Lesson #16: It's Tough Letting Go

Oscar has a girlfriend. He likes playing with other dogs but Sam is his preferred playmate. They are about the same size, both have Labrador Retriever blood in them, and they absolutely love romping about with each other whenever they are together. Oscar is a few years younger and might have a bit more energy but they enjoy wrestling so much that they can go at it for hours on end.

Sam had been staying at Oscar's house for the last few days so they had gotten used to each other's company when it was time for Sam to go back home. It was taxing for the humans to separate the canines as they both wanted to be on the same side of the front door at all times. We finally managed to get Sam to leave the house unaccompanied but she obviously didn't want to go alone: she kept looking back at the house where she knew her best friend was. Eventually she hopped up into the car but it was a prolonged departure. For his part, Oscar was perched on the window sill, watching his friend reluctantly walk away. For the rest of the evening he was entirely subdued, remaining a little distant from us, and he went to bed early in a seemingly morose mood.

All in all, it was a difficult event to witness but at least we know they will have plenty of future opportunities to rekindle their friendship. And in a few days' time both dogs will have moved on to more pressing matters because, as we learned in lesson 3, It's All About the Here and Now.

Lesson #15: Daylight Savings is Stupid

I didn't need my dog to teach me this lesson but nevertheless I am pleased he has confirmed my feelings on the subject. Every time we are reminded to 'fall back' or 'spring forward' I recall the same emotions of frustration and senselessness. Because it grows apparent with every passing year that Daylight Savings is unnatural and should be made a thing of the past.

So I was somewhat satisfied when Professor McLovin started lecturing on this theme come spring. On the morning when the clocks were set back an hour he awoke an hour 'late' and completely ignored the new time in a symbolic protest, a 'lie-in' if you will. Each day, as the sun started rising earlier and earlier, he adjusted his morning routine accordingly, always ignoring time (man's synthetic construct) in deference of Time (mother nature's clock.)

Yes, we should form patterns following the natural rising and setting of the sun, the ebb and flow of time rather than pandering to knee-jerk reactions based on outdated traditions that may not have ever been a good idea even when they conceived. (I'm might be a little too passionate on this topic: I read an entire non-fiction book devoted to the history and debate surrounding Daylight Savings.) So let's add one more voice on the side against mechanically adjusting all the clocks in the house on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.

Lesson #14: Repetition Is Not Boring

Some may say variety is the spice is life but the Professor feels differently. Once you've found something you love doing, why not just stick with it and keep doing it?

Virtually every day in Oscar's life begins with a walk to the park and a healthy dose of playing fetch. Instead of being resigned to such a predictable pattern Oscar shows so much excitement upon getting up that you know there's only one thing on his mind: let's get to the park already! Once we arrive we go through pretty much the same sequence each time: throw the ball, chase the ball, catch the ball, bring it back, sit and wait for the next throw. Maybe we sniff some bushes or eat some grass in between throws but essentially the same actions are repeated many times until it's time to go home.

Oscar gets tired when it's warmer out but when we're out snowshoeing he has more stamina so that I believe if someone were willing to throw him snowballs for an entire day he would not get tired of catching them and would be beginning for more and more. So search out for those things you love doing and do them as much as possible: boredom and repetition do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Lesson #13: The Longer the Absence, the Sweeter the Reunion

One of the best things about owning a dog is that he is always happy to see you when you walk in the door. Without exception. No matter the weather, no matter what kind of mood you're in, no matter what kind of day you've just had Oscar McLovin will be at the door eagerly anticipating the moment when your eyes first meet. He wants to greet you immediately, usually by jumping on you unless he remembers that he's been trained to jump up straight in the air instead because that's more polite. Even if you've been gone for a short amount of time (a couple of minutes is usually enough) the Professor will behave as though he had been anticipating your return with glee the entire time you were away.

