Chuck Billy isn’t the only dog around here who can conduct scientific experiments. This weekend using him as my test subject, I proved that sleeping on the wrong side of the dog bed can lead to a grouchy Golden. We’re all entitled to an off day, even Golden Retrievers. Such was the case with Chuck Billy who clearly woke up on the wrong side on Saturday, and it all went downhill from there.

My experiment began on Friday night when Chuck Billy insisted on sleeping on my dog bed. Normally I get the one closest to the bed, and Chuck Billy prefers the outer one. In the past he claimed that was his spot because it allowed him to watch the door, while not being distracted by me. Well on Friday, he rushed upstairs to get to my spot first. However, as you can see by the photo I didn’t mind sharing, and wedged myself into place.

The following day, I was marveling at the forsythia blooming in the yard. Spring has finally sprung! Then Chuck Billy insisted they needed “watering,” and not in a nice way. I could have gave him the benefit of the doubt that this was a spatial reasoning issue, but the over-the-shoulder look led me to believe otherwise.

Then rounding out my Wrong Side of the Dog Bed hypothesis, Chuck Billy did something that he hasn’t done in years, he broke a rule! Everyone knows Chuck Billy is a stickler for the rules! Yet he stole Dad’s work glove, and he ripped off a finger. Not just any finger either. The one that humans associate with a not nice meaning. A definite sign that he was a grouchy Golden! Thank goodness my experiment was short-lived. Saturday night Chuck Billy slept on the correct side of the dog bed, and awoke the next morning with his tail wagging. All was right in our world again on Sunday.

Chuck Billy: In my defense, I also ripped the thumb off, so wasn’t intending to send the message that Asa assumed! But yes, I admit Saturday wasn’t one of my finest days.