Affection on a Cold Day

"No, Charles, I really do love it out here in the cold. And, where's your jacket?"

Ah, the cold. I love the cold weather. Give me a patch of ice—a cold hard place in a field of green—and I’m there. Charles approached me with gentile care as I meditated upon the benefits of cold on my allergic skin. I tried to explain it to him, but, the poor man didn’t get it. He thinks the cold is something to be avoided—unless, of course, he’s skiing; then, it’s okay.

Oh, to err is to be human.

Shane trembles in the cold. Every morning he goes tearing out the door, all gung-ho and full of energy, looking for little animals or shadows to chase. Then, he stops in his tracks, looks at the icy dew on the grass, and runs back to the door—unless, of course, Joan comes outside with us. But, she’s always saying, “Brrrrrrrrrrr. Brrrrrrrrrrrr,” which is a little unsettling since I’m thinking “Brrrrrrrrr” is a good thing, and she and Shane are hoping to escape the “Brrrrrrr” as soon as possible. Me? I’m Alaska dog. Antarctic dog. That’s just the way I am.

On our walk this afternoon, a man in a truck wanted to know which dog he could have—me or Shane. Joan told him that she loved us too much to give us up. I went up to the truck to get petted on the head, but I think the man was a little afraid of me, because he kept saying, “Good dog, good dog” in a nervous little way. But, the truth is he didn’t know what to do with all my affection.

Charles, on the other hand, is very good about accepting my affection. It seems to calm him. Did you know that people who have dogs have lower blood pressure than people who live without us? I don’t mean the people who get dogs and stick them on a leash in the backyard; I mean people who have dogs and take care of us. Yup. It’s true. And, with all that low blood pressure, they live longer, happier lives. You can read it in JAMA, which might put you to sleep, or you can take it from the source—that’s me.

Here’s to the cold!
Best wishes, Juno