Petey the Tattle Tale, Again

Last night John got the Christmas tree lights out. Even though they are the type that are supposed to burn even if a light is out, they don't. So, John strung them through the kitchen, dining room and living room, so he could methodically check each and every bulb. They are worth the extra trouble, because they have several settings where they blink in different patterns.

While he was involved in that little task, I went to the bathroom. While I was taking care of business, Petey burst in to the room, with his best "Timmy's in the Well" look on his face. I was fairly sure that Petey was somehow upset with something John was doing, and John was not in any grave danger so I continued to do what I was doing. This caused Petey to have to run in and out of the bathroom several times a top speed, since I was not following him. I started asking him what the problem was in a very distressed sort of way which resulted in the poor dog just about turning circles in the bathroom. When I finally, followed him down the hall, him at top speed and me at my normal pace, requiring him to run back & forth to between me and the disaster, he looked at the lights and then me. It was as if he was saying "See what is going on here!"

I explained to Petey that I understood what was happening, and that it was really OK. By this time, Petey was near hysterics, so he had to go out. I don't know if he was giving himself a chance to calm down, punishing us, or just getting the heck out, since we'd been warned of the grave danger and were to silly to leave. Anyway, he went out briefly and then came back in a little calmer, but still quite upset.

I asked John if he'd been fussing at the lights or done anything to upset Petey. He said he had not said anything that might have been upsetting to the dog. He was quite calm (John that is) but clearly he had done something, neither of us knew exactly what.

When Petey came back in, he got on the couch, where he could see the lights all the way back in to the kitchen, and he sighed... repeatedly... great heaving, heavy sighs. For the life of me, I don't know what the problem was with the lights. I finally covered up Petey's head where he couldn't see the lights. He sighed a few more times, but then I'm pretty sure he dozed off.

The lights are on the tree now. That seems to be perfectly fine with him.