Reggie and Me

Reggie is sitting there staring at me. Now she groans to make sure that I know she is there. I can’t figure out what she wants today. Usually she is a dog of simple desires. She wants food, treats and to be let outside. If I ask her if she wants to go out and she trots off to her crate, it means “no”. If she trots to the door and jumps on it that is an enthusiastic “yes”. That is about as enthusiastic as she gets. I almost forgot; the question “are you hungry?” will actually get her running. She runs straight for her crate, hops in and squirms around making her mooing noise.

I just checked and she has put her head down. I have the feeling I am being stalked. If I were to stand she will jump up and charge at me. I will still not know what she wants. I thought she could tell time by the position of the sun or something, but then I realized she knows that bedtime is after dinner. It should be 3 or 4 hours after dinner, but Reggie just knows that she has had her dinner and is waiting for her bedtime treat. She does not seem to care if it is only 10 minutes later or even last night as long as she gets a treat.

I want to take a picture of her, but the camera is in the kitchen and I know she will move if I move. This is a battle of wills.

We don’t know how old Reggie is. She came from the local shelter in 2005. Her heritage appears to be hound and dachshund. (Oh oh, she is sitting up again. She is getting aggressive, for Reggie that is.) She bays like a beagle on those rare occasions when she goes outside and something engages her hunting instincts. If she is feeling frisky, she will even do her vocalizing atop a tree stump. Her nose and face are grayer now and sometimes she seems to be feeling her joints. She is good with the puppies. She will bark if they get too playful with her. I have never seen her even try to hurt one. If they learn to wash Reggie’s face, the old girl will sit there forever.

I think she gave up on me. She has left the room. I am betting she is in Gus’ crate. She always seems to go in there, even when I take his bed and give it to her. Gus has the best vantage point for the door. It looks like she is still stalking me. I try to sneak up on her with the camera and Wookie is in Gus’ crate! After I disturb Wookie, Reggie practically pushes her out of the way. At least I got a halfway decent picture of Reggie.

She followed me back out to the living room. I ask the “outside” question and she trots to the door. That’s it for Reggie’s day until it is dinner time again. Like I said, a dog of simple desires.