"Just look in their eyes and say it’s not true
Look in their eyes; they’re checking out you." — Peter Gabriel, "Animal Nation"
Although I constantly advise you, Gentle Reader, to take up some kind of meditation or take some time for yourself for stress management, I don’t often get to do this myself. I have trouble getting my mind to shut up. So, I sneak this meditation and relaxation in here and there where I can. One of the ways I like to do it is by watching the animals, birds and insects that are all about us. This is better than watching nature shows on television, although if that’s all you can find, it’s better than nothing.
Mugsy
Mugsy is the Jack Russell who lives across the street from us. Like most Jack Russells, he’s a complete lunatic (but he’s a harmless lunatic). Jack Russells were bred to be vocal, letting the hunter know where the quarry is. Unfortunately, this trait is still with Jack Russells who never do any hunting. Whenever he is walked, Mugsy has to tell the entire neighborhood about his day with a running monologue.
In order to quiet him, his "mom" has let him hold the retractable leash holder in his mouth. She then has to hold on to the lead string. She’s tried to get him to stop this, to no avail. Mugsy can be the world’s most insistent pogo stick, and never shuts up if he has something on his mind. So, in order to keep the peace, she’s let Mugsy hold his leash in his mouth.
It’s always a joy to watch Mugsy being walked. He’s also one of the dogs who gets on great with my dog, Pony. She’s in love with Mugsy. We both have to go out and watch Mugsy being walked and talk to Mugsy’s "mom".
However, today "mom" was busy and her husband decided to help out by walking Mugsy. You could quickly tell he did not know the routine. He kept bouncing up and down, angrily demanding the leash handle. Somehow, Mugsy can walk quite a distance by pogo-sticking (which is technically called pronking).
I went out to Mugsy’s "dad" to explain that he wasn’t holding the leash right and that Mugsy had to carry his leash holder in his mouth while "dad" held on to the cord.
He blinked and then exclaimed, "That’s NUTS!"
That’s Mugsy.
They’re Everywhere
It’s not just taking a few minutes out each day to watch pets that can help give our minds and our bodies a much needed time-out from stress. You could watch a spider making a web, a fly grooming himself, the birds trying to figure out where to put a nest, the squirrels chase each other or a dog argue with a treed squirrel. It’s a way of focusing on the present and not obsessing about past or future worries.
Hope this helps.
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