My Life as an EmPAWyee

My name is Dozer. That's me in the picture. I am a 73-pound English Bulldog, and I am standing under the table looking up at Dad. He is working from home again, and it seems like he never has time to pet me. So here I am, trying desperately to get his attention and affection. It's not that Dad never pays attention to me; it's just that he seems to only want to pay attention to me when he wants to, not when I want him to. So, this is my life.

I was hired in March of 2020. The 23rd to be specific. I didn’t know what to expect of my new job, and I had a lot of questions at first. There was much confusion. Mom and Dad were home all the time now, and that was a good thing. That meant I didn’t have to spend my days in my crate. However, now that they were home all the time I knew I would require more of their attention. So, as a good empawyee, I sat by Dad every day, helping him with his work so I could get affection. Most of the time it worked, but only when Dad had office hours. When he was in class, he didn’t have time for me.

There were times, though, when Dad would introduce me to his students. They all thought I was cute, and that made me feel good inside. I like when people are happy because of me, and it’s a plus to be called cute. Anyway, Dad would spend hours a day at his computer, and I would sit with him, staring. He would get up occasionally and let me out when I asked. It was fun when he came outside with me to play for a few minutes. It was great break from all the work I had been doing. As you know, hard workers like me need a lot of breaks to recharge their batteries. After our playdate, we would go back to the computer and “get back to it,” as Dad always says. But, now, the day was almost over. There would be more pets and maybe treats.

Dad likes to give me cheese when I do a good job, and I love it so much. All he has to do is say, “Doz, want a cheese?” and I am at the refrigerator. After my treat we get back to work, and I help even more because of how good I feel. Once the day is over, Dad always reaches over and scratches my butt. If you don’t know, Bulldogs love butt scratches…a lot. When he is finished, we go back outside and play some more. This and the break are the highlights of each day. That is why I work so hard.

I know I sounded a bit sad at the beginning of this story, but now that I think about it, working with Dad isn’t so bad. I get to sit with him for hours every day. We play together outside when it’s nice, and Dad always thanks me for helping him work. I have heard some of my dog friends complain about being “ignored” all day while their humans work. I have discovered that my life is pretty great. I guess, if I had advice for my dog friends out there, it would be to enjoy your life with Mom and Dad. Sit with them whenever you get the opportunity, and listen to them when they talk to you. You will see how happy they are because you’re there, and that will make you both feel good inside.