ONE SMART DOG

“The smoke is really bad,” we say to one another, and yet, when we hear of the smoke that those on the west coast are enduring, it hardly seems right to complain.

As I predicted, the air quality alert did not lift on Monday and has now been extended through Friday morning. They say that’s a best case scenario. The smoke is still here, wafting in and out. Sometimes I can smell it.

We have curtailed outdoor activities, though Bess must have her constitutionals. Mike rides his windtrainer in the shop in lieu of outdoor bicycle rides. Our outdoor yoga sessions are again online.

As a part of our bedtime ritual, Mike takes Bess outside, gives her a treat, and puts her in her kennel. She expects that, so Sunday night, she was confused when she woke up and found herself alone in the living room. “Hey,” she said, awakening me, her snout in my face, “Mike forgot to put me to bed.” Mike couldn’t convince her to lie back down on her pillow, so he reluctantly took her to the kennel.

Mike really doesn’t want Bess to spend much time outside in the smoke, so Monday night, he varied the bedtime routine. He took her outside, brought her back in, gave her a treat, and indicated that she should spend the night on her pillow, which she did. “She is so smart,” he said, but I thought he was the one exhibiting intelligence.

Tuesday night, Mike meant to repeat Monday night’s bedtime ritual – take Bess outside, bring her back in, give her a treat, and settle her on her pillow. So, Mike went out, and thinking that Bess had gone off to do her thing, he waited and waited for her to return. When she didn’t come, he began to look for her. He finally found her in the house, watching him through the slider. She had never gone out. She had no intention of going out. She anticipated spending the night on her pillow again and all she wanted was her bedtime treat.

“She is so smart,” said Mike. And this time I had to agree that she had outsmarted him. KW