Friday, July 20, 2012

Yapping Versus Baying


Toy breeds and their mixes yap. Rather loudly. You can hear them from blocks away while they perform a little "homeland security". For toy dogs and their mixes view the world around them as intruders. Nobody is safe. Beagles and their mixes can bay. Rather loudly. This is instinctive, something about their behavior which cannot be controlled. Ever. They bay to alert their masters from afar of hare or fowl during hunting expeditions. For these men, this is a highly desired instinct!! A highly desired instinct. Rose bays. Yeah. She possesses what I affectionately refer to as "mighty vocal chords"!! Rose's bay, her "happy sound", is high-pitched and can be eardrum-piercing. No kidding!! It sounds as though somebody has just stabbed Rose in the back with a dagger, and blood is gushing out of her wound. Like she's dying. Literally. Rose carries on and on and on!! I have often wondered, if she  were to be involved in a competitive yapping/baying match, who would win? Which canine has the loudest vocal chords? Who would come in first? The headache-inducing yap.... Or the nerve-rattling bay? Well. The other day, this mystery was solved!! And, its answer surprised me!! We had spent our morning hiking this beautiful nature boardwalk, Rose's red leash securely attached to my right wrist. The weather was overcast and muggy. Yuck. I drank twain bottles of water, yet still managed to get a headache!! Twain bottles!! I felt dead by the end, as though I'd caught some nasty head cold germ!! But, happiness is a mindset, after all. Happiness is a mindset. So, while we walked and walked, I keeping Rose well hydrated, she poking her ebony nostrils everywhere, squatting and leaving "pee-mail" along our paths, I attempted to maintain this positive attitude. I will enjoy myself!! And I did!! Rose is such a fun dog to take hiking!! Well-behaved. Curious. She is my little trail-blazer!! While on the boardwalk, Rose always peeks her light brown-colored head through its wide-open sides. To see what is down there!! Tadpoles. Insects. The occasional snake. Who knows what might lurk beneath those murky waters!! On the car ride home, we stopped at Dairy Queen for Blizzards. Mmmm!! I stayed in our Chevy minivan with Rose, its sliding door swung open, her red leash wrapped tightly around my right wrist. After a short wait, the Oreo cookie Blizzard which I ordered arrived!! Yum!! The sliding door still open for air current, and a busy street nearby, I never let go of Rose's leash. By nature, I am right-handed. However, with Rose securely attached to my wrist, I ate the Oreo cookie Blizzard as a southpaw!! Quite successfully, actually!! Hey, I could pass for being left-handed!! Meanwhile, this family who we used to attend church with pulled up in their minivan. A couple of us stepped out and greeted them. They'd brought their dog, this tiny miniature Dachshund, along. Rose had already sensed that there were friends outside, but she seemed calm and under control!! Initially. Then the miniature Dachshund's vocal chords let out a fury of yapping!! Nonstop. And, suddenly, like some wild stallion, Rose reared back on her hind legs, pawing our drivers seat, to take a look. She whined, then bayed. I patiently scolded Rose for jumping up. This is not allowed!! Then I just gently stroked Rose's velvet-soft fur, making verbal "ssshhh-ing" sounds, empathizing with my hound about a behavior that can't be controlled. A behavior that can't be controlled. Much like my short-term memory loss. Or Attention Deficit Disorder. Much like my being weird and somewhat crazy!! Then, I listened. Plus I observed. My ears and mind took in this yapping/baying match. I always thought that Rose's "happy sound" would beat any toy dog's defensive "I'm-bigger-than-I-look" bark. Wrong!! As Rose bayed, and the miniature Dachshund yapped, which sound could I hear the loudest? You guessed it. The yapping miniature Dachshund!! Mystery solved. 

22 comments:

Sankissjuice said...

That behaviour is what defines Rose, just like your uniquesness. You are neither weird nor crazy. You are beautiful.

I'll be back,
Sankissjuice

Finn said...

Great story! I really like how you said happiness is a
Mindset! No one else can make us happy or unhappy, it is all ours for the taking! Have a great weekend!

Mary Lou said...

