Friday night, Sugar came with The Brides (and later, Kathy) to eat dinner and help us decorate. While Tim was fulfilling his traditional holiday task of planting angels over windows, he noticed a cobweb hanging from the ceiling. He asked me to toss him one of the dogs’ nearby rope toys to brush it down. As soon as he swung the rope, Sugar jumped to her feet with her most ferocious bark; she’s apparently ever vigilant against air attacks from dog toys. So you can understand the indignity of later having one draped over her head by Lindsey.
It wasn’t a totally bad night for Sugar. One thing she loves is the laser pointer. None of the other dogs care about it at all, but when you say “red dot” to Sugar, she gets a happy, expectant expression. If you actually turn on the laser pointer, she’ll chase it to the point of manic exhaustion.
I figured she was due for some fun, so while she was asleep, I retrieved the laser pointer. Again, no other Compound dog has ever cared, and I asked Tim whether he thought foster dog Penny would. He said he doubted that she’d even notice it, and I agreed with him. But as soon as Penny spied the red dot, she completely snubbed Pixie, with whom she’d been playing, and went after it. This woke up Sugar, and I had to be careful how I pointed the laser to keep them from ramming their heads together in their single-minded pursuit. Meanwhile, Pixie kept looking at my hand as if she were saying, “Here! Don’t you see? Get it at the source!” When Sugar and Penny ignored her, she finally succumbed to peer pressure and began chasing the red dot, too (but her heart wasn’t in it).
Rhonda and Lindsey always said they’d never put clothes on Sugar, but for their super cool holiday card this year, they showed off T-shirts from some of the many concerts they’ve been to. I present Exhibit A:
Do you see Sugar lying there, the most TORMENTED DOG IN THE WORLD, because she’s been forced to wear a Journey concert T-shirt? Well, she comes by that suffering honestly. In Exhibit B: Rhonda on Friday night after Lindsey planted a bow on her chest:
Seconds later, she began curling into the Suffering Sugar™ position.
laserpointers
Unfortunately, none of our past dogs survived the day I finally owned a laser pointer, except Mom’s current dog Molly. She will chase anything that leaves a shining streak on anything. From silverware reflections on the ceiling, to laser pointers.
I try not to use the laser pointer, because I have a fear that she might look at it directly and damage her eyes.
http://xkcd.com/729/
Poor Sugar!
Sugar had the distinction of wearing the very first concert T-shirt I ever bought at the very first concert I ever attended. She started by sitting, showing the shirt in all its glory. Finally, she grew tired of the game and lay down until the horror was over. You can see her tortured look.
I love the last picture of Rhonda.
She’s a crack-up.
How cruel that red dot can be . . . and yet what excitement it brings to a doggy mind . . . in what can only be described as fun!!!
A little stress-fun is good for them. They need to know who’s boss. Okay, THEY are, but it doesn’t hurt to make them question it now and then. Humans already have to contend with their cat overlords.
Whatever… she’s totally into all that attention. Don’t let that forlorn look fool you.
Are you talking about Rhonda or Sugar?
OMG, I’m sitting here laughing like a hyena at myself.
I really love your poems 🙂