The Blind Spot
You probably already know this, especially if you are a Pug owner, A Blind Spot has one and only one meaning. The place your Pug walks directly behind you so that when you turn around to either side you can’t see them, but if you stop abruptly, you feel them run into the back of your ankle.
As I did my research for this little story, I found quite a few different meanings and applications for the phrase, blind spot. For example, a severely shortened Wikipedia definition, says: A blind spot, scotoma, is an obscuration of the visual field. As I mentioned, I shortened this. If you want the entire definition, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_spot_%28vision%29
There is also, “The Blind Spot” http://www.blindspot.com/ a pretty cool bi-yearly photography magazine. You could view a TV series called “Blindspot”. Of course, there is a book, “Blind Spot, Hidden Biases of Good People”. There is even a blind spot in driving. This is most likely the most common and popular meaning.
Finally, if you search long enough you can find a blind spot in psychology, in a movie, a blind spot mirror, and an optic nerve. I’m sure you get it by now.
Back to the Pugs. Have you ever wondered why they gravitate to our blind spot? Is it a genetic thing? Do they learn it in Pug Puppy School? Do they have to get a certification before they are allowed to own a person? I imagine if we searched hard enough we could go to The State of Georgia’s website, or any state for that matter, and see a link that would lead a Pug to a link, “Blind Spot Certification”
When they go to this site, they would probably have to pay a $25 dollar fee and complete an online test. Hopefully, it is a pay-if-you-pass type of test. I imagine it would look something like this...
True or False? The blind point in medical literature, is the place in the visual field that corresponds to the lack of light-detecting photoreceptor cells on the optic disc of the retina where the optic nerve passes through the optic disc?
True or False? The blind spot is located about 12–15° nasal and 1.5° below the horizontal and is roughly 7.5° high and 5.5° wide?
True or False? You should make sure to run into your human?
True or False? You must pay $25 to get your “Blind Spot” Certification?
Once the online stuff is done, they would then have to complete an in-Pug person test. The Pug would have to wait at the Pug Services Division at the DMV for half a day and pass a DMV instructor-administered blind spot test.
Now the DMV instructor-administered test probably would look a little like this:
The blind Spot instructor must first put on his safety gear. Knee pads, check! Elbow pads, check! Crash helmet, check!
The Pug must put on his safety gear too. A nose pad for multiple crashes into the instructor's leg, ankle, and heel.
The instructor will have the Pug perform a few tasks, like. Walk 10’ in a straight line without making their collar jingle.
Next, the Pug must sit for 2 min without snorting, snorkeling, or making any pug noises.
Finally, the Pug must pass the labyrinthine obstacle course. This is the most grueling test of all. Walk behind the instructor for 17 minutes without being seen or heard. The instructor will navigate around some cone obstacles, stop suddenly every now and then, and will move at different speeds.
If and when the Pug passes these two tests he/she will be granted their Pug Blind Spot Certificate. Which, by the way, is scented with pork and eventually gets eaten. That is why there is never any evidence of the physical certificate
If you think about it…
…it really is an art form. And don’t you think it is cool that your Pug loves you enough to go through all this to become certified to walk with you in this very unique way?
What a creative way to add variety and adventure to your walks. And face it, if they didn’t do this and cause you to trip and fall over every now and then you wouldn’t find all the missing stuff that ended up on the floor under your couch and tables or your bed!