Archive

Dogs: Odd like Humans

Cavaliers

Slate advice columnist Emily Yoffe describes her sleeping arrangement:

I can certainly see myself potentially facing this dilemma. Our Cavalier King Charles spaniel (yes, I know it’s a ridiculous name for a dog breed) not only sleeps on the bed, she’s in the bed, under the covers, keeping me and my husband one small dog’s length apart. We could be tougher and make her sleep on her own, but that would end up being a great way to listen to her having nightly nervous breakdowns.

One of our two surviving dogs (since the death of our beloved yellow Lab Cobber) is a Cavalier. I can attest to the breed's uneasy mental equilibrium. At least in Yoffe's case, the manifold problems of spaniel ownership offer some kind of useful preparation for the odd human behaviors she encounters in her day job.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.