No barking from this boy

I don't like barking dogs. It seems the dogs that bark the most are those behind gates and fences, those who don't get a chance to meet the rest of the world first-hand. Tai, we're pleased to say, is a very quiet dog. In fact, people comment on it. Why is he so quiet? they ask. Because he's a happy, well-socialized dog, we answer.

As mentioned in our first post, we got Tai when he was already 9 months old. Certainly old enough for bad habits--like barking--to be well seeded. Amazingly (to me at least) we didn't hear a peep out of him until several months later. He never barked at strangers, he never barked at other dogs, and believe it or not, he never barked at the postman! Even now, he is a delightfully quiet boy.

I remember very well my own words when, on that momentous day, Tai decided to exercise his vocal chords: "What the hell was that?" It sounded like an old man with a hoarse cough. It sounded like he really had to work hard at getting the sound to come out. But I suppose it would be like us trying to speak after a year of not uttering a word. (Mind you, he's much better at it now, so his voice is not as deep as it was in those early days.)

What brought about the voice from the deep on that day? Simple. His favorite toy was under the sofa, and he couldn't get at it. Little else brings out such vocal lambasting as a favorite toy just out of reach. And once he starts, there is no stopping him till said favorite toy is dutifully retrieved and returned to said owner. Only then, does peace and quiet return to the realm. Until the next time!

Interestingly, though, when Tai wants our attention for all other situations, he doesn't bark, he sneezes. A little sneeze, then an expectant stare. Then another sneeze, then "the stare" again. Only when we fail to pick up on this polite call for our attention does he issue a slightly stronger half sneeze-half bark. It's so cute, how could we not cater to his every whim. One day when we were visiting this city before we eventually moved here, we were up at 5.30am, loading the car for an early start on our return trip to Chiang Mai. We heard Tai sneeze behind us. Then he sneezed again. When I turned, ready to tell him we didn't have time to play, I saw it... "it" being a snake, a big black snake, about 3 to 4 feet long, trying to get into the house. It was climbing up the door jamb and was just about onto a shelf just inside the open door. After some quick work with the broom, we managed to coax the snake out of the house and on its way in another direction. You can be sure Tai was treated like royalty that day. (Well, okay, he's treated like royalty EVERY day! But you know what I mean.)

Tai is an amazingly quiet doggie, for which we're thankful, except when he's snoring... but that's a story for another posting.