11/2/09: The Dogs that Ate the Canary

The Dogs That Ate the Canary

(A puppies eye view story)

Jasper and Henry (aka the dog formerly known as Puck - if you want details on the name change, talk to Ben) were enjoying another quiet day in the apartment. Like most days, the day started with a trip outside, breakfast, another trip outside, play time, and finally nap time.

Their person, Jennifer, was frantically trying to balance between getting work done and making the house presentable for visitors. Jasper and Henry did not know who was coming to visit, but they knew it was someone coming to visit them - because everyone who came to visit was obviously there to visit them.

After Jennifer spent hours sweeping up the floor from the prior day's paper shredding party hosted by Jasper and Henry while Jennifer was out getting the mail, she put Jasper and Henry into their crate. Jasper and Henry were sure Jennifer said words that should not be repeated while she was cleaning up the paper, so they decided it was in their best interest to go quietly.

Jasper and Henry don't mind their crate so much, but they much prefer to be out and about playing. Pretty soon they were sleeping, after all, there can never be too many naps in a day.

Jasper and Henry awoke to banging and clanging of Jennifer coming in to the house with hands full of goodies - obviously toys for them, after all, everything was potentially a toy and everything was theirs. After a trip outside, it was time to investigate all the new goodies that were still at puppy level.

"Jasper, you start on one side, and I will start on the other." said Henry

"Ok," said Jasper, who ignored the request and immediately began investigating everything Henry did just in case he missed an important find.

Jennifer grabbed the three biggest bags and put them on the sofa. Then she grabbed the three good pillows for sleeping on. She opened up the pillows and pulled a big white thing out along with many loose feathers. She took another big white thing out of the bag and put it in to the pillow. She did this three times. Jasper and Henry had never been allowed to play with the feathers they found outside.

Jennifer got busy putting things away and catching up on her work. Before long, she went in to the magic room she called the "kitchen". Kitchen usually meant food - unintentional food that fell on the floor, but still food. Any movement in to the kitchen required immediate attention. Jennifer was moving around, but no food was landing on the floor. That was just not acceptable. Henry barked to let Jennifer know that rate of food droppage was not acceptable. Jennifer turned around to look at them and started laughing.

What she saw staring up at her were two silly boys with feathers stuck all around their mouths. Jennifer said, "Boys, you look like the dogs that ate the canary." Henry and Jasper did not know what a canary was, but they made it a goal to find out! Obviously, it had to be something tasty.

(Really, looking at them staring up at me with the feathers hanging out of their mouths was priceless. I wish I had gotten to my camera before they moved.)