Digging dog

 The small neurotic dog has a lot to communicate. Because she has no tail, and doesn't even wiggle her butt like most self-respecting dogs, she has to do much of her talking with digging. I think we've lived together long enough that I can discern her digging code.

Fast frantic digging= like a frantic tail wag. She'll do this on our legs (ow ow ow) when we walk in. Or, if she's in a playful mood, she'll dig on rugs.

wait, let me switch to first person...

Slow dab of the paw, one paw=Yo, hey, move the stuff off your lap. I require a place to lie down.

Faster poke of the paw=I'm cold and you're a clueless pain the ass, human. Let me under my blanket. Now.

Leaning over on her side and digging under the counters=I'm bored and have no idea what that is under there, but I'll eat it anyway. Care to give me a snack instead?

Reaching up and patting our face=You're kinda cute. Want to scratch behind my ears? Sure ya do.

Digging at Soozee's face=We're siblings and here's the proof: I'll annoy you until you go rawr and then everyone will say "HEY, LEAVE that POOR LIL DOG ALONE" I excel in sister torture.

She's much less crazed when strangers come over, although she still dislikes teenaged girls. And if a stranger tries to pat her she growls, moves away, and then when they straighten up, rears up on her hind legs and rests her front paws on their legs. Until they lean over again to pat her and she growls. Sounds obnoxious, but, really .... okay, it is obnoxious.

Comments

  1. There is definitely a problem for dogs without tails. I remember Bailey once resisted going down a path in the woods, and I noticed the dogs coming toward us, a pair of English Sheep Dogs, one with no tail. They are perceived as unfriendly by other dogs, and will undoubtedly get a complex. Kudos to you for recognizing her alternative ways of communicating.

    Shame about the tail. Was it an accident? Poor girl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The vet can find no sign of her ever having a tail, so she might have been born that way. She hunches a bit and often looks like she's going to take a dump. She is exactly the sort of dog I would sneer at and dislike in the past.

    Her past and breeding is a big mystery although there is definitely chihuahua in there and probably terrier which means big attitude issues.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To be clear: she has me wrapped around her little digging paw.

    So not only is she the sort of dog I used to disdain, I am now the sort of owner of small yappy dog about whom I also felt scornful.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No snark. Bad puppy. No. (Review stuff.)