dogs might fly...

Cool runnings

2011-03-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

As usual, I probably shouldn't bring misfortune upon myself by saying this, but I think Sam has become a rather good off-leash dog. I can take him places I wouldn't earlier -- the walk by the river, for instance, knowing that he won't disappear into it, or onto the bike path. He actually does come when I call. He may scare some ducks, but he doesn't chase them -- and so far, he hasn't been chased by a swan, either.

Of course, I'm not trusting my own voice entirely. When I panic, so does the voice. So I always bring my little whistle with me, and Sam faithfully responds to both.

(well, that, and the lure of treats)

Twinkle, twinkle

2011-01-06T13:39:00.001-08:00

Christmas brought a tiny blinking light for Sam. A useful gadget, I thought, for keeping track of him in the dark. With his white, light tan, grey and black coat, he has a habit of merging with the landscape, especially when he's running in the darkness amongst yellowed grass, black trees, white snow and grey mud.

So on the first walk of the new year, I turned on the blink, attached it to his collar, and let him go on a test run. The light lasted for about 30 seconds. Then half of it got bounced off by Sam's enthusiastic running, and was lost somewhere in the undergrowth and darkness. It was a cheap gadget, but I don't think I'd be able to afford it at such a replacement rate.

Today, I went back to my old tricks instead: Sam has a red harness with reflective trim. Amazingly, although in a way it's darker than him, it made it easier to see him running in the dark. Perhaps it broke his camouflage, although it did make him look a little bit like a zebra.

The harness and the jangling of his collar and tag lasted the whole walk. I would have been better off using that blinking light as an ornament on my Christmas tree.

All white

2011-01-05T15:40:00.000-08:00

well... almost all white. perhaps next year he'll manage the art of camouflage completely?

oh yays!

2010-11-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

Sam's itchings cleared in less than a week. yay! the pill and gel combo probably helped, as well as avoiding any more shampooings. i cut a little more of his thick fluffy fur though, and i'm glad i didn't have to do more. shaved furmonster just isn't right!

i had to skip the vet followup appointment on account of my own health, and since Sam was clearly on the mend, didn't bother to reschedule. i hope the vet can live with the hanging plotline...

oh noes!

2010-11-10T06:51:00.000-08:00

Sam has been spectacularly good lately, so providing no amusing anecdotes for my blog. another plausible explanation is that we've gotten so used to his antics we hardly remark upon them anymore.

well, this week marks the end of that. something is being naughty, but we can't really blame Sam. he has a skin problem. i took him to the vet because i thought he'd injured himself on barbed wire, or something like that. when he shaved off some of Sam's thick, fluffy fur, we realised he had little sores all over his shoulder (after i'd taken him home, i found more all over his back). he suggested flea allergy, but the husband and i are discussing alternative possibilities: the ripe cow muck he rolled in last week? the sweet-smelling shampoo the dog walker used to get it off him? (that didn't quite work, quite the way. we got perfume mixed with barn smell instead).

currently, i'm feeding Sam delicious meals mixed with foul-tasting pills -- i know they must be bad because Sam, who gobbles up his deworming tablets, carefully licks bits of these pills clean. and putting special vet-prescribed cream on his poor, spotted skin. our poor, mangy-looking dog is getting a royal treatment, and quite enjoying it.

snoozies

2010-08-16T02:47:00.000-07:00

that's what holidays are for, aren't they? Sam found a perfect spot. in the holiday home, the garden was built in two levels. the lawn was on the upper level, which meant Sam could lie down comfortably and still survey everything. he never let down his guard! not once! well, maybe once.

dog-friendly holiday homes

2010-08-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

this is the first thing i'll be looking for from now on: whether a place for rent welcomes pets or not. our grat experience with Direct Whitby Accommodation was something we'd like to repeat. the cottage we rented from them was so friendly the welcome pack included dog biscuits and fresh water. in contrast, i've seen cottages where they offer contact with animals, but people's own pets. for shame! i could never leave Sam behind just so i could cavort around with some real huskies.

the only problem with our dog-friendly accommodation was that we had to vacuum the dog hairs before we left. okay, this wasn't a very big problem, although it did refresh our satisfaction with living in a non-carpeted house back home. it also brought home an understanding of why some dogs go mad around vacuum cleaners. the one we have at home is really rather silent and nice, and Sam hardly reacts to it, apart from inhaling its interesting smells. the cottage one was big, loud and blaring, and caused everyone to become quite skittish.

