Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Marking My Territory

I really have no time for a dog that marks, in my house. It is a challenge to my position when he does it on my stuff. To be fair, Ohana used to do it and Maggie peed in the house for a while after we adopted her. Gizmo began when he got here and continued even after his castration, as many dogs will. There's just something about the urine that matters to dogs.

This morning, he marked in my bedroom. I took him outside on a leash, held him down with my foot and, sparing not his face, marked my territory. He squealed a little but stopped struggling as soon as he realized what it was. I walked him inside, drenched to the skin, and let him wait outside the tub until Cheryl was done with her shower. He is now, once again, a cute, fluffy dog.

The other two dogs were Very curious about his smell, after the soaking. I wonder what they're thinking.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Man Code's Rule of Thirds

I have this theorum which, given the referendum, by virtue of my position of sole writer for this site, must be affirmed as a 'Rule'; to whit: 'Any stimulus which, by itself can compel an action, must itself be subject in it's authority over the body and it's actions, to the influence of other ovrwhelming stimulus'. Here's my example: I am in constant levels of varying pain. In this, pain is the stimulus. I subscribe to a pain management program of medication and moderated activity. If either of the two components are inconsistent, the level of pain stimulation overloads the limbic system and I get uncontrollable spasms throughout my body.

When I find myself thus cascading I have previously been resolved to ride it out and chastise myself for allowing the wheels to, once again, fall off of my pain plan. Hmmm. Enter my new 'Rule'. Think of the pain in it's extremity as Stimulus #1; driving my body into spasms. In order to interrupt the signal to my brain I need a stimulus with equal or greater power to compel...I nominate the pleasure center. Pain and pleasure work in the same way, using the same receptors for different must-read messages; "Stop doing that, it's causing damage." And. "Do some more of that, it brings benefit." The body is hard-wired to hit the pleasure button and release those feelgoods, the endorphins. Pleasure seeking behavior results in propagation of the genetic line, provisioning of nutrients and maintenance of overall health.

Given the option, I suspect that the body will elect pleasure, to abate tortuous pain and I believe it is within our grasp to force the process.

Tell me if this passes the sniff test.