Sled Dog Comfort or Doberman Comfort

31 October 2012
8:11 PM

Sunrise at	9:37 AM	in direction	124°	East-southeast
Sunset at	5:30 PM	in direction	236°	Southwest

Duration of day: 7 hours, 52 minutes (6 minutes, 44 seconds shorter than yesterday)

I won't claim to understand the differences between all Alaskan huskies and our Dobermans, but there is a decided difference when comparing comfort seeking.

I was working at home yesterday and over time the dogs sought out their favorite places while I worked.  Cutter went into his sleep time crate.  That room is somewhat cooler and he has the comfort of his smells and a roof over his head, something I discovered earlier when I posted a similar photo.  The quiet, the coolness, being able to stretch his whole body out while being fully covered is prime.

Mr. Snooze

The dobermans, well they take the notion of comfort in a whole different direction.

Who says Dobermans don't like winter?

We started with just one cushion by the wood stove.   Then it was clear two would be better.  Then, even though there are several other places, all quite comfortable to sit or lie upon, all three gathered by the fire.  The odd hound out paces and circles.  Our oldest dog, Mira Bai, actually whines her sorrow at not having a nice spot by the fire.  Three cushions are a necessity and they all need to be relatively close to the front of the stove for maximum warmth.  A favored position is body on the cushion and head on the stone hearth.  How can that be comfortable?

Another difference is that I was able to walk in past Cutter a few times before he decided I wasn't up to my usual and maybe he should check it out.  He was aware of me, but didn't see any reason to over react, as it were.  The dobermans actually were all lying with heads down until I got up to take a photo.  Just my getting up caused all three to raise their heads.  Our location in the house, Gary or me, is important.  None of the dobermans are ever very far away from either of us.

The one thing that is exactly the same is the way they ask for affection.  All four dogs come up nudge and my hand for head scratching and loving.  They are such sweet creatures.