Jorgen asks:

Why do you like dogs?

Sometimes when Pat or Jai, or Scout…or Zeke..etc etc…is staring at me in what I think is fondness and a bond of unconditional loyalty and friendship; perhaps a desire to prompt me to interact in some way – scratch a belly or go hiking, it dawns on me that maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Pat is really thinking,

"If I had a couple of thumbs, I'd change the locks on this shithole and you'd be out of here. I can do so much better on Craigslist. "

Or,

"I wish I could knock you back to breakfast for yet another shitty kibble meal.  It's a crying shame that I'm going to die first. Probably."

I love that I'll never know this or really even seriously suspect my dogs of treasonous reasoning.  They don't have thumbs or equality with our species and they're too smart to blow a good thing. 

If dogs have a religion, they keep it to themselves.  Or maybe we are their religion. That is certainly more solid than alot of belief systems. 

Dogs are easy to make happy. If the rest of your day/week/month/year sucks like 250 horsepower shopvac…the simple uncomplicated joy of your dog(s) is impossible to not be effected by.

Why do you compete?

I have said for awhile that I don't really care if I compete.  It's less absolute now because it is a measure of our progress, but I really enjoy training best.  Trialing or training to trial brings me closer to my dog by refining my communication with him/her.  I like how much I've learned about my dog through stockdog work.  I love that it is so complex.  I really love that it's working with their instincts to do real work and not stupid tricks.

I'm glad my dogs don't want to dance or do obedience. We'd suck at that. Or I would, really. More.