Gus has been with us for eight months now, and he is teaching me every day what small dogs are like. Small dogs are not all alike, Boston Terriers are different from other small dogs breeds, but they do tell me something about how the small dog experience is interesting and new.

In the last few years, small dogs have become increasingly popular. The Wall Street Journal reports that the three most popular dogs in America are larger, the next three most popular dogs  are small. As someone who writes about dogs, it is important that I understand what they are about. So I’m doing a series about that here on the blog.

Gus is the first puppy I have ever had that looks like he’s 10 years old. The twinkle in the eye is there, but the face is wise and imperious, not at all puppy like. Gus looked old when he was eight weeks old.

That is part of the mystery of the small dog, nature compensates for their size, of course. They don’t look old or act old, they think of themselves as being big.

The other day, Gus saw a huge lab far down the hill, and before we could move, he roared and took off like a rocket down the road to challenge the big Yellow Lab, who is about 50 times his size.

The small dog things he’s big, but the Yellow Lab often thinks he’s small. When Gus arrived indignantly, barking and demanding that the Lab get off of his road, the Lab started jumping on Gus playfully, and suddenly he became a small dog, shrieking as if he was being murdered.

The Lab, shocked, jumped back and Gus strategically turned and looked back up the road and suddenly realized how far he’d run and then rocketed back up the road to stand behind me and Maria, and bark some more. The Lab, bewildered, turned and ran.

Gus is the first dog who surpasses even the Labs in his recklessness about what he puts in his mouth. He is farm dog, a pasture dog, but has no common sense about what he eats. He will eat anything – wood chips, manure, chicken droppings, dead leaves.

He has a small digestive system which is quite sensitive and he throws up often and with enthusiasm. There are many standard dog treats that are not good for him, I’m down to Dingo Dental Chips, which he seems to handle well.

We actually are considering putting a rubber sheet over the bed when Gus is visiting there. So far, we have become adept at moving quickly when we hear him gulping, we have about 15 seconds to move.

Gus is every bit as smart as the border collies, which surprises me, and a tough more thoughtful. When you talk to him, correct him or yell at him, he tilts his head and very seriously seems to be listening and trying to figure it out.

If he is doing something he shouldn’t be doing, I can say in a slightly raised voice, “Gus, leave it,” and he will drop it and move away. He loves to leap up into my lap and shower me with kisses (sometimes not so welcome after he pasture chow-downs) but before he jumps, he stops and looks. If he sees me with a plate in my lap or a book or phone in my hands, he stops and turns away.

He seems to grasp quite a few words and is instantly responsive to most commands, except for those he doesn’t like. He will not ever be an obedience trial dog.

Gus is as affectionate and demonstrative as any dog I have had. When I was sick last week, he crawled up on the chair I was dozing in, curled up in a ball on my shoulder, and slept with me for hours. That was kind of sweet, and not to many dogs can do that.

He made grunting noises in my ear, which was somehow comforting.