Don’t Count Dixie Out

Hello folks, let’s chat… Have you ever wondered if you’re missing out on subtle clues from your dog? If so, encouraging news. A New York company is developing a fit bit bracelet for our dogs called TailTalk. It’s worn on the dog’s tail and it promises to translate their wags into words.

It even comes with an app that will capture and analyze your dog’s every emotion and transmit the information to your cell phone, all to help you monitor your dog’s “emotional diary” from a far. Their words, not mine.

Interested? Well, hold on, grasshopper. It’s not available just yet. But, you can help fund this incredible invention online to bring it to market quicker! A ton of suckers, I mean dog lovers, have already paid in! As you may have picked up on by now, I have my doubts about the TailTalk. For starters, what about those breeds who have had their tails amputated? Are they destined to be misunderstood? Besides, it’s been my experience that Dixie Belle, my beloved Chocolate Lab, can communicate just fine without a tail bracelet.

The other morning I was praying on the back porch and watching Dixie stretch her weary old bones. She’s got some years on her now and most everyone that sees her thinks it’s time for me to let her go gently into the night. I don’t think we’re there yet, so I thought I’d put the question to Dixie.

“Hey old girl,” I said. “Some people think I should put you down. What do you say to that?”

Dixie thumped her tail wildly against the terrazzo floor. She struggled to her feet, made three perfect circles, and eased back down, all while barking to the beat and continuing to wag her tail a mile a minute.

Nuance, my foot. Dixie didn’t need a Tail Talk bracelet to stick a fork in that idea. I’d recognize that James Brown tune anywhere, “AW!!! I feel good– like I knew that I would now!”

Hugs, Shellie