Sankissjuice....
Thank-you for the comment!!
"That behaviour is what defines Rose, just like your uniqueness. You are neither weird nor crazy. You are beautiful.". Awwww.... And you are sweet, my Canadian Blogging Friend!! ;)
But. I am weird and crazy!! At least that is what everybody tells me!! It took me awhile to accept this truth about myself, but now I am completely at peace with it!! I'm comfortable. And this sense of peace makes me happy!! ;-D
I love your Blog name, by the way!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

Finn....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Happiness is a mindset. Yeah, this has been somewhat of an evolution to my character recently. Understanding that happiness is a choice. It's an amazing state of mind!! ;op

KSO said...

Oh Betty is definitely a yapper- its just more high pitched when she is playing versus guarding haha

Mary Lou said...

KSO....
Thank-you for the comment!!
And Betty's yap would most likely beat Rose's bay in a heartbeat!! ;op

Ziggy Stardust said...

Mommy says that I have a very annoying bark, loud and sharp. The worst is that when I want attention, I go into an ear piercing howl that the neighbors can hear. I only do it when I need attention which is almost always(giggles).

Loveys Sasha

Mary Lou said...

Sasha....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Now that is kind of cute!! You go into an ear piercing howl for attention!! Hee, hee, hee.... ;-D
And, by the way? Your "bark" would most likely win over Rose's bay!! I am sure of it!! ;op

Unknown said...

I am of the headache-inducing yap brigade and this is usually saved for when we are going out for a walk. I usually run around the house yapping for at least ten minutes in excited anticipation. Drives my human nuts. Have a happy Saturday.
Best wishes Molly

Sketching with Dogs said...

I have always said happiness is a state of mind, that's how some people can cope with anything life throws at them. You have a great attitude Raelyn.
Lynne x

Mary Lou said...

Molly....
Thanks for the comment!!
I sincerely hope that you were not offended by my "headache-inducing yap" description. It was intended to be humorous. Nothing more. Although I, personally, do not prefer toy dogs or their mixes, many people do. And that's okay. Seriously.... This post has also raised an even stronger awareness to me that many of my dear, sweet, loyal Blogging Friends do, in fact, own toy dog breeds!! Please forgive any misunderstandings. ;)
Your yap, Molly, would, sans any doubt, win over Rose's bay!! Every time!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

Lynne....
Thanks for the comment!!
Oh, you are so sweet!! But. This, uh, "great attitude" has been a learning process for me recently!! An evolution to my character. Understanding that happiness is a choice. It's an amazing state of mind!! ;op

Elaine Pritchard said...

Choosing to be happy is such an important idea to master.

Rose sounds like a great walking companion.

Love and licks, Winnie

Mary Lou said...

Winnie....
Thank-you for the comment!!
"Choosing to be happy is such an important idea to master.". So true, so true!! But, sometimes, it is a challenging idea to master!! ;op

Remington said...

I don't talk much but I do have friends that do....nothing wrong with that....they just have more to say than I do....

jessej said...

woofrific story, nice work!

Mary Lou said...

Remington!!
Welcome back, my Blogging Friend!! And thank-you for the comment!! ;)
That's right. There is nothing wrong with talkative friends!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

jessej....
Thank-you for the comment!!
I am glad that you thought my story was "woofrific"!! ;op

Dachshund Nola said...

I think the baying of hounds is much more annoying then the bark (thank god my Doxies aren't yappers) of my Dachshunds. But that's probably because I live next to 7 hounds and they never get any attention from their owner :(
Dachshunds were bred to bark as well, to alert the hunters that they had found the badger. They had to keep barking to the hunters would know where to dig without collapsing the tunnel on the Doxie. So it's ingrained in them just as much as another hound's baying ;) And they're hounds just like Rose is, not toy dogs ;)
Nola's Mom

Mary Lou said...

Nola's Mom....
Thank-you for the comment!!
First off, I would like to make something clear before my short-term memory loss takes complete control!! You're absolutely right. Dachshunds are hounds, not toy breeds!! Oops!! I knew that!! Thank-you for the correction!! ;)
I, personally, do not prefer yapping dogs or their mixes, but I acknowledge that many people do. And that's okay. Seriously.... This post has also raised an even stronger awareness to me that many of my dear, sweet, loyal Blogging Friends do, in fact, own toy dog breeds!! And hounds!! Hee, hee, hee.... ;op

Lauren @ Life With Desmond said...

This post made me laugh, because I know a mini-doxie JUST like that. Non-stop yapping. It's cute at first and quickly gets irritating. I vote for baying over yapping any day!

Mary Lou said...

Lauren....
Thank-you for the comment!!
I personally vote for baying over yapping too!!