Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Why is it that the Pest and the Passive One sleep so much? It's not even noon and the Pest is kicking his feet around in dreamland totally "out" on the bathroom tile floor. The Passive One is snoring on my bed with his head hanging dangerously off the side. He's got his orange rubber ball in his mouth and looks like a pig ready for the luau feast.

They sleep not because they are ill. We keep our schedule with the vet, they eat well (maybe too well?), have plenty of water and get moderate outdoor exercise. These dogs are all bright eyed and, if they had one, would be bushy tailed.

I promise you their sleep habits are not from over work. The Pest starts his job early. He's our four-legged, furry rooster, responsible for waking the house. His first target is the Passive One who receives a firm pounce on the head. My husband gets a nose-poke in the side and then I am bestowed a thorough face washing. He then bumps the boys bedroom doors open ..."Bang!" and I hear the resentful morning chants of my children "Pest get out! Pest go away! Pe-est!!!!" Then the Pest charges downstairs for breakfast heady with the knowledge of a job well done. His work day is complete.

After everyone has left for school or work, both dogs lay down to rest and take a casual nap. That's the type of nap where the body lays still but the eyes are open, at least mostly open and their consciousness is still in gear.

During a serious nap the eyes are locked down, their bodies lay flat, and their brains have switched channels. You could now parade a marching band past them and unless the tubas are carrying pork chops, there is no response.

A serious nap has dreaming. Their noodley legs peddle with nails sweeping the floor. They make brief snuffley woof's or occasional stiffled yaps declaring "the hunt" as they travel down their imagined dog-happy path. Their deep slow breathing quickens almost to an audible pant as they imagine running through breeze blown green grass fields, with a pack of pals romping to the theme song of "Rin-Tin-Tin".

With all this muscle movement and deep breathing, it's aerobic exercise. I am surprised that they don't wake themselves up! But still, they snooze on taking a serious nap several times a day, every day, all day up until it's time for bed. That's when they can finally sleep all night long, resting up from all the dreaming of the day.