A Dog’s Life Graduation

You know that concept where you need to ‘walk in somebody’s shoes to better understand their situation’ – is that really necessary? On rare occasions (if I can get away with it), whenever I slip on someone else’s shoes at a fine Japanese restaurant, I usually just get blisters. Though I never gain useful insight into the diner’s real problems, I have learned that somebody else's high heels are a not fun to run in.

I was driving home and I noticed a fire hydrant painted in a very attractive shade of yellow with a tad darker reflective yellow caps . Gee no wonder dogs love these things, as that unique hydrant made even me want to pull over and inspect it thoroughly. It looks nothing like your typical street light stanchion, tree, or telephone pole, so naturally all the coolest dogs in town want to hang out at this hip hydrant.

Yep, that fire plug looks like some kind of knobbed alien land mine with its domed shaped exterior and bolt-ridden skin. How many things in nature are domed except for turtles and THAT big hunk of granite in Yosemite, and even it is only half-domed? From a dog’s perspective, nearly everything which helps make your ‘mark’ in society, is either an endlessly tall cylinder, or some un-washed rectangle like a sign, building, or a hobo asleep in a cardboard box.

So don’t make our four-legged friends chase their tails any longer. Just spend a few minutes like I did and snoop around to get to know the way doggy’s think, act, and REALLY smell. That way the next time you ‘walk IN their paws’ you’ll know that ‘yelp’ will be one of joy instead of blinding pain. You’ll learn better to trust and appreciate your dog’s nasal prowess, and know when to seat ‘Grammy’ on the plastic covered couch. Yep, when your pup gives you the high-sign that it’s the right-time for a new set of Depends, you’ll know that the ‘dog-bond’ is nearly complete. Once you have successfully mastered your inner-doggy, graduation day always takes place with a ceremonial off-leash walk to your dog’s favorite hydrant watering hole - the famous domed classic, “Old Yeller”.