Routine

Amongst the million reasons dogs are so healthy for us, I think, is routine. Not just the one we make for ourselves to care for them, but the ones that they grab on to and adore for us. The simple ones of what time dinner is and what an exciting time that ALWAYS is. The routine of what it means to put on your ‘we’re going on a walk jacket’, and the happiness that action always incites. Even just getting up in the morning. Every household has a different routine for this and we all know that our dogs are way too familiar with upholding the routine. In our house? It involves discreetly hitting the snooze button as to not wake anyone. Of course Jack Jack still gets the wake-up memo. He crawls out from the covers to sit next to my head and breath heavily in my face until I too decide to get up. If this process takes too long, he’ll lay down his way too heavy body on top of my hair (continuing to breathe unnecessarily heavily) until I'm forced to free my hair, thereby getting up. The minute I make a human noise (not just the phone alarm) all bets are off for the 6 other house dogs to start barking at the pure joy of it being the beginning to another day. Everyone charges the door to go greet the outside and see what has changed through the night. I should say almost everyone, as Bobo will, without fail, stay in bed on the off chance I decide to rejoin him. It usually takes a good twenty minutes before he does his best downward dog and joins the rest of us awake with movement. The morning is capped with a walk we all share and me toting a thermos of coffee. If I even think about going outside, or even really moving around too much inside, without the walk, there is much said about it. Particularly by London and her very loud woo woos while jumping up and down in the direction of our property trail, trying to convince the rest of us to follow her. We always do. Oh morning traditions with dogs. I would be lost without them.