Water dog, cave dog

I was just reading a blog entry by super creative Kelly Rae where she described her dog Bella, as an underthetable dog. I know what she means. My oldest dog, Jackie, always seeks a lie-down spot under a table or desk. Anything enclosed. He is the quintessential cave dog.

My theory is that there are two kinds of dogs: cave dogs and water dogs. All dogs will generally fall into one of the categories, although it may not be as obvious as Jackie or Bella.

I’ll run through my own dog family. First, the easy ones.

Edgar is a cave dog. He likes to be in quiet places and seeks out the smaller rooms in the house for his own relaxation. In inclement weather, the only consolation is to give him a cave: allow him to get inside a closet, a small dark room where the frightening noises are muffled.

Jasper is a water dog. She loves being outdoors and is completely unafraid of the water. Prances back and forth across the tiled bridge between the spa and pool. My belief is that she will be the first dog to join us in the pool this summer when it is warm enough to swim. It won’t take much encouragement.

Now for the tricky ones.

Gracyn has tendencies for both water and caves, but she favors the cave dog side more. You might not think this at first because she is all alpha when you first meet her and her favorite thing on earth is to play with the lawn sprinkler. But she prefers to cuddle up under a blanket or bury herself in a mountain of cushions. I suspect that she may eventually join us in the pool this summer, but it will be after much encouragement. Her water love will undoubtedly always be reserved for playing with a sprinkler on solid ground.

Tristan actually does not show tendencies for either water or caves, however he displays one particular mannerism that gives me reason to believe his DNA is grounded in cave dog lore. He loves to walk back and forth beneath something. Under your legs when you’re seated. Under a taller dog, under a chair, under a bench.

But regardless of cave dog or water dog status, all dog love is equally wonderful. My life wouldn’t be the same without my canine companions.