Chika Celebrates 4th of July and Learns about Pet Dogs in the American Revolution

For most people holidays mean a day off from work a chance to kick back and relax with family and friends.

For my wife and I Fourth of July 2010 meant a three day weekend for me and a weekend off for my wife. Since she works nights and i work days the weekend meant two whole days together.

However, for our dog, Chika, a holiday often means a work day for her. Which is only fair since she spends every other day of the year laying around and relaxing.

However, with our children out of town or working and the outside Tucson temperature approaching one hundred and ten degrees, there were not many things to do other than sit home with the air conditioning running or get into our air conditioned car and go someplace with air conditioning.

So, it was off to Wal-Mart to look for a Fourth of July costume to take pictures of Chika in.

Chika's every day life is rather simple - she sleeps, she relaxes while she is awake and then she sleeps some more. It's a dog's life.

Upon first arising every work day, I find Chika in her bed still sleeping peacefully.

Hearing me she usually awakes but remains in bed while she waits for the morning paper.

In times past, dogs would fetch the paper and bring the morning paper to its master to read at the breakfast table.

However, this is the 21st century and, like the other pampered pets of this era, Chika stays in bed and lets her master fetch the paper.

After fetching the paper, I busy myself preparing breakfast and getting ready for work while Chika retreats to the lounge on the patio where she catches up on the news while awaiting breakfast.

By the time Chika has finished reading the newspaper, I am ready to sit down to breakfast.

Chika joins me at the table and has her morning coffee as I eat my breakfast and read the paper.

Finishing breakfast, I leave for work while Chika, fatigued from her morning routine, returns to bed for a nap while waiting for my wife to awake.

The Fourth of July weekend holiday found Chika having to alter her routine and share the house and day with us.

And, with the desert heat forcing us to remain inside, we decided it was time to set up a modeling gig for Chika thereby turning the holiday into a work day for her.

Figuring that we might find a better deal at Wal-Mart than at a pet store, we headed first for the local Wal-Mart which had a large pet supply department.

Despite the large variety of pet products, by July 3rd only a couple of holiday outfits for dogs were left.

However, as we headed back through the store toward the exit we passed through the children's wear department and found a large selection of holiday outfits - and on sale at that!

We soon found a nice little outfit for a young girl that was close to Chika's size and promptly purchased it.

Once back home, Chika's workday began.

First, the costume went on. Since this was designed for a normal child with two arms and two legs, there were a few problems trying to adapt it to a dog with four legs and a tail but no arms.

However, where there is a will there is a way and, with the help of tape and paper clips, Chika found herself dressed in the stars and stripes outfit.

With the advent of digital photography we have dispensed with film which means that we not only get to see our pictures instantly and not have to wait for film to be developed, but also don't have to worry about having to pay for film or developing it. 

Since pictures are basically free, there is practically no limit to how many we can take.  The result for Chika has been that she has had to endure modeling sessions lasting up to a couple of hours as we take up to one hundred photos hoping to come up with a dozen or so usable ones.

After an hour's worth of posing, Chika was given a break and she used the time to go online to try to find out what the holiday was all about.

With a few quick searches she learned about the Thirteen American Colonies declaring their independence on July 4, 1776.

She then Googled Declaration of Independence and studied that historic document.

Disappointed that there was no reference to dogs, let alone chihuahuas, she returned to Google and typed dogs American revolution in the search bar.

With this search she found a reference to a new book about one of British General Howe's dogs shaking free of her handler and accidentally wandering across to the American lines.

Typing General Howe's dog american revolution into the search bar, Chika found a book entitled General Howe's Dog: George Washington, the Battle for Germantown and the Dog Who Crossed Enemy Lines.

This is a recent book by Caroline Tiger and is an account describing how one of the British general's dogs crossed over from the British to the American lines during the Battle for Germantown during the American Revolution.

As an innocent, non-combatant, the dog was retrieved by the Americans and taken to safety behind their lines.

Despite its violence, there is an etiquette to the conduct of battle and General George Washington, ever a gentleman, took time in the midst of war, to write and send a letter to General Howe offering to return the dog to General Howe.

Deciding that this would be a great book to read, to say nothing of having something, besides napping, to do all day, she promptly located a copy on line and took off to find my wallet.

Finding my wallet, where I had left it on a low end table, she retrieved a credit card and was about to place her order, using my credit card, when I intercepted her and exited from the site.

My computer now has a new password to access it an my wallet is now stored safely in the top drawer of the dresser when not in my pocket.