There is a show that I get to be front and center for that I have come to call “Crazy Time.” I have the best seat in the house, because I am alone at this early hour of the day watching this Crazy Time. I have invited others to wake and witness the twenty minute rambunctious throw-down. The rest of the house is usually asleep or just getting up, but somehow misses the wild west show downstairs. “I am not exaggerating,” I tell them. It is pure nutsville.

Starts like this: Summer calls out from her crate to let me know they both are ready to be up. If I am lucky that is after sunrise which has been 6:00 am. If I am extraordinarily fortunate, which has only been a couple days so far, her barking begins closer to 6:30. Thank you for that sleep in morning! They hear my footsteps and begin dancing in their crates excitedly. Like the moment the horses bolt out of the gates, the second I lift the latch the dogs bound out of the opened wire crate doors. I quickly open the backdoor and they rush out to the garden to relieve themselves. They are just as eager to come show me some morning love since it has been over six hours since our last snuggles.

Then they quench their thirst at the water bowls and come back for more kisses with dripping chin whiskers. I rub their fluffy fur coats, and nuzzle their sweet faces. They are both very affectionate towards me, eager to be pulled into a soft embrace from mama. We go on like this for a few minutes, then they are ready to eat. They go right to their food bowls and sit in anticipation. While they gobble down breakfast, I make myself coffee to get ready for the show.

About twenty-four years ago, there was a show we called “Crazy Boy.” It was short-lived but hilarious. Our son was in the high chair at the time. I’m not sure how it began, but I know this, all we had to do is say “Do crazy boy” and he would spaz out and shake his head and then stop. Normally an even-tempered toddler, these particular words triggered a response. I am embarrassed to admit that we showed this to family and friends that visited the house. Hey everyone watch this, “Do crazy boy!” Thank God we stopped that and he grew out of it. He’s in his twenties now, so hopefully it’s out of his system.

Koda and Summer have digested their food and head over to the the rug area. This is the beginning of Crazy Time. I am tired so I find a place to sit on the sofa. They lose interest with me as I don’t let them jump up, and can sense my energy is not in sync with theirs. They are ready to play, and to play hard! Koda uses his bulky body and Summer uses her agility and speed. Round and round they go. Exchanging short staccato barks. Each with a different pitch, Summer higher, Koda deeper and gravelly. They bite the other’s long tail, using their teeth only so much until the other says it’s to hard. The vet actually told us this is how they learn the power of their jaws and not to bite too hard. Open mouthed, and gnawing, they twist and turn in a tangle of black fur. Then they are up, pouncing, racing around the table, under the chair, under my legs, across the slippery wood floor of the kitchen, then back to the carpet.

From the words of Patches O’Houlihan, “The 5 D’s: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.” These puppies are in full Crazy Time mode for fifteen to twenty minutes. Then for whatever reason they both get pooped out and just lie down and fall asleep right there on the same rug where the big time wrestling just took place.

A few minutes later my daughter or my husband comes down and sees the calm sleeping puppies. I am sitting there, exhausted from the early morning wake up and brawl. We are the picture of peace and serenity, sweet Summer and Koda dozing below my pajama-clad legs as I sit with a mug of warm coffee. No evidence of Crazy Time here.