As is the case with most pets, Eko's first language is not English.  Body language is the lingua franca for our pets and so we all become experts in the subtleties of our pets' movements.  I bet each and every one of you has had a friend ask, "How did you know your cat was hungry?" or "How did you know your dog needed to go out?"  And I bet almost everyone has at least once answered, "I just know!"

While I could write a thesis on the language of Eko's tail or go on at length about what his different stretches mean, my favorite part of "speaking Eko" is reading his expressive face.  There is one for every occasion.

No matter how many times I say it, the word "treat" will forever bring this earnest expression of awe to Eko's face

 The greater the rotation angle of Eko's head, the more confused he is

Like Michael Jordan, Eko's signature move when playing is sticking his tongue out to the side.  It usually happens right after he realizes that his plan to get another dog to chase him worked

Of course, plans don't always work out and thus we have the "Uh oh, he caught me!" face above

The signature disgruntled look

And the look that Eko uses most?  Probably the "Will, I can't believe I have to put up with you!"

Well, this is what it looks like in my head at least!

Does your pet have any signature looks that you know exactly what they mean?

I would probably pass on playing basketball with a guy who could stand over me, but small dogs seem to be fearless in the face of overwhelming odds 

There is no research whatsoever to back this claim up, but I swear that the smaller a dog actually is, the bigger it thinks it is.  That's convenient for us, because Eko loves playing with small dogs.  I used to worry about it, but I quickly learned that the small pups are often more game than bigger dogs.

Chasing a thief seven times your size is generally ill advised, but this dog was undeterred 

That's no squirrel - that's just one brave pup showing that he can dish it out!

Possibly my favorite little-dog encounter happened the other day in the park.  Eko was lazily trotting around when I saw a little blur come out of nowhere to pounce on him.  Right before my fits of laughter made the camera too shaky to take a decent photo, I managed to get this shot.

Your classic David vs Goliath

While the above battles may appear fierce, they are always good natured romps.  And in the end, Eko always leaves his new friends smiling.

Another satisfied customer of Eko's Playdates

Next time you are overmatched, undersized or the odds are against you, remember the little dogs - I know I will!

Eko can romp with the best of them in the winter.  He loves bounding through the snow, and with his jacket and boots on, Eko is happy to play his head off.  While winter is great, Eko's one true love is summer.  He can ditch the jacket and boots and participate in his favorite activity - sunbathing.  After a long, gray winter, the sun is back and Eko couldn't be happier.

The sun first enters my apartment through the side window, and Eko is always there to greet it with his nose raised

Eko is a reliable sun dial.  He follows the path of the sun throughout the day and in the late afternoon moves to the front window to catch the last light of the day

The past few days here in Chicago have been hot and sunny with some humidity.  The dog park, normally a lively urban jungle, has been quieted by the sudden heat wave.  For dogs and human alike, it seems that the name of the game is "hide in the shade."

Too hot for this little guy

While the rest of us sought shelter from the sun, Eko carefully picked out the biggest patch of sunlight he could find and then happily flopped down to sunbathe on the hot asphalt.

I swear Eko must be part reptile.  No matter how hot it is, he loves laying in the sun

Eko stretched out to maximize his solar accumulation 

At this point, I have to conclude that Eko is a solar panel.  I guess that's where he gets all his energy from!  Now I just need scientists to figure out away to get that energy to run my car.  Get on that one for me, science.

Anyone else have a solar powered pet?

"Little old me cause trouble? Never..."

We all know that pets are great for our metaphorical hearts - dogs are loyal and loving to a fault - I mean, even the Grinch had a faithful pup.  But despite all the momentary cardiac crises listed above it turns out that pets can help contribute to the health of our actual heart.

One out of one Dr. Eko's agree that pets promote a healthy heart

According to a new statement from the American Heart Association, observational evidence suggests that people with dogs likely have a reduced risk of heart disease.  Dogs help people exercise more and a number of studies show that pets in general help people better cope with stress through a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure.  In my favorite study, one group of stockbrokers with hypertension were instructed to adopt a dog or cat.  The stockbrokers with pets were found to react better to stress than the group of stockbrokers with hypertension who did not have a pet.  I just love the image of tough big shot bankers melting in the arms of a pet.

Relaxing in front of a fire with Eko is about as stress free as you can get

As one of the doctors rightly cautions, a pet is by no means a panacea for heart risk and you should never get a pet unless your primary objective is to provide that pet a great home.  But if you do have a pet, "there are plausible psychological, sociological and physiological reasons to believe that pet ownership might actually have a causal role in decreasing cardiovascular risk.”

So next time your pet "nearly gives you a heart attack" remember that overall they are probably doing their part to keep your heart healthy!