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My two dogs


 My dogs seem to have very different approaches to dog toys.

They share the same (large) set of (small) toys -- generally plushy and squeaky.

To the younger dog, Angus, they are a tool for play with his hu-Dad. Angus will bring a toy to me hoping I will throw it and he can fetch and return.  What fun!

To the older dog, Lena, the same toys are materials for contemplation, She wants nothing more than a quiet corner to which she can retreat with one of them and make it squeak, as if that is a meditation aid while she contemplates the world of forms. 

They are, in other words, the Aristotle and Plato of dogs and doy-toy lovers.

I think of Angus stretching a paw out toward the world in front of him, while Lena points a paw upward, indicating that such is the location of a heaven of squeaks.

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  1. Paul D. Van PeltJanuary 7, 2026 at 8:11 AM

    Dogs, like some other animals, have personalities that change as they age. Sorta like humans, in this respect. In my limited experience, smaller dogs tend to be agitated and irritable, as if exhibiting an inferiority complex. Larger ones fairly exude confidence and even temperment. To pigeon-hole either extreme as being preferred by pet keepers because of the humans' tendencies, one way or another, does not always correlate precisely. An endearing trait with the canine clan: they are agreeable, mostly, and don't want to ruin a good thing. If only more of us would take that tact?

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  2. BelindaJanuary 14, 2026 at 4:32 AM

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