On the lighter side

I have to apologize - the main reason I write here is for my own therapy. I play the role of the fuddy-duddy, frustrated dad 24/7/365. Since virtually noone out there is dying to listen to my lectures and pontifications, I allow myself the fantasy of believing that by publishing my random thoughts online that a - I am an "author", and b - that they are even mildly interesting. So for the three or so people that check in here from time to time, sorry to be so boring. I don't mean to sound like I am a know-it-all academic type...it just happens.

That having been said, I have to relate what happened with the dogs the other night. Harley is our 140 pound, nine year old Bull Mastiff. He has one reconstructed knee with a metal plate, and one elbow swollen to twice its size with arthritis. Dexter is our 190 pound, one year old English Mastiff who is all puppy. Because he has a habit of getting into trouble if not supervised, Dexter usually sleeps upstairs with us. Harley sleeps downstairs because he usually doesn't want to deal with the stairs - they are a bit steep.

Two nights ago, we head off to bed and Harley is pacing at the foot of the stairs and grumbling a bit. After listening to this for about five minutes, I go to the top of the stairs to see whats up - sure enough he needs little more than an "OK" before he starts hobbling up the stairs. He has been a bit "clingy" lately, but it is cute. In the meantime, Dexter is lying down on his pillows over in the corner. The carpet upstairs is generally well padded, but we try to get Dex to lay on the pillows as of late - both elbows are a bit swollen with what looks like gout / bursitis from lying on the hard floor too much - typical mastiff issue.

So Harley goes over to Dex and sniffs around then paces over by the fish tank, finally settling down with a thump near the foot of the bed. This then is where my argument begins for Dogs having feelings, souls, and generally big hearts..... Dexter gets up from where he is laying, goes over to Harley and sniffs, and nudges him a bit. Harley gets up and goes over to lay on the pillows, followed by Dexter laying down by his side on the carpet with his nose nuzzled up against his "big brother".....

Yeah, you can explain that in about a million ways of pack animal theory. I just like to think that he felt sorry for his achey big brother and wanted him to be comfortable!