Lessons with Mason

Mason is a Labradoodle.

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Mason loves his Alexander. 

While living at my sister’s home in Sydney recently, Mason never hesitated to remind me that Happy Hour was 17:00. He’d find me in the house, nuzzle his nose under my arm, and insist I take his head.

The sequence was always the same.

First was standing-work. Mason patiently stood with his head near my hands, and I would put them on to gently guide his head. Then, Mason would start panting loudly. After a while, he would also begin a forward-leaning lunge on his four padded feet…

But rather than doing a lunge, Mason preferred sitting-work. 

He’d tuck his legs under his body, let his tongue hang out the side of his mouth and sit down on his haunches. This was the second stage of his lesson.

Mason would explore the spiralling his spine as I followed him around with my hands. I was never sure if he wanted to lick his bottom or just turn his head, but it was always the same. He never did lick his bottom – and I never remember exploring spirals during my chair work. 

Nice one Mason.

Finally, we did floor-work.

“Mason,” I’d explain, “I haven’t done tablework for years.” 

He didn’t care. 

He’d roll himself over onto the floor, and I had to take his head from that position. Awkard.

A reflex would appear next. Mason would lift his paw as though to fob off my hands – but he never did it very purposely; as though Mason knew it was pointless, but just couldn’t help himself.

Finally – thinking he was supremely relaxed – I would finally take off my hands.

That’s when I first got a shock!

Mason popped up off the floor like a jack-in-the-box.

I mean really quickly. And Mason is old.

Then he would bark. 
He was energised and awake: Alexander work did that for him. I guess barking was Mason’s way of saying: “Thank you – you’re dismissed.” Who knows what a dog is thinking?

***

Have you ever worked on your dog or cat or another animal? ±

I started working on animals decades ago – at first to demonstrate to myself that Alexander’s Discovery is not confined to humans; and then because they so clearly loved it. I enjoy asserting that Alexander discovered something common to the Phylum Chordata – stretching back 500 million years.

That’s why I call Alexander’s most important contribution a discovery, not a technique.

If he could talk, I’m sure Mason would agree.