I Think!

Hogan Here!

I think.  Yes, I do.  Let me tell you about the night that I circled around my Mom to bring her close to the oven where the dinner's asparagus was going up in flames.  It's not that I was trying to save asparagus.  To me, asparagus looks like a type of weed with an attitude.  It's worthless.  But, my house isn't.  

Like I value my

MY THOUGHTS COST MORE THAT A PENNY

home, I value a little girl named Abby.  She is only five and I protect her.  One day, Abby got way too close to our pool.  The easy solution was to push her into a lawn chair.  And, every time she tried to stand, I just pushed her back into a "sit and stay" position. Thinking again!  Right? 

And, what about properly waking my folks up with their slippers and my face licks just before their alarm rings. I tell the time of day by the amount of light that seeps through the blinds.  Synchronizing the time of day with wake-up call is tricky but any dog can do it. The only problem are the weekends. That is when my time and light synchronization really don't work. The weekend reward for this effort is the garage.

But, best of all, I've thoughtfully trained my parents.  This training requires higher level thinking.  You see, you have to think one rung above dog obedience lessons.  It's intense but the reward is great:  Mom and Dad have finally learned to say "show me" for my every soulful look which results in my total satisfaction!

Yep, I think.  And, I am not unique.  All dogs think like me.  But, it's a subject best not advertised.  Not a single dog, including myself, would be happy with compulsory education. We all would rather take care of the house.

Best Time Ever!

Hogan Here!  


I love being loved.  Everybody loves love.  But, for lots of love, you have to work at it!  This type of love requires a plan.  It is my plan that unfolds in the evening just before bedtime. 

As soon as I see the usual signs of bedtime, I start dancing at the back door. It's here that I use all kinds of fancy footwork as my eyes cross over my nose. The art of four-legged foot dancing is never to lose sight of the door.  This isn't too hard because, in this frenzy, the door can often look like four.

Once the door opens, I break out in a fast run, quickly do what is expected and race back into the house.  Before the door closes, I slide into the kitchen and sit in front of the pantry for a dog biscuit.  This move always guarantees one biscuit and a love pat. 

The next step is walking my dog sister to the place where she always wants to sleep.  It is her cage hidden far away from the kitchen.  She always gets a biscuit and a scratch on the chin for her cooperation.  I've learned that, if I am really close by, I get a biscuit and another love pat as well. At this point of the evening, I have the total accumulation of two biscuits and two love pats.

Next, I walk at the heels of my Mom's feet while she locks up.  At the end of lock down, I beg for another treat.  This is the third biscuit always accompanied by another love pat.  Yeah! I am feeling the love!   But, I don't stop here!

The bedroom is next.  This is where I jump on the bed executing a perfect four-point landing accompanied with a slide into a defense position claiming the entire bed. It is just me and the bed!  And what do you think happens? Yes, another biscuit and a love pat as a bribe for me to make a four-point landing on the floor.


But, I eat the biscuit and stay on the bed.  This is not the time to accept a bribe.  Instead, I roll over on my back and put all fours in the air  This always brings a tummy rub. When I get tired of the tummy rub, I jump off the bed and bring slippers to the bedside.  The result?  Another biscuit and a love pat quickly appear.  

And that's it!  Lots of love! Five biscuits, five pets on the head and one tummy rub. I can curl up on my dog bed knowing that I have, successfully, created the best time ever!  

SUCCESS!