I also think it's remarkable that Oscar can determine the amount of time you were separated and if it's longer than normal then he raises his antics to another level. We just returned from a 5-day vacation and when I went to pick him up from his girlfriend's house he went absolutely berserk: he pinned his ears backed and nearly jumped out of his skin. The typical reunion lasts only a few minutes but this time he wanted to be pet, played with, snuggled up to for as long as we could manage.

You might say that the Professor is simply proving the adage that "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." But even if you've heard that phrase before, it is certainly a nice feeling to be the object of the actions that the fonder heart inspires.

Lesson #12: Memory is Selective for a Reason

Dogs are supposed to have bad memories. Obviously they learn things like commands and get used to patterns but their short-term memories are supposed to be rather sketchy. I remember reading somewhere that they typically don't have attention spans longer than 30 seconds. But as this blog is quickly establishing, Professor McLovin is not your typical dog.

Oscar is really good at remembering certain things, i.e. when it is in his interest to do so. For example, one day we were out in the yard together and he was standing at the top of the stairs leading down to the basement door, gazing at me with an expectant look on his face. He normally doesn't stand in one spot for a long time so his behavior struck me as unusual. Unbeknownst to me he had dropped his tennis ball down the stairs a day before and was unable to retrieve it so was silently beseeching me to fetch him his toy. He couldn't see the ball as it had rolled under some lawn furniture--he just knew it was there because he remembered losing it from the day before.

It serves us to remember good things, things that will be beneficial to us if we remember them. I'm not sure whether the converse is true or not, but if we focus on the positive enough then there won't be enough time to worry about remembering the less pleasant things in life. Now if only Oscar could somehow 'remember' to not jump on people when they come in the door we'd really be getting somewhere...

Lesson #11: Cover Your Tracks

Oscar is one of those dogs who feels it is necessary to hide his 'business' from the world. He usually does a poor job of actually covering it up but it's not for a lack of effort. The one and only time he was actually successful in making his deposit disappear from sight involved a fortuitously placed pile of leaves. I don't know what evolutionary purpose this behavior serves but it must originate from somewhere because it is common to see dogs digging away at the earth with their back legs immediately after having visited nature's water closet.

What particularly strikes me about the Professor's innate desire to cover his tracks is that now he has started to dig after number ones as well. Which happens quite a bit because he likes to pee on anything and everything. So now every time we go to the park it feels like he is constantly either relieving himself or flinging his legs behind him, scraping at the ground with all four paws in a frantic attempt to cover his tracks completely.

But since the whole point of marking territory is to inform other canines that you've been there what exactly is the purpose of then trying to hide your impact? It seems as though I do not understand certain secrets of the world and that my studies with the Professor are far from complete.

Lesson #10: Butter and Cheese Smell Really Good

Oscar is not a beggar but he does show keen interest whenever food is being prepared. Usually he mills about the chef's feet, not getting in the way but definitely trying to be noticed in case someone wants to feed him an extra snack.

However, his behavior changes from passive to aggressive once certain foodstuffs are involved. If butter or cheese gets taken out of the fridge Oscar's ears immediately perk up and he runs over to where the action is. He doesn't necessarily expect to get an immediate reward but he does make himself available for an impromptu handout: perhaps the cheese is a bit moldy and unfit for human consumption.

What amazes me most is his ability to sense whenever we are about to eat one of these dairy products. I would say "smell" but I think the Professor possesses more of an extra-sensory skill to sense the presence of butter or cheese rather than having to rely on his nose alone. He can be outside amusing himself when I walk over to the fridge and open the cheese drawer only to find that he is suddenly by my side, looking up at me expectantly. Or sometimes he can be fast asleep all the while I've been preparing breakfast but when it comes time for spreading a certain toast topping he springs up from his resting place as if he had been lying in wait for this moment for the last half hour.

In the interest of full disclosure I must admit he also has a knack for sensing chicken or fish but since we are a a mainly vegetarian household he does seem to react most strongly to butter and cheese. Which implies to me that since butter and cheese smell so good they should be thoroughly enjoyed by those souls that are lucky enough to consume them regularly.