The reluctant mutt

On Saturday I was going to visit an old friend in College Station. I spent a little while loading up my stuff, FriscoDog watching me intently. While I was taking my last load to the car, I let him come outside with me.

The front door is always a big deal for him. That's where other dogs have left their calling cards, and he has to sniff all that up. It's also the gateway to the neighborhood,which is sniff-and-pee heaven. And it's where my car lives, so it's the way to get to every distant pleasure: swimming holes far and wide, students in my classes who might scratch his chn, and every other physical delight a golden retriever might desire.

On that night, he wanted none of it. He stumbled around to cover scent of all sorts, but I could not get him near my car. When I tried, he retreated to the door and would not budge. I think Frisco has lost his enjoyment of every pleasure that cannot be found right here at home, and he will not be enticed away.Nor is it a food thing: I offered him food as a reward for coming to the car, and he flatly ignored me.

I think he has decided that home is it, the farthest he can roam safely. Given our recent experiences with roaming, he may be right. So I led him back inside, gave him what comfort I could, then headed out on my own.

RG