STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

Frat the cat (my cryptic illustration below) is my friend.  

I can’t explain why exactly since I don’t much like cats.  I’m a rat terrier and we generally find them either annoying or more like a toy to chase.  There’s something about Frat’s chronic deadpan facial expression and bone-dry sense of humor.  The more miserable he tries to look, the more just looking at him makes me laugh. Which leads me to my point in today’s blog entry.

I don’t invite cats into my life yet here he is: Frat.  Jet, my foster mom, says sometimes we get the friends we need.  As a career dog and professional blog columnist, or dogamist as I like to call myself, I can be so serious.  Deadlines and topic issues are always on my dog mind.  Frat’s face makes me laugh.  The humor is good for my dog soul.

I’ve heard of other strange pals that dog’s hooked up with over time including a dog with a bird, a goat, an elephant and a horse.  They make for strange bedfellows but maybe it’s what they need rather than want humans think they want.  

Humans might consider this concept.  Jet had a friend (Katy) that kept attracting old people.  They were kind of tough to hang out with at wine-thirty (because they kept nodding off) but Katy did find her time with these senior citizens more…enriching.  She ended up changing her work place from physical therapist (PT) in a hospital to a PT in a retirement home. She loves it.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Humans are always trying to get one dog another dog for companionship.  I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but maybe our ideal ‘companion’ is not what you think.  The same may be for a human.  If you’re not attracting the friends you want, take a closer look because you may be attracting the friends you need. If that seems to be the case, you might find this odd friend a bit of a strange bedfellow and yet exactly what you need.

Okay, the question of the day is from WIFI who asked:  Dear Parker, my little girl human wants an ant farm?  Does this mean we will have to move to a farm?  I hope not.  I like the city life.

Dear Wifi:

I bet you got your name from that new TV commercial.  Pretty cool.

Okay, let me explain that an ant farm is where humans can observe ants ‘farming’ soil to create their homes and channels to get from one point to another point.  It’s not really a farm or ranch so you don’t have to move.  Humans buy these ant farms at educational stores or toy stores.  See example below.  If you and your human want to experience an ant farm then tour one inside like the kind in the second photo below.  Pretty farm out – huh?