School Play vs. Broadway

Waggy Tail Schools Proudly Presents:
 I'VE GOT YOUR TAIL!

Starring:  Chance and Blaze

The Front Dog's playtime is like two little kids who just conjured up an act minutes before their parents came home and ad lib the entire show.  Their fun, playful energy radiates through every leap and bound.  They will perform without an audience, but are ever so grateful when there is one and  welcome the chance of an active participate.  Blaze will watch out of the corner eye to catch if I'm watching, "Look mom, did you see that?"  With a smile on her face as she twist and tumbles with acrobatic style and joy that brings a smile to my face.  There are no rules or boundaries to their homemade production, just pure abandon fun.  Just a couple of kids with the pure simple beauty of enjoying every minute improvising their entire way through while getting a complete kick out of entertaining me.

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 Broadway Theater Proudly Presents:
WILL THE REAL STAR PLEASE FACE FORWARD

Leading Cast Members:  (l to r) Brut, Fiona, Zappa and Silver

Then as we shuffle to the Back Dog's playtime, we see that the Broadway rehearsal is underway again.  I am the stage hand to four actors and actresses who also serve as the directors.  While I fuss with the necessary nuances of their demands, practice is already getting out of control.

Brut:  Where is my lighting??  It needs to be focused on me!!
Me:  Yes, yes...
Fiona:  And then I'll zip over here and turn around this corner...hey, are you paying attention to me?  (exit stage left) Make up, where's my makeup??

(Brut mounts Silver)

Silver:  Really Brut?  How many times do we have to "go over" that part??  I have a headache!
Me:  Zappa! Zappa!  You missed your cue...
Zappa:  (SNAP) Did you see that?  I caught three bugs right in a row!  THREE!! It's a new record!!  I gotta go for four!!
Brut:  Don't pay no attention to that off beat kid of mine...Hey, stage hand focus!  You do want all of the light shining on me, right??  (rubbing against my leg) I am the star of the show, you know!!

Fiona zooms through batting her freshly painted lashes and eyes.

Fiona:  Dream on, DAD, it is my angelic beauty that will steal the show...(play bows to Brut)
Brut:  Not if I can help it!
(Fiona zips and zags just out of Brut's reach)
Brut:  No way princess!!  (runs and jumps on me)  I am still your STAR, aren't I??
Me: Yes, yes of course Brut...
Fiona:  Wait a minute, I thought I was the STAR??
Me:  You both are.

(Brut and Fiona look at each other and in a huff turn and walk in opposite directions.)

Silver:  I remember when this used to be all MY show!  (gives me sad, pouting eyes and slowly ambles away)
Zappa: FOUR!!  I got four!  (looks around) Are we done??
Me:  (SIGH)

Then in that strange theatrical way when the Sun, Earth and stars line up, the lights dim, the curtain rises, and the Back Dogs put on the best show of their lives.  All four of them in sync, in motion, with an awe inspiring grace that sets the stage on fire.  The heavens bow,  while the trees wave a majestic standing ovation as this magical production comes alive and this humble stagehand witnesses the beautiful gifts that we have all come to know as the Back Dogs.

Don't blink.  Rehearsal starts again tomorrow!

The Brut Puzzle

Brut actually goes into a panic when food falls on the floor or under the furniture.  Like he has found the last morsel and he's been starving for days.  If you try to help him get the food, he almost screams like he's in physical pain and makes attempts for your hand.  I do my best not to spill kibble or treats, and pick up every morsel I can find before Brut is in the room.

 Brut and I were playing with what I call the puzzle cube today, just him and I, and while he pawed and rolled this little cube spilling treats all over the floor, I was following behind him making sure none were missed.  A light bulb went off, why not work on his food issues with this game?  So I got on the ground, close to him and began picking up the remnants of chewed plastic while keeping a lookout for any wayward treats while still playing with him.  I began inching closer to him on all fours, until I was eventually in his space.  I'd even brushed up against him to get the cube when it was stuck against the wall.  He was doing great and having fun.

Then I began playing with the cube, by crawling back and forth after it and hitting it around.  As the tempo increased, so did Brut's excitement.  His eyes, widened, his heart was pacing and all his fur began stand.  There was no doubt his adrenaline was rising.  As we took turns with the food toy, I was conscious of his body language, he was excited, but he also had a look that said, he didn't know what to think.  This was fun, but these were his treats and he didn't know what to make of me messing with them.  He was caught between wanting to play and wanting to guard.  I began to slow my actions, while I wasn't scared, in his semi-heightened state any quick movements would be interrupted as hostile.  My goal was not to aggravate him, but to keep this level of play safe for both of us.   I let him guide me.

When the cube rolled just out of easy reach, he came up to me and nibbled on one side of my lips, licked my face like crazy and then repeated this several times.  I couldn't have been more thrilled!!  I have seen Fiona do this very same action with Silver, a boundary line that says, "Stop.  I don't want to hurt you.  Please don't go any further."  I stayed in this same position, I didn't move forward or backwards and I didn't freeze.  He continued to circle and walk back and forth in front me, every so often licking my face, while I sat in place.  Eventually he laid down next to me, I touched his paw with my finger, and he gave me the signal again, only this time the nibble on the lips was even lighter than the first time.  I continued to let him calm, until he was certain that I wasn't making a move after the cube and continued to acknowledge his boundary line.  After a few minutes I got up and he got up with me.  I thanked him profusely, while having him sit and gave him a treat.  The game was over, I picked up the cube to put in it's safe place and then he went outside because that was his safe place.

As I sat down to absorb what had just happened, I was overwhelmed by what Brut had shown me:  Himself.  Not just "dog behaviors," but his actual true being.  There is no way to explain the amount of trust he had given me and I was humbled beyond words.  The mysteries of this dog went far beyond labels or insights into them.  It was Brut sharing with me how and why he is Brut.  There are no words that will ever justify the moments of being that passed between us, only to know they are forever imprinted on my heart.  A being who took a chance to open to me.  Our communication was beautiful.  It was like walking through Brut's world and experiencing it first hand.

Trust