My dogs don’t need to read the Farmer’s Almanac. They know another hard winter is coming. I should loan them to the National Weather Service as consultants. Their predictions are that good.
Their forecasting isn’t based on the thickness and length of their fur. Nothing scientific like that. No, it all comes down to something simple. For the past few weeks, they’ve been showing serious signs of hibernation. Which is to say, they sleep more (if that’s possible) and express deeper interest in food (if that’s possible). These changes in behavior give me all the info I need. I’m hauling out my long woolen underwear. Like all normal dogs, they love snoozing and spend most of their time in our living room, hunkering down on their respective sofas. But, for the past two weeks, their napping skills have reached new levels. Abby, the lab/setter, enjoys sleeping with feet in air and head propped on arm rest. But she’s always maintained awareness by occasionally opening one eye and surveying the scene. Not lately. She’s been sleeping like there’s no tomorrow.
From his sofa, Mr. Magoo, the pug, appreciates the finer points of rest. He manipulates the two or three blankets I thoughtfully provide until he’s fashioned a soft nest, and here he sleeps like a log. But, in the past week or so, his sleeping skills have also reached new heights. He moves from this spot only in mid-afternoons to search out the brightest sunlight ray streaming in the windows. Once he finds a nice warm block of sun, he plops there and continues his long winter’s nap.
My dogs have turned into complete inside creampuffs. Only a month ago they loved to dally outdoors. Magoo flitted all over the yard, sniffing out chipmunks. Abby settled on the front deck, happy to be out in the autumn sun, ever on the alert for red squirrels.
Not anymore. Their attitudes changed about the same time October turned to November. They traded their outside forays for cozy sofa naps.
Food is the only thing that motivates them to move. Here again, they know something we humans don’t about the oncoming winter. I swear they’re trying to add blubber to their girths. The only time they leap into action is an hour ahead of mealtime when they start harassing us for food. It’s a combined, relentless effort of dogs circling, walking underfoot and pointedly staring at food dishes. They are so serious about putting on weight for the long hard winter that they almost always wear us down until we offer them an early dinner.
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