Around mid day Dulcie used to bark, and was lost about the reason for this. One day I noticed that, she came to the front door and kept looking outward while barking. It was a bright day and after few days of rain, courtyard was no more wet. Not knowing her reason to bark inside my efforts to comfort her, I wondered if she had any our reason. She had finished he morning walk only about an hour back.
I opened the grill door and let her out. The two pictures above game a clue to her barking spell.
The courtyard is carpeted with pebbles and around the mid day, it is warm. Dulcie wanted to warm herself in the sun and feel the warmth from the pebbles. I tried to get her back indoor; she could not be enticed after she had enough time for herself.
For the last six weeks since this happened, I started to record her barking. I am becoming familiar with the intent of her barking. I get a sense of how a dog communicates, by looking, wagging tail, licking, barking, and moving about pointing towards the direction that she wants to go. Once she is out in the courtyard, there are predictable things that she would do. She would go to meet Daffny, make a stroll round the house, roll in the lawn, go to the bird bath and walk to wards the gate and return and sometimes chase a visiting cat from the neighbourhood.
Dulcie would play with her toys by running around in the house going from one room to the other. Normally she leaves one or two of her toys in all the rooms so as to leave the symbol of her territorial presence. Most of the day, she is beside Anna when she is at her work table. When Anna is outdoor she follows her. She is fond of our domestic worker and sits watching the activities in the kitchen. She asks for her regular walks in the morning and evening, for which she would come to me and climb on to my knees, wagging her tail. When I ask her, 'want to go out', she would run to the grilled door and wait for me to open it.
It is during the night, she is mostly on the mat beside our bed. Otherwise she moves about and spends sometime in her bed, where she likes to rest and sleep for short periods.
When it thunders, she would want to be carried. She is fond of being on Anna's lap till thundering stops. This is one time, when we notice her panting and drooling, an indication of anxiety.
I like the way Dulcie indicates her displeasure. When she is not comfortable to do what we suggest her, she would curl up in the floor and refuse to move. That is when the offer of reward of a biscuit, works and she complies.
She tolerates the bath time but is comfortable when combed and groomed, except clipping nails. She resists that most of the time and she has long nails. When visitors come, she recognises the familiar people and goes to them to be stroked. When new people come she would bark till we pacify her. She would indicate to some that she be carried. It is Daffney who spots a visitor or intruders like a cat from the gate and starts her chorus of barking. Dulcie joins in from where ever she is. and runs to the grilled door to look out.
Dulcie and Daffny have their routines and patterns. Daffny shows signs of ageing. We find their presence in our home refreshing in many ways. They are communicating dogs. They express affection and regard. Their routines are easy to cope with. Daffny likes to be in the house when she is invited. The play times with Dulcie is her favourite activity of the day.
It is during the last four months since I have been at home, I got an opportunity to observe the canine behaviour closely. I now see their behaviour directed towards wanting more human contact and engagement! They become what they are trianed to become.
At our prayer time, meal time and work time, they behave in an adorable way. Their behaviour towards visitors is polite and friendly.
That is what makes us feel that pets can become homely companions.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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