I'll Be Back

One of the things I've always wished my dog could understand from me is: I'll be back, I promise.

Dogs are pack animals. To domesticated dogs, we (humans) are their pack. They want to be near us, around us, and acknowledged by us. But because of our inability to communicate or capture what it is that we want them to know (with relevant context and detail), they are left to decipher and interpret situations on their own without definitive answers.

When I leave my apartment, I know he wishes he could come with me. Over time, I believe that he has learned the various tip-offs and clues for opportunities in which he is allowed to accompany me (such as me gathering his blanket in which he sits on inside my car). If those things don't happen, he prepares for alone time and heads into my bedroom quietly. He doesn't know why I leave or how long I'm going to be gone for. I'll always feel bad about imposing that uncertainty onto him.

One of the best and most cherish-able moments in any dog owner's life is the moment that you open the door and see the look in your dog's eyes. They are filled with happiness, excitement, and words that they cannot form but exude with every leap and bound. You are the most important person to them at that moment in time and nothing else matters. Nothing is on their mind except unconditional love and "Welcome home, I've missed you."

I love coming home to my dog and I hope to never break my promise to him.

Wearing Black

Dogs shed. It's a fact that's as well known as the sky is blue and the grass is green. I knew this from day one and chose a particular breed in which the end-results would be minimized and much more tolerable. I present to you: the short-haired Doxen.

Yes, Apollo sheds. He's not genetically engineered or lab-bred specifically to not exhibit one of the most basic characteristics of canines. His coat is short, smooth, and very frequently exhibits a very beautiful "shine" in the right light. Charcoal black all over, with a light brown/tan dusting around his jaw, base of his tail, and his paws are four matching brown socks. Not to sound like a typical Dad, but he's very handsome (as countless people have praised over the years).

You rarely notice his loose fur, especially in carpeted settings. Very low maintenance in general and makes cleanup a breeze (almost literally, a gust of wind and it's all gone). But be warned - his tiny eyelash-like hairs become annoyingly obvious and difficult to remove from your white clothes. So save yourself the trouble and wear darker colors when meeting my dog.

Open Door Policy

I've lived most of my life without roommates and have enjoyed my freedom to do pretty much "whatever, whenever" in my own little kingdom. My only subject in this kingdom: Apollo.

Being king means abiding by my own rules and schedules. Every one of us knows about this sense of freedom and liberty in varying degrees. Whether it is in your own house, apartment, or even in your own room - no one else is around to judge what you say, how you look, what you do, or when you do it. Thus it shouldn't blow your mind when I share the fact that I leave the doors - both bed and bath rooms - open all the time. The private activities that take place in both locations are seen by no one...except of course, my dog.

Even to this day it still amuses me somewhat when Apollo embraces these "open door policies" so wholeheartedly. If I'm changing in my bedroom, he is usually there to observe and decide if I'm about to desert him at home for hours. If I'm getting ready to take a shower, he's nowhere close (fearing that he may be next in line). But when I'm on the toilet doing my business and he comes strolling in with a look on his face that says, "Hey, what's up? Everything going good? Mind if I hang out?" and proceed to sit on the toilet rug in-between my legs...

That... makes me chuckle a bit each and every time.

What We See

Apollo has big brown eyes. They are the same color and match the brown/tan that is on his cheeks, paws, and feet.

When I look into his eyes, I see him looking back at me. Inquisitive, curious eyes that are trying to figure out the world. Up close, face to face, I can see comfort in those eyes (because I am physically close to provide a sense of safety and familiarity). When he looks at me from a distance, he is studying our surroundings and taking in evidence to figure out what my motive might be so that he can react accordingly. Dinner, bathroom, toy, play... these are all possible options that he gathers through observation with those eyes.

His eyes tell me that he appreciates and loves me unconditionally. And I always look right back at him, hoping that he sees the same thing from me.

Everyone Wipes

Furniture is for sitting on... by humans. Not all pet owners allow their pets onto their couches, chairs, or beds. I've always figured that if we (humans) have gone so far as to domesticate dogs and bring them into our homes - why not extend their comfort to include partaking in comfortable sitting/sleeping arrangements so long as they don't interrupt or intrude excessively.

One of the biggest differences between dogs and cats is the extra care to hygiene that felines have. They tend to groom methodically and frequently. Dogs on the other hand don't quite have those innate desires to go to the bathroom in a litter box or clean themselves every day. As humans, we know about proper hygiene and have the means and ability (i.e. soap, hands/fingers) to clean up after ourselves.

Having said all of the above, let's look at the following progression:

A. Prior to sitting down on furniture, we make sure we are clean.

B. To stay clean, we have to wash and sanitize ourselves.

C. To effectively sanitize ourselves, we use toilet paper and hand soap after going to the bathroom.

Easy right? But does it apply to both people and dogs equally?

Humans: we use toilet paper and soap on ourselves after going to the bathroom and then sit on furniture.

Dogs: they don't use any toilet paper or soap after going to the bathroom and then sit on furniture.

Since I allow my dog onto furniture, there is only one conclusion and remaining action to be taken: I wipe my dog's ass with toilet paper after he goes to the bathroom (number two)... every time, every day. No it is not weird - it is logical.

The 1-2 Stretch

When dogs do things that us humans do - it always makes me chuckle and is almost always amusing. Our bodies and anatomy are very different, but there are way more parallels than there are differences.

Stretching feels great in the context of both loosening up as well as a natural body reaction after being in an idle position (e.g. sleeping or sitting for prolonged periods). Apollo is a dog. Dogs sleep a lot. Sleeping is typically followed by stretching. Ergo - Apollo stretches a lot.

His 2-step (front and rear half) stretch is very funny and cute to watch. It starts with him embodying the true definition of the "downward dog" yoga position. His hips go up and back as he relaxes his chest towards the ground to get a nice stretch of his front legs. Apollo carries out phase 2 by trying to elongate his body - which is already quite lengthy - as much as possible. His chest is thrust forward and his hind legs are like two heavy pieces of wood as they drag on the ground behind him for a brief moment to get the rest of his spine. The cherry-on-top finisher is usually his patented full body shake (just picture a wet dog trying to dry himself) of which you can hear him perform from one or two rooms away. The reason it is audible is because of his Dumbo-sized ears that flap/flop with vigor. 

When I hear that sound - I know he's awake.

Showoff with a Bone

My dog enjoys visitors to our home. And why wouldn't he? They shower him with affection and attention - the latter of which he simply cannot get enough of. 

For both entertainment and health benefits, I've always provided Apollo with Nylabone chew toys. These tough plastic-feeling bone-shaped sticks have been a part of his life ever since he was young. He picks them up for a good gnawing session from time to time when bored (reminds me of the way I plop down on the couch with a book). These bones help clean his teeth and builds strong jaw strength. They are also really the only "toys" that Apollo gets, but that's mostly because he's well beyond his playful years. These days his "sleep to play" ratio has easily shifted well towards the sleep side of the spectrum.

When we have visitors, Apollo is of course bursting with excitement and energy. He doesn't quite know what to do after he's gone through the obligatory process of sniffing, getting pats/hugs/kisses, and excited hopping. So he picks up his go-to toy - the Nylabone - and attempts to do his best impression of a beaver as he grinds and chews with great ferocity. I honestly believe he's attempting to put on a show for us. If he could talk, I'd imagine he would exclaim, "Everyone look what I can do!"