Rufus Learns a New Tune

While working on checking my e-mail and uploading photos tonight, I've been infrequently (as is usual around our house nowadays) interrupted by Rufus diving out the back door in a burst of spontaneous barking.

Usually, he's just menacing one of our next-door neighbour's cats. Slowly, they're realizing that he's no threat, and hopefully Rufus is realizing that he doesn't have to bark at them (hope springs eternal). Other times, he's warning away an opossum or noisy dogs or neighbors down the street. He even tried to alert our neighbour when his fence blew down in a storm. But tonight was a bit different.

At first, I thought Buster was in trouble - I learned this morning that he "yodels" when he's excited. Heading through the house, however, I noted that it was definitely Rufus' voice I was hearing. As I neared the door, the nondistinct sounds coalesced into a "bark-bark-hooooowl," over and over. It was a sound I'd heard before and recognized, but never from Rufus.

I called to him, and he stopped to look at me. Faintly in the distance, I heard the siren of a fire truck echoing in a low, wailing howl. Rufus replied twice more, then followed me inside.

Since bringing Buster home, I've been seeing Rufus acting like an arrogant, bullying snot. He steals toys and randomly jostles, shoves and chews on the newcomer, seemingly oblivious to protestations and acquiescence. He blatantly disobeys Sophie and I, throwing temper tantrums and trying to get away with whatever he thinks he can.

But tonight, I saw the Rufus that we brought home and have been living with for the past six and a half months. The same dog that I hope he'll be again after he grows out of his rebellious teenage phase. It's the Rufus that I love, and am so proud of it makes my chest ache when I look at him.

As I said before, I recognized that howl. It's the sound a dog makes in reply to a slightly different-sounding howl; the one he thought the fire truck was baying. In rough translation, Rufus' reply was, "It's okay, don't be scared. You're not all alone out here."
.