Barking must mean something

I fear I may be missing the message.

For his entire life, my dog Ace has played second and third fiddle to other dogs. Going on nine now, he’s entering the twilight of his undistinguished career.

While his nose is money, his aversion to retrieving meant he always had to hunt with another dog, preferably one that would retrieve. A close-worker, he Hoovers the cover immediately in front of me, fearing, perhaps, that if he didn’t, I might step on a bird.

If a bird happens to cross our path, he’ll pick up the scent and follow it, but he never wanders far from my side.

Ace slobbers, is seldom clean...