Ok, I admit it, I am the worst when it comes to following the so-called rules of dog training. First, I haven't been to a dog training course since I had Alex the Airedale, which would be about, gulp, 30 years ago. Second, as a consequence of avoiding dog training classes, my dogs are home schooled. Which means, to paraphrase the Rolling Stones, the dogs have me "under their paws."
The first no-no is allowing the dogs to sleep on my bed. When Murphy was a pup I crated her during the night, until one night she stared at the bed and whimpered. It was all Murphy all bed all the time after that. I would head to bed, she would come upstairs, paw at my bed, and end up doing that lab circle dance until she found just the right spot. Usually where I wanted to be. You can guess who won.
About a year ago, she stopped pawing at the bed. She preferred the huge LL Bean bed that she got for Christmas, customized with several fleece blankets, and a lot of sand. Of course, this does not mean I was without lab in bed, because Sage settled in quite nicely.
This winter, however, Murphy has come upstairs and stared at my bed. So I have lifted her up. Sometimes she stays all night, but frequently around midnight, she slides off and heads to her Bean bed.
Last night she stared at my bed. I lifted her up. Sage ran onto the bed to claim her spot before Murphy could settle. Sage is territorial. She has her real estate and she protects it, whether it is the van, her stick collection, or her special spot on the bed. If Murphy gets near, Sage will let out a little growl, look at me, then go back to her stare down with Murphy.
In the middle of the night, Murphy moved. Apparently she moved close to Sage's Designated Sleeping Zone. I didn't hear a growl, but I felt Sage move, in fact, she tried to climb on my pillow. I woke up, adjusted Murphy and told Sage to get on her spot. Instead Sage opted for a new place, giving Murphy a section of her turf. It was, from my perspective, a sign of respect.
I have noticed, particularly recently, how Sage has been with Murphy. There is a ten year age difference. In lab years, Sage is still very much a puppy. As my friend Scott says "you never know what is going on in Sage's head." Describes a young lab perfectly. Sage always tried to get Murphy to play. Now, however, she seems to give Murphy grace. Sage holds back when Murphy is getting fed, she gives up the choice spot in the van, on the bed, in the garden. And she seems to be following Murphy, more, as if trying to absorb just what it is that labs do.
Of course, our world is all about the moment. Youth, make fast money, what is in fashion, take what you can get and run, who is up in the polls who is down, what is hot. Revering the old is no longer part of our current culture. Its about modern, hip, cool. It's about getting what you think is yours and protecting your turf. I think about how different that is from the rest of the world.
When I run at Tiger Mountain, I see several Asian families out for their Sunday morning walks. Multi-generations, young children to the older grandmothers, all hiking, talking, sharing the mornings. Life does not begin at 20 and end at 40, but rather wisdom and respect transcend age and time.
And that is what Sage and Murphy are doing as they attempt to push me out of bed. Showing respect. Time and age are meaningful to them.
Murphy's day.
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