In observing my dogs over the years it has become obvious that they multitask just like humans. Or are the a bunch of inattentive spazoids like me?
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The answer is – like me. It’s clear that Stormy focuses on one thing at a time, but flitters of distraction pass across her face as though she just remembered something important on the other side of the house. That’s about as far as it gets indoors.
Take her out in the back yard and all bets are off. It’s tough to do, but she can patrol the yard, void her bladder, and glare at sparrows all at the same time. Once she’s done with the second item she can do the other two with additional tasks in the mix – hating squirrels and listening for garbage trucks. With school back in sesson she’s added schoolbuses to the list of things she despises. Nothing can evoke quite the reaction that a bird covered school bus, full of trash, driven by a squirrel, and driving near her alley would bring. I’m pretty sure her head would explode like she was in the movie Scanners.
We try to deprogram her from time to time, but she’s up to about 5 tasks at once now and any hope of going back to the old days are gone. That’s part of the bargain with her other social skills improving. I pine for the days of Edzell laying on the rug in the living room plotting against Maisie. You could hear the wheels turning as he submerged deep in the pool of thought from whence his greatest hits emerged. He’d get up with purpose and go about laying the trap he’d created.
Stormy? Well, she runs down the back steps and charges around the yard barking to make sure she gets all of her enemies on notice right away. Different dogs, different goals.
I miss Ed’s thoughtful approach to life. I don’t always laugh when Stormy goes ballistic. But I’m blessed to have such creatures in my life.
Thank You, God, for creating such wonderful companions.
