If I were dog for a day

By Guest Blogger: Celia Cage

It’s no secret that the Pacific Northwest is a great place to live as a human. But how about for a dog? What would it be like to live as a dog in the bicycle-lined streets of Portland? Or to take a 4-footed stroll through Pike Place Market in Seattle? Can you imagine the plethora of smells along the coastlines of Washington and Oregon?

I ask myself questions like these and wonder if most people think about things like this. Perhaps the heat is frying my brain a little bit. Just a couple weeks ago, I was drowning in gray sky and drizzling rain. In the month of June. Begging and pleading with every step I took that the sun would come back and make my blueberries grow.

Now that I have the sun, I can’t move. It is too hot. The mosquitos don’t seem to mind the heat. In fact, the two day heat wave seems to be what caused all fifty billion of them to be born, and they all came to my house. I just know they are sitting outside, waiting for me to open the door. I can’t make it to the mailbox with fewer than five mosquito bites on my bare skin. If I were a dog, I’d have medium-length fur, so I’d be impervious to those bloodsuckers. The only exposed parts would be my nose and ears, and those are so sensitive that mosquitoes can’t sit long enough to pierce the skin before they are flicked into the air with a twitch.

Of course, with that coat of fur, the heat would be more intense. Not to worry, I could just jump into a river or a lake to cool off. That fur coat must be like a wetsuit for a dog, because most dogs I’ve known have no qualms about leaping into cold water. And they seem to relish being in the water. Yes, I would definitely go for a nice, long swim if I were a dog. When I was done swimming, my fur would be very heavy, but I could shake it off. Literally. But only if a person was nearby. And I’d know why dogs prefer to shake the water off when they are standing next to someone.

So my day as a dog is going quite well- not only did I beat the heat, I managed to thwart mosquitoes as well. Now how to deal with the long summer days. The light keeps me up later into the night, and I often don’t get as much sleep as I should. If I were a dog, that wouldn’t be a problem. I could sleep any time, anywhere. My friend has a black lab who sleeps in the 90 degree angle the wall makes with the floor. He puts his hind legs up the wall, and twists his body so his front legs are stretched across the floor, away from the wall. Did you know dogs can do yoga while they sleep? Numerous naps throughout the day would be one of the best parts of being a dog.

One of the best parts about summer in the Pacific Northwest are the full leaves on the trees, the rich colors of the petals on bushes and flowers, and the textures of grassy meadows. Summer foliage grows dense and there are many creepy bugs that hide in the unseen spaces. After my canine transformation, I would no longer be afraid of arachnids. I would no longer be squeamish about slug slime. And wasps would be way above my head that I wouldn’t be bothered by their nest on the side of the house. The olfactory would override the fear factory, and I could bravely tromp through the forest on my quest to take in every smell possible. I don’t need hypnosis to overcome my arachnophobia- I just need to be a dog.

Dogs have so many advantages. I bet summer is the height of enjoyment for our canine companions. I would love to be a dog for a day. But if I were a dog, would I love dogs as much as I do now?

Maybe I’ll stay just the way I am.

About the author: I enjoy hiking, camping, reading, writing. I love all animals and I have one cat. I grew up with golden retrievers, so they have a special place in my heart. I’ve lived in the northwest for a total of 3 years. I was born in Colorado and spent half my life going back and forth between California and Colorado. I’ve always dreamed about a career in the writing/editing realm, and being able to write about animals is the icing on top.

Read more FIDO Friendly destination and health/wellness articles and get the latest and greatest in where to go with your pooch at: FIDO Friendly magazine

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