Dogs and fireplaces

You may well have noticed that over the last few days it has got a bit chilly suddenly.

Even if you have not managed to make it outside I am pretty sure you will have noticed the drop in temperatures.

Over the weekend, with a bit more time on my hands, I decided to use the fireplace for the first time this Winter.

Much like a childhood memory, or spending a few days at a cabin, the fireplace becomes the focus for both two legged and four legged family members.

I remember as a child, napping in front of the fire, next to our family dog as the fire warmed, crackled and hissed.

The fireplace or campfire is a place to reunite. It is thought that first contact between humans and dogs occurred as the animals sought to get closer to the fire and benefit from the warmth.

Over tens of thousands of years since then, dogs have exploited and manipulated us to gain their position of superiority over humans at the very top of the food chain.

The more you think about it, the more you will agree.

There are very few things more satisfying than seeing a happy tired dog stretched out in front of a fire.

It is a little pleasure during this cold and dark time of year.

Doggies: Aya, Baileys, Lucy, Haraka and My