(the misadventures of an expatriate corporate dropout)

Monday, May 5, 2008

doggie language.


I love the individual ways my dogs express themselves. I mean, dogs have they own unique ways of "talking" to us. Expressing needs, pleasure, discomfort ...

My oldest, Louis, is very vocal. If he wants something, he will sit and bark at me. Just one bark at a time until he gets my attention. Then I run through a series of questions trying to determine what exactly is going on...."are you thirsty, do you need water?" "do you want to go outside?" etcetera.When I land on the right one he jumps around, barking insanely to indicate I've got it. When he is happy, such as getting his favorite back scratch, he kicks his back legs out and does a unique growl, unlike the various other growls he has!

My younger guy, Bruno, is just a lover. If he needs something, he will just come sit right next to me and give me the hypnotic devil stare. The one where he swears he will not break eye-contact until some sort of psychic episode occurs. The mind meld where I know what he wants. I typically run through my similar line of questioning, and when I alight upon the right one he leaps up with a thousand licks aimed at the facial area. When he is getting his special rib tickle, he stares into my eyes, closing his his eyes halfway ... until you wonder if he is in a trance or falling asleep. You can actually feel the pleasure oozing!

My past dogs all had their own innate personalities and expressions as well. Can I just say that dogs are the most magical creatures on the planet?

5 comments:

Papadesdeux said...

I'm sure you will not regret your adventure in France. Nor will Bruno and Louis, who will be ecstatic just to get out of that plane!, not to mention exploring a new garden.

(5 yrs of no regrets here after 25yrs in and around Oakland. My box at the Piedmont Avenue UPS store is just about my last remaining link!)

Not a very good blogger. My own has been dormant for almost a year. For which I have received many lashings from family and friends.

You will love having the record of this blog later when reminiscing about the start of the adventure. Enjoy! It is well worth the hassles.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree...dogs ARE the most magical creatures. I chose not to have children, I like them, but I just never had an interest to being mom - to a human that it. I have had 5 dogs in my life. My first was "hemet" a backwards boston terrier (instead of black/white - he was white/black. He was crazy and I mean crazy, but a Mr. Love. Sadly he was my first dog I had to put down, that was almost 4 years ago, he was 13 and lived a super life. Daisy was trouble from the beginning, but I loved her and miss her, but I know she's somewhere fat and happy, laying in the sun. We had to put her down last summer.

Our current pack is pretty funny. The pug is 15 1/2 and can't hear, so he always keeps a blurry (because he's loosing his vision too) eye on Dashell the golden and feels vibration when there is something exciting going on. He has started to bark, well it's more of a scream in pain, when there is excitement or now when he is eating...not sure what's going on there. Dashell is the "whirler"...he talks like crazy, always with something in his mouth, he sounds like chewbaka (sp?) from Star Wars. His grandfather was nicknamed the whirler because he talked too. He either uses his big "mitt" or his huge "schnoze" when he wants something. Stella the terrier mix will do what yours does, give me one bark an then stop....if I don't look she barks again and she has started to kick her back legs, one after the other when she wants you to throw her rope or toy. She can give the stink eye though and usually does to Dashell when she wants to play. Pretty funny watching a 10 lb terrier leap onto an 80 lb golden retriever...she has no fear.

Would love to hear all the names you have for your dogs.....I know it's just not us.

Augie - Augustis (his real name), Roo, Hootie, Captain, Grandy

Dashell - punk, wally, golden, Mr. Man

Stella - Stella V, Vixon, Venus, Stella Von Stellerton, Mitzi, little Miss

Our packs are going to love France...

Anonymous said...

When you leave, can I have your lawn?

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

Alisa- our nicknames are really more those baby talk noises you make when cooing to your puppies ... (you know ... LouLou and BruBru) that you hope no one else heard ! ha Your lot sounds grand, hope to get them all together for a big romp once we're all there!

EPB-leave it to a man to notice such a thing instead of the endearing expressions on my puppies faces. And yes, my lawn IS a thing of beauty and you SHOULD be green with envy. Between the toes, it is a wonder of it's own!

Anonymous said...

They are cute little boo boo's. Ok Ok... i shall stop with the cutesy words. I can't help it. i love dogs...