric wires, much to her frustration.

Today, though, she’s staring at me. I can almost hear the little wheels turning in that doggie head, and I’m a little uncomfortable about what she might be thinking about. After all, we all do things around the dog that we might think twice about if other people were present. (How long is a dog’s memory anyway?) She has a very strange look on her face right now, and the tail is wagging, slightly but steadily. Every now and then she looks over at the refrigerator, where my lunch is being kept until it’s time to go to work. Hmmm.

I think I’ve found another kind of stare, and I’m not sure I like it much. This one seems to say: “How’d you like to give me a WHOLE sandwich in exchange for an advance look at my next blog?”

I don’t think dogs should be allowed on the internet.
Blog at ya later,
-Geezerguy