She Howled in her Dream State

We adopted this Border Collie four months ago. She’s reportedly six years old.

She’s mellow, people-centric, couldn’t care less about other dogs.

I’ve heard her bark. Saved for rare occasions.

I’ve heard her “chuff” – her half bark, half warning, half exhalation.

I’ve heard her teeth “chomp” as she loves to bite falling raindrops, hail pellets, snow, dust particles.

I’ve heard her snarl and gnash teeth on occasion, passing an aggressive neighbor dog behind a fence.

But last night, at about two in the morning…I woke up…just before she howled.

It was a two-tiered howl. Hitting the high note and cascading down…smooth with no tremolo…the second one followed immediately.

It was the first time I heard her do this.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. 

I knew there was no need to be startled. Our dog was fine, she did not need comforting.

It was over quickly, just the two cascading howls. But it took me much longer to ponder the source and response.

I assumed she was sleeping and therefore dreaming.

What dream could generate a howling response?

Did she howl lying down? Did she stand up? (We couldn’t see her.)

We have commented to one another that her outline and body language at times resembles that of a wolf. 

However, until she howled, I hadn’t thought that much of the shared traits.

It was at once startling, primitive, primal, bone-chilling and beautiful.

I was briefly in the realm of something extremely ancient.

It took a while before I could fall asleep again.

Channeling kindred spirits can stimulate the brain.

This morning, I held her chin in my hand, her soulful brown eyes piercing mine and asked her.

But she’s not talking.