Monday, January 17, 2011

Ruby the Wonder Dog

Ruby the Wonder Dog (our Chocolate Lab) is trained to gently wake up our son Tim every morning and *persuade* him to get out of bed. If gentle persuasion fails to move our "boy", Ruby quickly turns up the pressure and, in short order, manages to get Tim to put his feet on the floor. The ritual always begins with kisses and nuzzling ...but usually ends with friendly growling and playful nips, escalating in intensity ...until the desired result is achieved. Like a canine with OCD (Obsessive Canine Disorder), our beloved watchdog anxiously waits each morning for the command from her master to "...Wake Tim!!!".

Since Ruby seems to have issues distinguishing non-work days from work days, this dog goes stir-crazy on weekends and holidays as if to ask, "Did you *forget* to tell me to wake Tim?" Our lab will stand ready at the base of the stairs each morning, waiting for the special command to be issued. Whenever those words do not immediately come, this dog will try to get her master's attention by quickly looking at me and then looking up the stairs towards Tim's room and then looking back to me... waiting for “the word”. Truly, this animal is a “creature of habit”. On rare occasions when Tim is urged to “rise and shine” while Ruby is still outside for her morning constitutional ...and has not yet had a chance to perform her daily duty, Tim will react by advising, “Call Ruby ...and have *her* wake me up!” 

...Talk about “creature of habit!.

This video of faithful dog versus stubborn sleeper has been on the internet for quite some time and one would have thought that by now the ritual would have become old hat for Ruby or Tim ...but the tradition continues.  In fact, now Ruby approaches her master after Tim is out of bed for a "pat on the head" for a job obviously well done. 

Some people like to start their day with a cup of steaming, aromatic coffee... others prefer to greet the day by having their face washed with doggy kisses.
...My personal preference is coffee!

(Please click the PLAY button on the video below to see "Ruby the Wonder Dog" in action.  ...You may want to push the PAUSE button on the IPOD in the right column before viewing this video).