Last modified: Sunday, April 22, 2007 10:44 PM EDT DOG PAWSE: Living in the moment Generally, dogs are good at keeping themselves entertained. My dog is really gifted at making every moment quite cosmic. When I think about how he spends his free time, I must conclude that he has the blue ribbon of doggy imaginations. Most often, my dog passes the day by playing "wild safari" with his squeaky bunny and his stuffed monkey. Sometimes it's "race car driver" as he speeds laps around the coffee table, and then there's the "fashion show" where he cruises the hallway dragging my dirty socks or other unmentionables. He even pauses momentarily on his imaginary runway to show me what he has before doing a perfectly choreographed turn and going back the other way. Basically, give him a gum wrapper and he's entertained for hours. Unlike we humans who are generally past and future oriented, dogs live fully in the moment. While the moment may seem like a pretty invigorating place to reside for us humans who do it so rarely, living in the eternal moment is not always so thrilling for the dog. Dogs can, in fact, experience boredom. Adventure and trouble In search of adventure, many bored dogs will often find things to do that ultimately get them in trouble with people. Others engage in compulsive behaviors such licking their paws until they become raw. Sometimes, a bored dog will try to rally its human pack members to join in the creation of fun. Take, for example, the dog that bothers you while you are trying to prepare dinner. You know the routine. First, you attempt to ignore the dog. The dog then tries bringing you a tennis ball and she drops the slimy object by the stove. You gently punt it out of the room with your toes, but the dog immediately returns with the ball. You try ignoring her again, but the dog becomes even more of a pest by getting underfoot. Finally you bark at the dog. You point with one finger while your other hand is on your hip, and you growlingly demand that your dog find something to do! You feel guilty as your best friend slowly skulks off. The forlorn glance, lowered-head and limp tail are all postures of submission. The sigh The dog goes into the other room, circles noisily before thumping down on the floor, but makes certain to end up in a position where she can still see you, and she is positive that you can see her. Then she makes a very loud and exaggerated sigh that is obviously intended for you to hear: "Humpffff." The whole scene is a theatrical production. What is your dog really trying to tell you? In dog language, the meaning of the sigh is in the eyes. If your dog's eyes are fully open when she sighs, the sound means: "I'm bored, and I give up." But, if her eyes are half closed, the sigh means: "I'm tired and going to take a little rest." If you do happen see your dog's eyes wide open during the dramatic sigh, you might consider reorienting your own experience of the world. Widen your sight to the valuable life-lesson that your dog is trying to teach you: The joy of living in the moment. TRACIE LALIBERTE-BAILEY of Attleboro is a professional lecturer, educator and published writer on the subject of dogs. She is pursuing a doctoral degree on the human-canine bond. You can contact her with any dog-related questions at tracie@dogpawse.com.