Sam on vacation.

virgin voyage

2010-08-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Sam has gone through a lot of firsts lately, thanks to joining us on vacation (that was also a first). most importantly, perhaps: his first journey aboard public transport. he'd been on a bus before, but only for a few stops. the journey now in question would last for about two and a half hours.

we had two options: bus or train. we thought he'd be less upset by motor movements on the train, but that journey did involve a change and a forty-minute wait at an unknown railway station. if it was going to be big and busy, that would be a very long wait. so we went for the direct bus, and comically, had to wait for an hour at the bus stop because it was delayed.

while waiting, we overheard some old ladies talking (loudly) about how the bus driver would surely not let us on with that big beast, when there was bound to be a lot of children on board. with time (it was a long wait), they changed their tune and were full of praise for how calm Sam was, and when the bus finally did arrive, one of them attempted to help us by "directing" him onto the bus.

we had feared crowds (unknown to us, we'd booked our cottage for the start of the school holidays), but fortunately, there were a lot of empty places. they only happened to be upstairs. we climbed up to the deck without problems (down was a different story), and found ample space at the back. Sam used all the legroom to sprawl in. on the entire ride, he got a little anxious and curious about what was outside the windows a few times, but apart from that was a big, furry angel.

the problems only began after we'd alighted from the bus and had to find our way through crowds of people to a cottage we only knew from maps. i committed assault on a man by smashing Sam into him, all in an attempt to get him out of the way of an alsatian (remember those?) that looked suspiciously out of control. after that, i kept him (Sam, that is) on a short and tight leash, and avoided further mishaps... but feared how we'd get anywhere in that town.

fortunately, we found the cottage where a bowl of water and some dog biscuits were waiting for us. also some human bisucits, which we ate gratefully.

every. time.

2010-07-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

i give Sam yummy stick of chewing. he chews the chew with deep concentration as i prepare for bed, dress down, tuck under...
...and then he races down the stairs, and back up again, and comes to the bedroom door, whimpering in a pityful way.
"what do you want, lummox?" i ask, affectionately. not that i need to. it's clear what he wants.

i get up, trudge down the stairs, and open the door into the rainy garden, which Sam enters like a bullet. the garden he'd shown no interest in in the many hours before bedtime. i watch him disappear into the darkness, and settle down to wait.

why do i fall for it every time? he surely doesn't need to "do" anything out there, all he wants to do is play in the rain with all his chew stick energy, and perhaps "reward" me with some rainswept evening entertainment.

but i'd bet that if i one night decided to ignore his request, he'd have an accident some way or another. because that's just the kind of dog he is.

cheerleading

2010-06-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

i've heard about dogs that get nervous if you stare at their food, or won't eat if there's anyone around. because i used to think Sam was a nervous dog -- hah! -- i would often serve his food in a different room, then leave to give him some privacy.

well, now he's on a complete dry food diet and the last thing anyone should do is leave the room. in fact, there are days when he won't eat unless he's accompanied by at least one human who patiently listens to his crunching. usually it's my daughter, who fortunately likes perching on the stairs or whatever, observing him. then she'll fill his bowl with toys and try serving it to him as a dessert.

dogs in training

2010-06-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

in norway, where one might occasionally meet a bear, hunting dogs are tested against this rather cozy brown fellow. as is evident, many of them are hesitant about the furry fellow.

the problem with dog dangers -- as seen by us and by them -- is that they can appear infrequently and unpredictably, so that there's often no time to get the dog used to them (if it's not really a threat) or taught to avoid them (if it is). where, for instance, can i get a steady supply of model planes or passing hot air balloons? and why do the dogs Sam is scared of always appear when i have little or no treats to distract him with?

perhaps i should construct some cats and dogs on wheels, after all. but wheely flying machines?

on second thought...

2010-05-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

i needn't have worried about Sam's energy levels.

not about his energy levels being low, at any rate.

comments disabled on account of repeated attempts to sell me chinese spam.

a dog called Rabbit

2010-05-02T04:30:00.000-07:00

i'm not sure if Sam's fully alright after his stay in the kennel. he seems so subdued. either he's matured a lot, or he's a wee bit under the weater. or, as the husband claims, he's in starvation mode. we've dropped the wet food from his diet, and there's only so much dry food he will eat in one go.

however, i'm still willing to give the first theory its time. the reason is that Sam's relation to other dogs has really improved while he's been away, playing with the other kennelees. he basically knows how to meet and greet other dogs now.

the first demonstration came on our first walk together, when we met another dog. did Sam lie down, refusing to meet the other dog? no. did he try to flee? certainly not. did he leap towards the other one? well, he did turn towards it slightly, eager to have a good sniffff, but didn't pull and certainly didn't leap.

this could just have been natural progression, as Sam has been getting steadily better in relation to other dogs as he's gotten more used to seeing them. however, the true test came yesterday. i spotted someone walking three dogs a bit up the road. unsurprisingly, it was the Dog Lady. she had her two regular dogs, and a little shih tzu called Rabbit.

