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Sara Chant has been an associate professor of philosophy at MU for two years. As she talks about her job and marriage, Alexander the Great peeks out from behind her.
Alexander the Great, whom Chant affectionately calls Xandy Pants, is one of her five Great Danes. The other four are all from rescue organizations.
- While Sara Chant turns her back to boil water for coffee, Alexander gracefully leaps up to the kitchen faucet to take advantage of the running water. "When 'Xander (short for Alexander) and I moved to Texas for a year, he decided he would only drink fresh water. And I mean fresh. He went on a water strike," she said. "On the few occasions I would leave him alone at home, I would have to leave the water running for him. He just wouldn't drink water that had been sitting in a bowl."
- While Sara Chant lectures about arguments from design in her Introduction to Philosophy class, Alexander keeps an eye on the 235 students in the room. "Alexander has taught with me at Florida State and Texas Tech. The students really enjoy having him in class, and sometimes I'll get in trouble if I don't bring him," she said. One of her students met her for office hours a few weeks ago, and was surprised to see Alexander by her side at the office as well. The student asked if 'Xander had separation anxiety. "No, I do," she answered.
- Alexander wanders up and down the aisles between seats in Sara Chant's Introduction to Philosophy course. Students will often give him a pat on the head and take notes at the same time.
“I’m not sure why I fell in love with Great Danes,” she says. “I guess I just think that your pets should be as big as you are.”
Chant and her husband, who is also a philosophy professor, live on a farm just outside of Columbia. They have a lot of land, but all of their dogs are “inside dogs.”
They have several leather couches and plenty of open space in their house.
Chant and Alexander previously taught at Texas Tech and Florida State universities.
“The students really enjoy having him in class,” she says. “In fact, I’ve gotten in trouble before for not bringing him with me.”
Chant says that Alexander is in love with her, but she is in love with him as well.
“Danes bond very strongly with one individual. That’s what makes them such great pets,” she says as Alexander casts longing looks at her from across the room.
Comments
How absolutely cute is this story?!?! Nice job, Katie. I love the quote about separation anxiety!
I adore this story. You can see Alexander's "longing looks" through the photos, which adds so much to the story. Love it!