Sure wish I could work like a dog
11.09.11
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The midnight hour is approaching on Friday gloaming -- my customary time for filling this space -- and ideas for a matter are as lame and elusive as a three-legged gazelle.
I was about to complain that being a bush-guild, spare-time columnist is a dog's life, until I started thought about how easy dogs have it these days. Aside from the relatively few working dogs that still can be found pulling sleds in Alaska or guardian duty at border crossings, dogs have it made.
According to Michael Quinion's Little talk Wide Words column, expressions like a dogs duration, work like a dog, die like a dog, dog-eat-dog and dog-tired date back to the rhythm when dogs were used as hunting aides or security guards. In those times, they were kept skin, fed scraps, worked hard and died young. The intensity "a dog's life" first made it into print in the 1500s.
My, how times have changed.
Our dogs have been trained only to inspire, exhale, eat, drink and do their business outside -- unless it's unusually discouraging, wet, thundering or otherwise inconvenient.
Source: Charleston Gazette