Shower Barking

November 1.  All Saints Day.  Clearly this is NOT a day that refers to the dogs in THIS household.

Yesterday we were ever-vigilant for all the kids who were Trick or Treating.  All one of them.  Yup.  That was it.  But not to worry – we were prepared with enough treats for 50.  So if we have a horrible storm and we are stranded, we have enough junk food to keep us alive for a month. Well at least they will keep my human alive.  We can’t have the chocolates.  But those fake cheese snacks could probably keep us going for a few days….

Although our Halloween adventures were pretty darn boring, Frodo did manage yesterday to keep things interesting by further perfecting an excellent canine skill.  You see, Frodo is a MASTER at the art of Shower Barking.  What is Shower Barking?  It is a skill where a dog waits patiently until his/her human either steps INTO the shower, or is just about to step OUT of the shower – and he barks.  A LOT.  Like someone is either breaking into the house or at very least is waiting at the front door.  It is an exact skill.  If one barks TOO soon, before the human is actually wet, the human wins.  BUT.  If the dog waits JUST until the human is wet – and/or is ready to get OUT of the shower, the dog wins.  It is SO much fun.  I must say, Frodo is outstanding in this game.  He doesn’t do it ALL the time.  If he did, our human would know he was faking.  But instead, he does it intermittently – kind of like the intermittent reinforcement humans give us dogs when training us.  Or when they THINK they are training us. 

Yesterday was Saturday and Frodo KNEW it.  So, he figured a good game of Shower Barking was in order.  He was also doing it because PAXTON got to go for a run with Jackson yesterday.  Paxton.  Not me.  Not Frodo.  Paxton. 

So.  My human got in the shower.  Frodo listened carefully for the shower door to close.  And he waited.  And waited. And then he started.  Shower Barking.  He’s really good.  He can even get Paxton and I to join in.  So my human jumped out of the shower, threw on some clothes and dashed into the kitchen– only to find three dogs staring at her.  There was no one at the door.  SCORE.    Dogs 1.  Human 0.  Remember - it was ME who had to wear the devil horns for Halloween. I guess Frodo won’t be wearing that angel costume for Christmas after all. Oh and by the way.  NO ONE told us about the clock going back – so we were EVER helpful in getting our human up nice and early to take us out this morning.  Dogs 2.  Human 0. 

We are SO helpful  We really ARE saints...

©  Linda Wozniak