It's a Dog's Life

Sometimes I wish I could switch places with Jasper, even if just for a day. Think about it: someone would feed me, tell me when to pee/poop, scratch my belly, ears, butt, arms and legs, and I would spend most of the day sleeping on a comfortable bed. Just what the heck does he do all day? We like to say he's "busy sleeping." The minute we leave for work, up the stairs he goes, and sometimes he doesn't even come down to greet the kids when they get home from school. They need to call his name and shake the treat jar. How lame is that?

I often wonder if Jasper would protect us if someone tried to break into the house (or if he would protect the house if no one was home). Hmmm...that's a tough one to predict. He sure sounds ferocious enough when another dog walks by. Sometimes, the gentle breed of Golden Retriever can surprise you. Like that story in the news a couple of weeks ago where the Golden Retriever saved an 11-year-old boy from a cougar attack. They thought that Angel, the family dog, was dead, as she was hanging out of the cougar's mouth. But apparently, though badly injured, she was expected to survive.

I feel a little bad for Jasper these days. Between being extremely cold outside, and our hibernation instinct that makes us want to hunker down by the fire after work, we don't get a long evening walk in. He doesn't seem to mind, though, as long as there's someone's feet to lay by or enough room to cuddle with Dad on the couch.

Ah, the life of Jasper.