The Dog Box

 

 

In our French village people walk with their dogs. We meet in cafés, restaurants, sit on benches and chat in French, Catalan, and other languages. They walk with their dogs of all breeds and all mixtures who greet each other with different levels of fondness or restraint.

Rick and I have biscuits with us to share with most of them, much to our dog Sherlocks's discontent even though he gets the same treats. The dogs know us, especially French Bull Dog Nelson who thinks nothing of jumping in our laps to wait for his due.

However, Marie and her dog Chloe are special. She lived in San Francisco so is bilingual, although Chloe, her dachshund  speaks two languages neither English:

• French

• Buttons

Marie has buttons for certain words such as walk, food, play that the dog presses depending what she wants. Sometimes they even argue. Marie say no it's not time to eat, Chloe say yes it is and over and over, until one gives in. There are other subjects they find themselves debating.

I know Sherlock has different barks for what he wants. We wonder about adding buttons so he can ask for food, ice cream, walk, play, toy, pillow. For the moment he needs to rely on barks. When we don't respond fast enough enough his tone becomes  annoyed.

Meanwhile Chloe always greets us in any cafe, on the street or at the green grocer where she finds us with her imploring eyes that tell us of her hopes for the doggie biscuits in our bag without any buttons needed. Sherlock speaks fluent begging eye too.