Sam approached the little pack with some apprehension -- ears down, body curled inwards and so on. he wagged slightly as he approached, then wagged more as he greeted his old friend Nanook. and then he greeted Rabbit. the two of them clicked instantly, and there was a lot of sniffing. however, what i'd come to expect did not happen.

in earlier times, Sam has become quite excited with such a meetingg. sooner or later, he would start leaping around like a... well, rabbit. this time, the whole thing was a very civilised affair. there's been a great change. hopefully, it's his brain that has improved, and not his health that has declined!

hello postman

2010-04-23T03:20:00.000-07:00

Sam is back from a month-long stay in a kennel. poor chap, he has both picked up a runny tummy and an, um, bedsore? on one leg. this despite it being a really good establishment which lets dogs run loose and play several times a day. we're not leaving him anywhere for a long time.

he celebrated his return by greeting the postman across the fence. as can be expected, this man was a wee bit nervous about being approaced by such a ferocious-looking dog. fortunately, he soon realised the goodness of Sam's intentions, and gave him a pat. we're rebuilding trust between canines and mail carriers, one sniff at a time.

neighbours

2010-03-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

Sam's out in the garden, investigating barks from the house next door. some new people have just moved in, and they appear to have a dog -- as well as a cat, a white one which showed up outside the other night as we let Sam out and was unusually calm around such a big, monstrous dog.

unlike the cat, we've barely caught a glimpse of the dog, and heard little from it. until today. it seems to be saying "woe! ay am bored and lonely," poor thing. well, there's not much we can do about that, although i'm sure Sam would love to entertain it. fortunately, he tends towards the strong and silly type, so he'll run up and down the garden a bit, jumping on the fence if he's very intrigued, but he won't bark back.

photo Through the fence (cc-by-nc-sa) by Chromewavesdotorg.

brave dogs

2010-02-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

our Sam is much better now, thankyouverymuch. in fact, he's feeling positively frisky. who jumps over the little fence i erected to protect my kitchen garden, light as a feather? Sam. (quite elegantly too, i must admit) who locks himself into the bathroom and does nefarious deeds with toiletries? Sam. and who sneaks into the bedroom and lugs away heaps of clothing? why do i even bother to ask?

if Sam falls ill again because he's eaten another sock, i'll say he deserves it. here's another, much tougher canine who definitely did not deserve being Mauled By A Wolf -- Twice!

Bella the dunker was first bitten by a wolf while hunting with her owner in the norwegian forest. a fortnight later, on a trip to the forest, she was badly bitten once again. clever vets managed to patch her up, and the 7-year old bitch should be on the mend now. (story and photo from nrk.no, a norwegian news source)

maybe a wolf can help me contain my naught wolf-wannabe?

oh, bother.

2010-01-28T06:49:00.000-08:00

Sam was remarkably docile on his morning walk today. usually he's full of beans and butterflies, charging ahead to snif at something, careening in front of me if something catches his eye. we're working on this. however, this morning it seemed like no work was needed -- he walked to heel like a lamb, or a sheepdog.

only when he started munching grass did i put that together with his smelly farts and realise he might be a bit under the weather. a bit later, i got solid evidence -- erh, in fact, liquid solid evidence.

when we got home he seemed happy enough sunning himself in the front yard. but he still refused my yoghurt treats and his meal. now he's curled up into a sad ball of doghood. hopefully, his tummy will become better soon, or it may be treatment time.

Luath night

2010-01-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

our scottish friends Martha and Bailey make the excellent point that while humans celebrate Robert Burns, dogs should glory in the memory of his sheepdog Luath.

