Ten-Finger Exercises

Nothing to Bark About

Our dog Lola is a barker. She is a "terrier mix" according to the vet, a "wired terror" according to Bill, and she loves to bark. She is alert to every dog sound within miles and joyfully does her part to spread the word, whatever word it is. She has occasionally been helpful, barking at a strange and nervy cat who tries to sneak in the house to get at our cats' food bowl. She does let us know if someone is headed for the door or even coming up the driveway. Hardly anything with four legs passes the house that she doesn't alert us, and she's particular diligent at informing us when a horse walks down our little street.

There are two dogs who live behind us, and, thankfully, they are pretty quiet and mind their own business, as do the people of the house. Beyond them, past the orchards and the cornfield, are some larger, rowdier dogs who bay in the night. Lola pays all of that crew the most attention when they are coming down the alley on a walk with their owners. She is jealous. I'm sure that's it. Even if she and I happen to be in the back yard gardening, shoveling do-do, and playing ball--the necessary accompaniment to either of those other activities--it's still not as special as going for a walk.

My mother used to have a couple of unkind remarks in her vocabulary. Occasionally she called people "bean counters," or said someone "likes the sound of his own voice." I've decided that Lola likes the sound of her own voice too.

A couple of her tennis balls are better chewed than others, or maybe just made differently, but they are a little softer for whatever reason. She enjoys squishing on them, making noises. The other day the neighbor dog was headed out for his coveted walk with his master when she was chomping on a tennis ball. Rather than relinquish it, she barked around it. It gave her bark a very different sound, a grumbly, growly noise, not at all like her shrill little yip. She obviously liked the effect.She ran all around the yard, chomping and barking this gurgly bark, tossing her head for emphasis, as if she was saying, "and I mean it too!" She just ran out the door for another go round and came back in looking proud. She is delighted with herself, and she makes me laugh.

As for the yipping, do any of you know of a way to teach a dog to stop?