The Woes Of The Canine

Evening.  I've eaten my dinner and am now stretched out luxuriously on my doggy bed.  My full belly makes a small content noise as it digests my last meal's kibble.  You're still out in the kitchen making after-dinner noises while putting away the leftovers of your own food.  I sigh happily as my eyes lazily close.  Life is good.

I am awoken not more than five minutes later by someone's arrival through the back door.  You begin an animated conversation with them before they are all the way into the house.  "What now?", I wonder with mild enthusiasm.  Paws trotting, ears alertly up, and nose sniffing inquisitively, I head out to the kitchen to see who the visitor might be.

I reached the threshold and stopped abruptly as soon as I realized who it was.  Not her again... My nose wrinkled with disdain and before I knew what was happening, a bold angry snarl ripped from my throat.  It's intensity surprised even me and as you and your lover both turned to see where the sudden noise had issued from, I made attempts to quiet it.  I knew it was rude, but it was something I was unable to control.  Your lover looked down at me and we held eye contact for what seemed like an eternity.  Suddenly, your sharp voice cut through to my consciousness.  You were upset and rightly so.  My behaviour was unacceptable.  I was sent away to my dog bed in the other room.

I sulkily retreated over to it  and turned around once before flopping myself down upon it to brood over my thoughts.  It was so hard to understand your infatuation with this new person.  Why did that person have to be here?  I was here long before they came around.  It is my territory yet you give them free reign over it.  Some things flat out don't make sense and even if you can make sense of them, it just hurts anyway.

You and your lover's energetic talking grew louder and pulled me from my thoughts.  The two of you had left the kitchen and were making your way through the living room.  You passed by me on your way to the stairs and I impulsively leapt from my bed.  I always slept in your bed next to you.  If it was bedtime, there was no way I could allow this lover to take my treasured place without a fight from me.  A low, subtle growl was forming in my throat but I was able to keep it at that as I approached the two of you from behind.  You were still speaking amiably away but realized that I was making to come upstairs too.  My paws hit the first stair and without breaking your conversation you brought your hand sharply down beside you in a clear sign to me that I wasn't allowed upstairs tonight.  I skidded to a halt lest I allowed myself to run nose first into your palm and stood there in confusion and anger.  I knew what was expected of me yet my insides were roaring against it.

I retreated once more to my dog bed that evening and threw myself down on it to wrestle with my gloomy, aggression-laced thoughts.  My eyes had just shut and I was slipping into a fitful sleep when I heard your feet coming down the stairs.  You walked through the living room and once in the kitchen, you began rummaging around in the snack cupboard for something to take upstairs.  By the time I made it out to the kitchen, you were busily filling a glass of water and dropping in the ice cubes.  In your hurry, one of the pieces of ice slipped from your grasp and hit the floor.  A piece of it skittered over to me and stopped before my paws.  I loved ice cubes yet I paused a moment before leaning over and licking it up from the floor.  Perhaps you would find a reason to scold me about this too tonight.  Hesitantly, I took the ice and began chewing it nervously.  I knew my mouth must look funny as I took great efforts in the way I was chewing it.  You glanced down at me and chuckled lightly at my antics.  My heart leapt at the sound and I looked up hopefully.  You tossed another ice cube down to the floor for me and I joyfully took it up and chewed it in the same way, just for you.  You laughed again and we played the game with a couple more ice cubes before you turned out the light and left the kitchen.  

I followed you through the dining room and out across the living room but when we reached the first stair I stopped abruptly behind you, the memory of my banishment still fresh on my memory.  You looked back at me standing there, staring up at you.  Slowly, thoughtfully, you took a pretzel from the armful of snacks you were carrying upstairs for you and your lover to share and lowered it down to my level to use as something to encourage me up the stairs.  Maybe, just maybe things will be able to work out...