i don't think dogs can count to 48

We leave for Paris this evening. The luggage came out a couple days ago. And, as expected, the mere sight of suitcases sent two family members into a funk. Sadie and Bear, our beloved golden retrievers, have since been counting down the hours, knowing that we are leaving soon.

Sadie aka Smushy Tushy aka Sadiela is a rescue golden. We adopted her in February 2010. Sadie is a wonderful companion, always eager to place her head under a free hand or foot. She is getting a bit long in the tooth, and can't run or walk like she used to, but Sadie still has some fight in her, particularly when it comes to getting between food and her younger brother. She spends most of her days sitting on a dark grey sofa, leaving hair upon golden hair in her wake, as she rolls and stretches, yawns and shifts. The old girl can move remarkably fast when she hears the doorbell, or the sound of a banana being peeled. Sadie is very low-maintenance in her old age. She'll miss us, we know, but as long as she has food, water, a comfortable place to sleep and a little bit of love, she'll be okay.

Sadie's younger brother, Bear, is another story. We adopted Bear two years ago when he was a puppy. His puppyhood was marked by incredible stubbornness (i.e., requiring two-weeks of professional intervention for crate training), general cuteness, and an instinctual, insatiable taste for bird -- he swallowed whole a pigeon when he was only a couple months. He is also the most people-connected dog we have had, always at the feet of Keri or me.

Bear makes a great running partner, and, to my everlasting shame, he has found a semi-permanent spot in our bed. Bear is known by many names, some of which do not comply with Blogger's Terms of Use. He is most commonly referred to by Mr. Cuddles or Bear Bear. He really, really loves people, and I am genuinely concerned about how he will fare in our absence. We left Bear for three weeks last summer, and he seemed okay when we returned, but it's hard not to worry, not to feel guilty, about leaving him for seven weeks.

I have had a running debate in my office. I maintain that dogs cannot appreciate the passage of time. That is, although they know very well when dinner time and walk time occur every day, they do not appreciate how much time passes over the course of days. So, whether we are gone two days or 48 days (gulp), our dogs will not know the difference. At least that is what I am counting on to overcome the guilt of leaving Sadie and Bear. That, and the knowledge that they will be with someone they love in our absence.