Dog Vs. Wild

Dear Sophie,

Thank you for finally bringing a dog's common-sense solutions to the human's attention.  It's time for a real dog to take control of the govt, not these puppies that seem to rule the day. Democrat or Republican, it doesn't make a difference, neither side can scent a clear path while they're running after the ball.  I guess it could be worse, the CATS could be in charge...

How can I train the humans around me to prepare for the disasters (human-made and natural) that seem to be looming upon the horizon?  I don't want to see my dog-bowl go empty when bad things happen, nor my humans out howling at the full moon in dispair when they can't take care of me {or themselves} any more.  I smell their fear, and the fear on everyone that they meet, but how can I channel their fear-scent into something concrete, before it's too late?

Ike and Angus, a two-dog team sharing life WAY out in the country.

Dear Ike and Angus,

As a girl who lives in the city, where there lots of curbs and buildings and things I seem to always smack into, I envy your life out in the big, wide country. Can I visit sometime? I would like to run and run and run and not get stopped by the leash.  I am sorry to hear that your humans are not preparing for disasters. You know what is a disaster to me? When we run out of my favorite peanut butter dog cookies. But when I think about like, if there were a disaster, I would need my mommies more than ever! I can't see much, and I could never find my way to the grocery store without assistance, so I know I probably have to have the talk with my mommies, too, about the day when we run out of peanut butter dog cookies and there are no more.

What is so awesome about dogs is that we are pack animals. There is a hierarchy, with an alpha dog (hello, me!) and the omega (the outcast), and all the worker dogs in-between. Each dog is essential to the health of the pack, and everyone performs their role of following the alpha dog, of breeding, of raising the puppies, and protecting the pack against outsiders (the lone wolf, or omega).

From politics down to relationships, I think that humans seem to get the pecking order of our pack mentality pretty well, except that everyone thinks they are the alpha dog when really they should all be trying to find their role and support the pack. In short, I think your humans need a little less "me" in their world and a little more "we." Do your humans have a good support network of friends and family? Can they help out in a crisis? Does each person have a unique skill that could contribute toward the health of the pack? Do they have a community garden, or an extra room for the unfortunate stray? Do they at least know the name of their neighbors?  I think your humans should discuss these important things, including who will store your peanut butter dog cookies in the event of apocalypse and who will carry your dog bed to dry land. 

Imagine how great a world it would be if everyone followed their dog pack instead of money, fame, and fortune (things we dogs have no understanding of and no use for). Tell your humans that finding their pack will go a long way in uncertain times, and making sure they know their place in it will keep it from becoming like Lord of the Flies.

S O P H I E