He was a gash an' faithfu' tyke,
As ever lap a sheugh or dyke.
His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face
Aye gat him friends in ilka place;
His breast was white, his touzie back
Weel clad wi' coat o' glossy black;
His gawsie tail, wi' upward curl,
Hung owre his hurdie's wi' a swirl.

from "The Twa Dogs"

Sam does no poetry, but i'm sure i can get him to sing a little and raise his paws for the bard of hounds... or the hound of the bard.

positive thinking

2010-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

meeting another dog accompanied by Sam has always been interesting. he used to be scared, to the point of wanting to flee, whenever we met -- or even just saw -- another dog on our walks. once, faced with an enthusiastic free-running dog, he broke the lead and tore off -- fortunately down a cul-de-sac and not into the ill-fated big road.

he gradually calmed down enough to just lie down whenever he saw anything canine. he looked like a rather fetching furry rug, but was impossible to get up until the menace had passed... unless, that is, he unexpectedly LEAPT at the other dog, making it scamper.

so, scared or scary, Sam has been a far cry from the "polite" and "well-behaved" dog we'd like to see. in part because of this, he's often walked at unsociable hours, or in fairly deserted areas.

yesterday, the two of us took the road less travelled, a path next to a bird sanctuary which was even partially flooded. and... we met a dog. a happy black lab, which splashed through the water ahead of its owner, then came out of the brush to have a look at us.

now, usually i have Sam on a fairly tight leash when we're approached by other dogs. and yes, i do feel anxious about what he may unexpectedly do next. then, however, i just felt calm. i greeted the dog happily, and so did Sam. just a polite nose sniff -- no jostling, and absolutely no jumping. the lab's owner even praised him for being such a nice big dog.

i can't guarantee that the next time we meet a dog it will be in such a relaxed situation as this. but i hope so, and if it is, i'll be confident Sam will behave -- and he will.

below freezing

2010-01-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

for those of you who have been distracted by the recent floods in Africa, i can tell you that Europe has had its share of dramatic weather too, stuck under a spell of cold, and ice, and snow.

Sam the Snowdog hasn't minded this course of climactic events one bit. he's spent many long, happy hours out in the garden, just Being with the snow. but best of all is a big, open field full of fresh, fluffy snow. watching him trying to sniff, eat and run in the snow at the same time is very entertaining.

on the day when i took him to the big stray as a real treat, i noticed with surprise that the river had just frozen. i then watched as Sam zipped joyously back and forth on the white expanse of fun.

then he zoomed past me and down the bank. he didn't come back straight away, so i followed, to see what he'd found. it turned out he'd discovered about ice. he was out on it. ouch.

i called on him and hurried down towards the river. as i passed a tree, the ice must have broken, for when i was past it he was in a big black hole of water. only his head was sticking out.

i held out the treat i'd planned to use to lure him off the ice, and called and called. Sam made a heroic effort, but only managed to make a bigger hole. he rested his head on the ice. now i was really worried. had he given up?

a passing dog walker on the other bank -- which Sam was closer to -- got hold of a life buoy, but it was not of much use, as Sam was still too far away, and neither of us could get to him. the man's little dog looked worried at Sam's head in the water. i told them to keep going, i'd call someone if Sam didn't get out on his own. i also promised that i wouldn't try to jump in after him.

somehow, i thought i'd have better luck from the other side, so i ran back into the park, across the old railway bridge, jumped down onto the road and crossed it. in the river i saw... an empty hole. ouch again.

but wait. there was a set of tracks leading towards the hole, and another one, which must surely be leading out of it? and who was that on the other side, who was happily responding to my calls? SAM! panic must have given him wings. or perhaps he hadn't put down his head in despair, but to rest, or test the ice.

he was bouncing anxiously, wanting to get to me. once again in a panic, i told him to stay, stay, i really don't want you to go back onto the ice, you know. and funnily enough, he was content not to test it again.

now i had to go the long route around some houses to get back across the bridge and fetch Sam. as i was leaving, i saw him heading towards the bridge himself -- perhaps he was coming to meet me? another worry, as a happy, bouncy dog on snowy roads where there are cars is not such a good thing, either.

but i got back over the bridge without meeting Sam. where was he now? once again i called, and now he came running right up to me for a joyous reunification. i clipped on his leash and we hurried home, where he was wiped with two towels until his thick fur was only a little bit damp.

and then he wanted to go out and play in the snow again.

how many lives does that dog have? hopefully, at least the same amount of lives as a cat, or he'll be in serious trouble soon with his luck.

happy new year!

