Miscues (or Missed Cues?)

The other night, Elka asked to go out, so I sent her to the back door. We have a routine, she sits and waits, and I either snap the leash on and have her wait some more, or I let her blast out the back door. I thought maybe I'd seen a deer or something out back, so I wanted her to wait after the leash was on. Typically, we hold up a finger, like "wait a minute", for signal purposes. I held out my palm instead.

(just a picture of Elka sitting, not from "The event")

Dog attends Mass after losing his owner

I saw the "loyal dog" headline on the Yahoo news feed, and of course I clicked it.

Evidently the dog, Tommy, was allowed to attend Mass with his owner, Maria Margherita Lochi, in Italy. He's always been well behaved, and has continued to come to the church when he hears the bell ring for Mass. I guess he just sits to the side of the altar, and at the end, he's let out again.

(Nikonarte Fotografia/Daily Mail)

Maria adopted Tommy as a stray, according to Yahoo, who seems to have gotten it from The Daily News, and it seems like her community as a whole has continued to care for him, which makes me happy.

Books about dog behavior and training say again and again that dogs crave routine. We humans do as well, of course, and if Ms. Lochi attended Mass every day, then both the routine and the ritual were very important to her, and as a result important to Tommy.

I'm glad that the pastor there was willing to allow Tommy's presence in the first place, but has also allowed Tommy's continued presence. There's a lot of talk bandied about regarding dogs' capacity for both memory and emotions, interesting things to think about in general but also in regards to Tommy's situation. He certainly didn't sit at the altar when he attended Mass with his owner; is he sitting where her coffin was during her funeral? Does he go to Mass and wait because that's where he last sensed her? 

I believe firmly in a dog's capacity for emotions, but death is impenetrable to some of us humans. Does Tommy know his owner is gone? Does going to Mass help him remember her, even if he isn't hoping for her to come through the door? I wonder where he spends the rest of his day, and if it's further pilgrimages of the life he spent with her. 

It's a sad story, and a sweet one. Do dogs go to Heaven? Tommy seems to be observing all of the Holy Days of Obligation, so I would certainly hope so.

Wake Up Call

This morning, my alarm didn't go off.

I genuinely have no idea why, but my alarm not going off on a Saturday, the one day I need to be out of the house and at work by 8:30, is not good. I still got up and got to work in plenty of time, though. Because of Elka.

The alarm didn't go off at 7:00, the time for which it was set. I slumbered on blissfully. At 7:20, Elka stood up, taking the blanket with her. This woke me up, of course, and I looked up at her and said "What?" She stood on the bed with her head craned down, staring at me.

Then I thought "gee, it's awfully bright", and reached up for my phone to check the time, and then jumped right out of bed.

Elka to the rescue!