....a few comments:

        1. I was indeed able to write to 0x81h directly to set the
option register.

        2. I hope Microchip doesn't obsolete this function, as the will
have to provide another
                means to configure the watchdog.

        3. Last evening I answered my own question, the watchdog timer
is turned on by
                writing to the special functions register in location
2007h in the PIC16C63.

                This can be done at the  programmer, or via the
following command:

                __config H'0004'

Thanks again for all your replies!!!!