Understanding Dogs

One of my puppies is hurting. I don’t know why.

Understanding dogs is a lot like writing. You are trying to figure out what they are thinking and feeling, but really you have not a clue. You can try and put yourself in their shoes like you do when you are writing through a character’s eyes, but, in the end, you are left with your own projections rather than actual information. The dog and the character are still a mystery.

So you touch here, rub there, and generally feel your way around until you get a reaction. It is frustrating. And leaves your heart in your throat with worry. That is also like writing.

Trying to put the unexplainable in words. Trying to give voice to the voiceless. Authors and pet owners have been struggling with this for millennia. With varying degrees of success.

I am not having much success today.