Buster Qua Buster

The Weekly Standard ^ | 2-10-14 | Andrew Ferguson

[afraidfortherepublic]

For reasons too boring to go into, I have recently inherited custodial duties of the family dog. When Buster first arrived, more than a decade ago, we spent a fair amount of time together. I took responsibility for training him with a rigorous program lasting several weeks. To this day, if you ask him to fetch, sit, roll over, shake hands—any of your basic doggie tasks—he will instantly lie down and close his eyes. In the early days I walked him a lot too.

Time passed. Work obtruded. My wife, at home with young children, became Buster’s primary care giver. I didn’t pay much attention to him, to tell the truth. And now, 10 years older, we are getting reacquainted, settling into a comfortable routine as old family members do. I don’t have much choice anyway. Most days he has me under constant surveillance. We take long walks in the early morning. He lies on my office floor during the day, follows me to the kitchen for lunch, returns postprandially to his position next to my chair, and stretches out so that with a single false move a roller will snap his tail in two. At 4 p.m. precisely he starts to whimper for a dinner that, he must know, is never served before five.

At least I assume he knows this. He does, doesn’t he?

It’s the kind of question that pesters me throughout the day. Often finding myself without much to think about, I begin to wonder what Buster is thinking—whether Buster is thinking. Our walks display his twin natures, the lower, animal nature brightened with glimpses of...

[afraidfortherepublic]

Buster.

Read the whole thing at the link. Methinks Andrew Ferguson thinks too much! LOL

[afraidfortherepublic]

Doggie ping.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Apollo, a Jack Chi.

[nuconvert]

I think he’s bored

[cripplecreek]

Dogs are pretty intelligent. Granted they aren't reading the NY Times (That may be an indication of intelligence itself) but they are thinking and calculating.

When Bowser stares out the window at the snow for hours and sighs, I know exactly what he's thinking.

[Liberty Valance]

[Joe 6-pack]

WOOOF!

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