Hounds and harriers, coursers and terriers,
Collies and shepherds and mutts,
Bark loud to challenge us,
Make the vector analysis,
Happily go for our butts.
---Arghie Fuller, "For Better or Verse"
Altho it ain't fun getting your calf notched by old Duke, dogs are generally a commendable lot. All of us have a stock of anecdotal lore chronicling their charm, intelligence, and utility. Most dogs, including those who fall way short in the charm and intelligence department, are motivated by the irresistable impulse to find a paying job. It's been that way since Hector was a pup. Most of the really good positions are with human beings and include perks such as room and board, typically a good deal of affection and respect, and occasionally promotion to the status of family member, so it's not really surprising that these canine careerists promise to worship the ground the boss walks on, to protect and play with the boss'es young'uns, to patrol the boundaries of the boss's patch, and to provide around the clock security services, employing state of the art sensor systems, auditory alarms, and sophisticated interception and deterrence capabilities. For those of us who don't live in gated communities, don't put much faith in those bogus placards announcing "This property protected by ADT", and feel that silhouette lurkers and "We don't call 911" signs are perhaps a bit provocative, a nice doggy looks like a good deal. But taking into account the cost of wages, medical care, licensing, supervisory oversight, morale maintenance and retraining due to turnover, a good safe is a better one.
jack
