Norman is a puppy with an unusually calm temperament for
such a young one. One thing I noticed right away was that he appeared quite
thoughtful. Dogs are such observant creatures, perhaps more so than any other
animal. They watch everything, but most especially us. They are, as Alexandra
Horowitz says in her book Inside of a Dog,
anthropologists of us.
Norman is definitely a canine anthropologist, but he
tends to violate the “prime directive,” since he is so interested in people.
Although he has a puppy’s eager paws jump-up—which is an attempt to greet
eye-to-eye, canine style—he is quick to sit. And once he does, he looks you in
the eye.
Dogs seek connections with us; we’ve bred and trained
them for thousands of years to work beside and for us, to guard property, to
seek and find lost people and hidden contraband, to serve and protect. This led
to a unique relationship, this ancient bond between man and dog, one that
enables us to simply enjoy the privilege of each other’s companionship.
Norman seems an old soul. He is, however, a 15-week-old puppy,
with all the enthusiasm and curiosity that every puppy possesses. But who says
an old soul can’t be young at heart?
Here’s my first video of Norman, recorded Saturday, March
9, 2013. Recorded with a Samsung Galaxy 2 tablet; this is my first tablet, so
the video quality is a bit shaky and has a few bloops. Mayhap I’ll learn to
edit! Norman is romping in one of the dog yards at the boarding clinic. The
current level of interconnection means that my YouTube channel will be linked
to this blog, but here is the direct link:
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