No, I am not Sage. Her “people” asked my “people”
if I’d like to guest-blog for the next week or two. They said yes, and here I
am, Queen Dakota. You can call me Queen, if you must speak at all. It would have been nice if
my people had asked me before agreeing to this blog, though I’m sure I would have said yes. I may
not care for you, but I do like MY humans.
I’ve already learned
something about blogging. It’s hard to figure out what to write about (which is
why I am just now publishing when Sage does it every Sunday). I mean, other than nap all
day, run in the woods at dusk, chase squirrels and rabbits, chew on my brother,
Alexander, howl at EVIL creatures lurking in the night, and make life worth
living for my human companions, what do I have to tell you about?
Sure, I am adorably cute, especially when I run faster than any dog in history and my ears and hair fly back against my beautifully coifed head.
All the humans say so. I’m a Lhasa Apso, the ultimate breed of canine. And don’t
you love our beautiful locks? Hey! Did I invite you to touch? HAWOOOO!
We used to be wolves!
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| My brother, Alexander, left, and me as puppies |
Before we let humans care
for us, we were small but fierce mountain wolves … what are you laughing at? HAWOOOO!
Where we come from, being
small, compact and furry means staying alive, buddy. Try finding something to
eat when it’s 20 below zero in a desert. My short legs and long body help me
save energy and breathe in thin air. Did you know Tibet’s average
altitude of 12,000 feet is twice as high as Mount Mitchell?
By now you’ve noticed my
short hair. They call it a “puppy cut.” How insulting! In Tibet, we let our
hair grow until we look like mops with tails and paws. I loathe all groomers,
but there’s no way I could live with long hair in this Southern summer heat.
EVIL! HAWOOOO!
Summer or winter, I love to
howl at EVIL, especially at night. I rarely sleep until well past midnight.
Ignorant people call us toy dogs because we are small, doze all day and have
unbelievably good looks. All true, but we are real working dogs. My Asian relatives – did I
mention that I’m a Lhasa Apso, the ultimate breed of canine? – have guarded
Tibetan humans for more than 1,000 years.
Yes, I am the fiercest 14-pound
watchdog the world has ever known, especially after the sun goes down. Humans
are so … so … well, vulnerable. You just don’t hear or smell much, do you? And
I don’t like the way YOU smell, now that I’ve gotten a whiff. HAWOOOO! Oh, sorry. It's just my
instincts kicking in (can you go roll in something so you’ll smell less EVIL?).
On guard every night, at sleep every day
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| Nap time for me and my human – but I'm watching YOU |
As I was saying, people in
Tibet let us run around monasteries and palaces at night so
that no one could sneak up unannounced. When someone tried, we would throw back
our heads, howl like our wolf ancestors and then run away! Let those giant
Tibetan mastiffs fight the intruders if they want!
My people in Charlotte
seem to understand when I warn them about the mail lady, but you should hear
them complain when I howl at 2 a.m. I hate those college-student parties down
the street! EVIL!
That reminds me. I need to
curl up in the big overstuffed chair and get back to sleep. EVIL might come
tonight, and I must be ready. Smellyhuman – I’ve got my
nose and ears on you. HAWOOO WOOO!
About Dakota – Dakota is part of Rich and Karen Haag's family. Her brother, Alexander, lives nearby with the Haags' son, Michael. You can often spot Dakota and Alexander at local parks including Crowders Mountain State Park and Reedy Creek Nature Preserve.
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