Our dog to human ratio skewed on Friday and even with Kmatt here for a visit, we're outnumbered. Granted, the five squeaking pups have enough to worry about just lifting their heads to eat, but their presence has dramatically altered the household, and they are in control. While we bi-peds still have the thumbs and the car keys, departures from the mothership are now carefully considered and even more carefully orchestrated, to the point that the thought of walking out the door is nerve racking.
On the other end of the spectrum, mother is holed up in a makeshift den, heat lamp and whelping box her primary surroundings, removed from any interaction with her own mother, Laney, and from her partner in crime, Mac: it's no longer the dog's life to which she's become accustomed but instinct and duty now rule her roost and she's admirable in commitment to the cause. Her brief breaks from her duties are only for necessities, augmented with a brief run through the house which appears to be an effort to confirm that the world in which she once lived still exists.
But the ones who have it the worst are Laney and Mac. Faced with a rare restriction, they stand outside the gate that guards the helpless and protector, they can only smell the air and strain to hear the cries of the strangers who have invaded their world. Realizing that they the focus has shifted to area which currently has no place for them, they act out in rude ways, demanding the attention that is normally only a palm away.
While preparing for a shower, I encountered Mac, rolling around on the spot I fill in the bed that is normally shared by all, co-mingling our scents, and alternately sighing and crying. Scooping up this 40 pound mound that usually consists of 90% canine bravado, 5% helpless puppy, and 5% indifference, I was rewarded with a rare kiss before he collapsed into fetal position, released a contented sigh, and drifted off to where ever he goes when receiving a heartfelt belly rub.
And that's why I've been singing Sinead O'Connor's "I Want Your (Hands On Me)" all morning.
