In My Own Voice # 28: Stronger Together

Together.

That seems to be the operational word these days.

And, you know, it’s not all bad. I actually like my family.

It gives me a lift to see them first thing in the morning. 

Sometimes I greet them at the bottom of the stairs. Sometimes they come in before I’ve gotten off the sofa. 

No matter how deep in dreamland I am, I always rouse myself to give a few good thumps with my tail, so they know I’m happy to see them. They respond to positive reinforcement. After all, who amongst us doesn’t appreciate a tail wag or ear scratch?

And it goes two ways. I find that I am craving their company too. If they are on the sofa, I’ll join them there. If there’s no room, I’ll curl up on the rug under the coffee table.

If they sit on the back porch, I follow them out, keep them company for a bit, go back in to see how the others are fairing, and then return to the porch. As long as I make the circuit in and out every 10 or 15 minutes, I’m able to keep an eye on everyone and make sure all is well. Plus, there’s the benefit of  ensuring they get up several times to open the door for me. Their health and my piece of mind, win:win. 

Occasionally we have an unexpected visitor at the front door, or a loud, rumbling vehicle goes by on the road. Then I break from routine and demand instant access to the house so I can ensure the doors, and perimeter in general, are secure. 

But the best is when they sit down to eat in the evening. I slip in under the table. From there I can see everyone, pick up any food that falls, and, by strategically arranging my limbs, touch everyone. A tail is a wonderful thing!

Last weekend they gathered en masse and looked like they were planning to leave the house. All the tell tale signs were there: water bottles filled, lunches packed (smelled like tuna), knapsacks rustled up from closets and off of hooks. 

We hadn’t gone on an outing for a while, so I was concerned they were forgetting some key things, namely: rawhide bones, water bowl, leash, bags, me. 

By stationing myself in the center of the action, I was able to successfully jog their memory. There was some discussion between the man and the woman. Lots of looking at me. Who knows what they were on about, but the end result was they remembered to pack everything and we were off for a ride in the car and a hike in the woods. 

Refreshing to body and mind. 

I even helped them “leave no trace” when I dealt with some food they neglected to notice had fallen when we took a lunch break. 

Good thing we all went together!