OCD

by carolynholm

It’s our 4 Year Anniversary!

Throughout the month of February we will celebrate four years of weekly Interspecies Memos by sharing some old favorites. This one is from August 15, 2014, with our now departed sweet dog Molly. (Read about Molly’s extraordinary life here!)

Dearest Molly,

I heard a story on NPR about dogs with OCD.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

OCD?

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

Why on earth would you bring this up to me?

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

Oh, I thought of you when I heard it. You and your rituals.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

My rituals?

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

Like when you tap your bowl with your paw before you take a kibble out to eat it. You do that every single time. For every single kibble.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

Everyone does that. It’s part of the process.

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

No, Honey, it isn’t, really. I think you’re the only one.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom

I don’t always do it the same way. Sometimes I tap twice. And sometimes I tap the iron dog doorstop next to my bowl. So I don’t think you can say that I’m an OCD dog just because I tap something before I eat a kibble.

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

Well, I think your ritual pretty much qualifies as OCD.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

Are you saying I’m crazy?

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

We don’t have to use that word. I think of you as interesting. You are a very interesting dog. Oh, and there’s also the licking. That’s another interesting ritual. You know, something that seems just a bit overdone.

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

Licking is normal. Ummm, like licking your feet, or that delicious squirrel tail.

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

Don’t remind me. Ew. But licking the floor as you walk from one room to another is just weird. And licking the bathroom scale over and over – what’s with that?

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

That’s not normal? I like to lick things. Everyone does. I’ve been thinking about licking the cats.   I tried it with Mia.

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

Dearest Molly,

How did that work out?

Love, Carolyn

 

Dear Alpha Mom,

She didn’t care for it. And I have to say it was just ok for me. Not as satisfying as the bathroom scale.

Your Best Dog,

Molly

 

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