(190) He's Happy in the Morning and I Know It (so stomp your feet!)

The second article that inspired me from the Bark Magazine was one that expressed that all dogs wake up happy. The essay suggested that dogs wake up happy because they are carnivores and are eager for the new day of hunting. While it is true that Max and especially Beeker are excited to get outside and to eat their breakfast I think Beeker wakes up happy because he has had wonderful doggy dreams (legs moving and whimpering included) and he hasn’t seen his buddy Maxie all night and he is anticipating playing and getting to go outside for a walkabout. Beeker is by nature a happy dog. He twirls his tail around in a circle and if he is extremely happy to see me in the morning he will even let out a Beeker Howl which is not like a bark with a sharp start and abrupt ending, but rather a low start with a vertical arcing volume and an ending that is sometimes so high I think he is going to continue with a song. His howl is only a one note vocalization but it gets his happiness point across. I know a dog that is so happy to see people in the morning that he actually grins. The corners of each side of his mouth go up and he show all of his teeth when he first greets people. At no other times of the day does he do this, only the first greeting of the morning. It is such a hoot to see and I actually didn’t believe it the first time and asked others if I had seen what I thought I saw. Yep. He’s the original smiling dog in the morning. Max is more subtle with his morning excitement. I think this is due to his master’s morning temperament. Max’s master likes to have a while to wake up and doesn’t really understand why people talk for the first three hours of the day. It could be that dogs reflect their owner’s morning attitude. All I know is that Beeker greets the day like he’s late for a birthday party and it’s his birthday. He’s just a happy dog. He’s so happy he’s infectious (Even to Max’s owner! Shhhh, don’t tell Max’s owner).

On the other hand, I’ve been noticing that I’TS COMING! It is still hot outside, with temperatures in the high 80’s and 90’s but it’s coming anyway. I noticed this morning on our walkabout that the grass is drying and the leaves are starting to fall on our deck. If you’re patient and take in a slow deep breath you might even be able to smell it. If you have to drive the back roads or through the country you will definitely be able to tell it is on its way. The dried beans and corn stocks are a dead giveaway. Another unmistakable way to tell is to look at the calendar. But that is really cheating so you may just want to use your eyes and ears and nose to tell that it is on its way. I have to admit that this is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the changing colors of the leaves, the crunch of my shoes on the leaves, and the cooler nights. The dryness is in the air. A friend and I try to take a trip each September or October to the Corn Maze just to act like kids and get lost in the corn. It smells so wonderful while we are trying to find our way out. But just to let you know, autumn is on its way and coming fast.