Friday, September 04, 2009

Dog tired


Down low
Laval, QC, August 2009

About this photo: It's perspective week. If you haven't yet shared your own perspective with Thematic Photographic, follow your mouse's nose. And if you captioned yet, I hope you'll try that, too.
I've been noticing how our dog, despite his being the literal center of our family, often lives in his own little world. His size - he's about 25 pounds and barely taller than my knee - means he spends most of his time well below our line of sight. We look down, and he looks up. And only when someone gets down on the floor with him does he get to be eye to eye with us.

Sometimes, when the house is full of people and he's been played with as much as his little self can bear, he stretches out on the floor and lets the ongoing hubbub simply float on by. It must be pretty relaxing down there, as more often than not he's completely asleep by the time everyone else up top is tucking into their tea and dessert.

I like his perspective on life.

Your turn: Finding refuge from the chaos. Please discuss.

9 comments:

dennisthemennis.co.uk said...

I can't say I'm a dog lover but sometimes I look at dogs in particular and think shat a life!! fed watered scratched cuddled loved and all for not a lot just a loyal friend. ghat sure is beautiful. maybe it's time to change my perspective

smarmoofus said...

I do love dogs, and I love their simple lives. I envy your four-legged family member.

I am back with another perspective. *grin* I like that.

-smarmoofus

Anonymous said...

If only things could always be that simple :) Have a great weekend :)

Canadian Mark said...

Blogging is my refuge from the chaos. Much the way a dog will find refuge almost anywhere, I relax most when I'm typing as Canadian Mark, regardless of the topic.

Hayden said...

Carmi, this reminded me of an article in Urban Dog magazine by author Alexandra Horowitz about her book "Inside of a Dog." She appears to be old-school on the anthropomorphizing thing, but I loved the way she evoked how dogs are simply so very present in each moment. For me, that is one of the real benefits of living with a dog, the way they pull me out of my mind and into each passing moment, teaching me the value of being truly 'present.'

Perhaps that's the secret of the intensity of their emotions: real emotion is of the moment. Our emotions based on remembrance and regret have a very different quality.

~JarieLyn~ said...

Ah, this is such a great post. Love the photo of your dog and his perspective (or yours?) This made me smile inside.

Tracie Nall said...

Super cute! I think we could all use a little bit of his perspective.

rashbre said...

After your comments about bike-cam, I remembered this video of a similar experiment with a dog-cam. Simply attach a small video camera to a Golden Retriever and away you go.

May create some further inspiration!

enjoy?

Mojo said...

Man, dogs seems to have it all over us when it comes to keeping things in perspective. And whenever I need a dose of it, I can always count on Tonka to provide. 'Cause he's just a rock star like that.

And I have a whole collection of nose-to-nose floor-level shots of him, but I didn't consider using them for this theme... yet anyway. Might have to revisit that.

I do, however, have other offerings... 'cause I'm just a rock star like that. For example:

Thematic Photographic 65: "Perspective" v.3.0 - Eye of the Beholder

Thematic Photographic 65: "Perspective" v.4.0 - Conversion as a Change in Perspective