Dog Poop

"Touch Spotz butt.  Touch it! Touch it! Go... touch!  Dog poop!  Touch the poop.  Spotz!  Stop pooping! Eat the poop. "  We hear these phrases with loads of giggles multiple times a day.  It all started with our stay in Georgia last spring.  We went to the local playground and there was a piece of dog poop some irresponsible dog owner had left on the mulch.  Ever since then it has been the phrase she has said when there is nothing else to say "Dog poop."

When we got the dog in May the obsession actually decreased for awhile, but then it picked up.
"This is?" pointing to the dog's anus.
'I'm not going to answer.' I think to myself
"This is? This is?  THIS IS???"
After relentless questioning  I finally decide to answer. "His butt.".
"Touch Spotz butt!"  She says and giggles like crazy.
She will get down on the floor just to get a good view of his anatomy.  Unfortunately, his tail is always upright, giving her full view. 
Yes, I know that she does this to get a rise out of us.  We've tried the extinction thing.  Ignoring, ignoring, ignoring.  But in the end, she finds the idea so entertaining that it doesn't matter how we react.  Just saying it to herself makes her giggle like crazy. 
We've scolded her, we've threatened to send Spotz away.  The latter response sometimes gets her to stop temporarily, but she's at it again a little later. I'm not sure what to make of this.  One part of me says "Toilet and anatomy humor is something we all have laughed at at some point in our lives, especially when when we are kids and heck, the dog doesn't seem to mind." But I also worry about limits of this fascination. If she thinks it's funny to stare at and talk about touching the dog's butt, is she going to think it's funny when it comes to another person?  No, that hasn't happened, but recognizing appropriate limitations has never been her strength.  Maybe now's, the time to make it clear that this behavior will not be tolerated. But how do we make it clear?  Punish her severely?  That may make her recognize that we don't like it, but what will it really teach her?  I wish I could sit her down and explain that it would NEVER be okay for someone to look at or touch her that way, and it is NEVER okay to do that to another person.  I wish I could  tell her that although looking at a dog like that is different than looking at a person like that, it's still rude and shouldn't be done.
Last Friday was a teacher work day.   I took Naomi out and the days was filled with "Dog poop" and "Spotz butt" and loads of giggles.  Toward the end of the day she got quiet and serious and I worried. "Naomi are you okay?"
"You're okay." She would seriously mutter.  She continued to stay still and serious.  I worry at these times because I know from past experience that still and serious usually mean that she's ruminating about something.  This is a signal that her mood is changing.  What follows up.... Well, it's just not pretty.  I actually considered distracting her by asking about 'Spotz butt.' 
This was when my concern changed.  At first, I was worried about how 'appropriate' her fascination with "Spotz butt"  and "Spotz poop" were and how that thinking may carry over, but now as I watched her verge of a dark mood, I would gladly welcome some toilet humor.  My concern over 'appropriateness' seemed small and insignificant.
This situation made me consider how much time Naomi has to spend just thinking to herself.   People who can't carry on a conversation, follow a story on TV or  read a book spend a lot of time with their own thoughts.  For anyone this is challenging.  A recent study showed that most people find it hard just be alone and think for just a few minutes.  In fact, many people in the study preferred to give themselves electric shocks rather than than just be alone in their heads.  How much time, every day, do I expect Naomi to be alone in her head?  Even though we go out into the world much of the time, she still is expected to keep herself entertained by her own thoughts a great deal.  It's inevitable and it's tough.  So with this in mind, I've changed my position on endless jabbering about "Spotz butt" and "Spotz poop."  If it amuses her, keeps her happy and bridges the time between one activity and the next, then it's okay with me.  Sure, people in the grocery store will give us strange looks and I still will look out for any similar fascinations with human anatomy, but like so many things we worry about, it may not ever even happen. Think about whatever keeps you happy, girl!