Sometimes I wonder how we got from there to here. Take the word, “dog,” for instance. Now a dog could be that tasty treat I like to put in a bun and drown with mustard. This treat started out being called a frankfurter. Then came the breed of dog that looked like one of these treats, so we called them wieners after the name of the breed: wiener dog. It was a short step from there to just calling frankfurters wieners and then it got shortened to dogs. A lot less syllables for lazy speakers.

Well, that evolution is pretty evident, but how did “dogs” get to symbolize feet? Well, back in the olden days when one had to turn a crank at the front of the car to start it, some columnist decided it would be good to refer to feet as dogs. That’s ancient history. We rarely use that term now and the youngsters wouldn’t know what we meant if we did.

If you say “dog” today, it mostly means a furry animal with four legs and a tongue dripping with saliva that needs to lick you. That’s how language changes.

I have two of these creatures. One is a Bichon Friz, a fancy dog that was used as a lap dog for royalty. I wonder how he wound up in a poor man’s home… The other is a mixture of rottweiler, German shepherd, bird dog, ridgeback, and golden retriever. This mixed up four-legged creature is full of love and shows it.

I call my dogs the “Swiss Army Dogs,” as, like the Swiss Army Knife, there are so many things they can do. For instance, I could throw away all my clocks and still tell time. That’s right. My dogs would let me know, especially if it is mealtime or time for a walk. They also have replaced my broken doorbell, so I don’t need to fix it. I always know when there’s someone at the door. You can’t sneak up on me! In addition, they are great friends and keep me company. They also serve as a disposal for leftovers I don’t want and are good at washing dishes.  

In addition, these two keep me in touch with the neighbors. When I take them for walks, people come across the street to pet them or, sometimes when the dogs are real lucky, get a treat and a pet. The big dog is so popular in this little town, I think she could run for mayor and win. I hope the present mayor doesn’t mind my saying this….

Lately, I’ve been involved in writing a novel, The Children of Raven’s Reach. If I get too involved and it looks like I’m forgetting the time, the little one will slap me with his paw and oogle me with his plaintive little eyes. The big one goes for the arm attached to the hand that’s typing away. She’ll stick her nose under my arm and quickly raise her head to fling that hand away from the keyboard. My dogs’ antics will usually irritate me, but I give in and do what they ask. I’m usually in need of a break anyway.

If you don’t have dogs, well, I feel sorry for you. You’re missing out. The only way to resolve that hole in your life is to get one!