Despite the hierarchal structure of the pack, a dog sees itself as part of a team. To be sure, there are designations within the pack: Alpha, foot soldier, guardian, and so forth, but when a dog feels the contribution is equal and necessary, it will do what it must without question or regard for its own safety. Dogs are often seen as being valiant in this manner, but it is really a simple logic computation.

My dog is no different. Sophia knows she is responsible for the perimeter and the safety of the pack – in this case, my mother and myself. The locations have varied, being at one point my apartment, and another my parents’ home, but the charge remained the same all along. That said, Sophia went to great lengths to do her job and do it well, but always sought our feedback and praise that hers was a job well done.

I say this because at the moment she is chasing a squirrel around the back yard, a squirrel that has deftly navigated the maze of oaks on the sixth fairway beyond the wrought iron boundaries of our yard, squeezed through the red blanket of bougainvilleas running parallel to the course sand traps, and has found itself in the domain of a sixty pound ugly dog.

Ordinarily, Sophia took silent delight in ridding her fortress of its trespassers, but knowing both her charges were home and awake, wanted us to know that she was taking her job seriously. She also wanted to be told how well she was doing her job and for us to realize she was pulling her weight with her contributions to the pack. So she did what any other dog would have done in this situation: Sounded the alarm. […]