Squat and squirt.

Close up of the clouds lit up by the rising sun

Marking my territory.

The oldest lemming has come up with a theory.  

He believes my taking of photographs can be compared to a hound marking it’s territory.   

I think it’s a DREADFUL analagy but he’s sticking to his guns.

He believes that my frequent but erratic stops to point the lens in any direction but my own,

are akin to a hound squatting or lifting it’s leg.  

How absurd.

Without my frequent but erratic pauses there’d be no sunrise moments like this one.

Pointing the lens has it’s merits.

He got me thinking though.

That’s NOT always a good thing.

It necessitates a use, or possible OVER-use of WORDS.

 I’d always assumed that the marking of territory was more a male dominated activity.

But it isn’t.  My research proved me wrong.  

In fact, reality proved me wrong too.

The hound is a past master at the squat and squirt phenomena.

She has it down pat.

Sniff, sniff, squat, squirt.

Repeat ... ad nauseum

When I’m in a hurry to get to the viewsite these frequent squats and squirts can be 

immensely frustrating.  

She isn’t impressed when I try and hurry her along.

The hounds of the male persuasion are very quick to lift and liberally 

dribble over all and ANY scent she might have left behind.

Yes ... I was telling them to give over on the barking!

I’ve always thought it was about domination but research has shown that it’s 

not ONLY about who’s top dog and who’s not. 

Don't know what his name was but he was GORGEOUS!

It’s more about information gathering.

WHO and WHAT has been WHERE.

Scent marking is the kind of signal that can be investigated from a distance without paw to paw confrontation.

Flossie, who won't come out of the water for anyone

Of course it doesn’t stop dominant hounds from acting like energiser bunnies in a dog park.

Naptime buddies

BUT ... do we as humans do it too?  Mark our territory I mean.

This evening's sunset from the yacht club

We don’t squat and squirt like the hound does but we do, 

both consciously and sub-consciously, mark what we perceive to be ours.

The houses we build, the walls we erect around them.  

The invisible walls we erect around ourselves.  

The eye contact we make, or don’t.  

The way we walk.  

The way we talk.  

The way we behave around those we have an attachment to.

Wether it be with awareness or not, we humans DEFINITELY mark our territory!

I still DISAGREE with the oldest lemming’s theory though.

“You have got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was” 

(An Old Irish Proverb)

This chap was so pleased with his catch ... dinner tonight!