2010-01-01T14:48:00.000-08:00

Sam is back from a most pleasant kennel stay, and has these new year's resolutions:
1. eat.
2. sleep.
3. finish off that blasted mattress so he can get a real dog bed.

oh, that Sam. always so ambitious!

a useful skill

2009-12-19T02:05:00.000-08:00

this was Sam's first trick, figured out shortly after arriving with us, and kept honed because it brings its own reward. this is the first time i captured the whole thing...

a tale of fire and ice

2009-12-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

when Sam came out one morning, he found that the water in one of his many storage containers was frozen. his immediate reaction was, naturally, to eat it.

a few days later, to his great and ecstatic joy, Sam found the ground covered in schnow! his initial was, naturally, to eat it.

after that, however, he turned into a snowdog once again. today, he's been out more than indoors. snow is just so much fun!

Sam, you're fired!

2009-12-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

during his year with us Sam has definitely found his voice. i remember how, when he was living in the rescue kennel, he would jump up and down on the door to show how pleased he was to see us, but never bark like the other dogs did. after we took him home, he would howl sadly at night until he realised that we hadn't really left him for good.

it was a good while before he actually barked, but now he has figured it out. he'll bark if there's someone at the door, or something which makes noise in the street, but most of all he'll bark when Great Leader is coming home.

Sam's bark is quite loud, and a bit annoying if there's nothing to worry about. still, it can be useful to have a noisy dog -- a guard who'll deter thieves and other rabble, we thought.

then, my bike was stolen from just outside our door one night, and Sam didn't say a thing. it was my mistake, however, because i hadn't locked it, and someone could easily have been off with it without making much of an aural impression.

however! today, i discovered that someone had tried to take my two-week old replacement bike as well. this time, it was chained to the fence, and so the would-be thief had only succeeded in dislocatign the seat while trying to get it off.

this bike is also located right next to the outer door. and what did Sam do while this epic battle took place? he was an upside-down dog on his bed upstairs, and raised neither head nor voice. as a guard dog, he is a complete and utter failure!

fields of dog

2009-12-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

well, the wetness has not converted into fluffy mist and drifted off as clouds, or even dropped down as snow. instead it makes mud. glorious mud, i'm sure, if you're a dog. if there ever was any doubt (there wasn't), Sam is a real, mud-loving dog.

unusually for us, we went to a big, popular play field during dog-walking time. we met three old friends, of which two are dogs, on their way home. Sam had a glorious run, but stayed on the extendable lead since the field is open to traffic, and we know how mad/unlucky he can be.

so we galloped and leapt a bit. i was unwisely wearing light trousers, which were soon covered by a fetching pattern of mud droplets. Sam's underbelly went from white to dark chocolate.

image by Aaron Landry on flickr.

as we were about to leave, a little jack russell came up to us. it was so quick i hadn't had time to reduce Sam's lead length, and so he pounced, and the little dog scampered. Sam couldn't follow, obviously, so of course the terrier came back for more. Sam jumped, and she ran. rinse (impossible in all that mud) and repeat, while i exchanged grins with her (Polly, i think) owner. it seemed like they both had great fun, and i was pleased to see that this dog, at least, understood Sam's playful intentions. i know he's not out to harm, but i haven't been sure if strange dogs saw it that way... or their owners.

back home, i got Sam into the bath tub immediately. he was remarkably quiet and tolerant about being hosed down, perhaps because he already was soaking wet. or maybe he doesn't think chocolate suits him?

rivers of mud

2009-12-01T14:18:00.000-08:00

the rain from last month seems to have continued into this one, with an added layer of frost to the mud. nice. i feel double virteous for braving both wet and cold to give sam his ~~daily~~ nightly constitutional.

our riverside walk was flooded:

we walked there a few days ago, and it was very muddy. sam loved it, i didn't -- even though i now know that my trainers are water proof.

however, we have other places to walk. and even walking by the road takes twice as long when it rains, because the wetness seems to bring out an array of intriguing smells in every bush, nook and paving stone. after smelling these, sam would rather mark them as well -- a way of saying "first", perhaps? or just a dog LOL?

what happened?

2009-11-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

the funny thing about growth and progress is that they're very often unremarkable, seeming to taking place at night or when you're not looking. this could explain how Sam could sneakily turn into quite a Good Dog without us noticing.

i mean... a while ago, it was with great trepidation i released him on a dog-free green. amazingly, nothing bad happened. i quickly put the leash back on to ensure this state of affairs.

on the next trip, i dared to let him run for a bit longer. and the next. now Sam regularly runs free on our walks -- still when no other dogs are around, as i'm not totally sure i can get him back if he decides he wants to play, but apart from that with a pretty good recall. yay!

the other things we only realise when we stop to think: he's okay to be left alone. he is calm in the bath. he doesn't eat our stuff (but things which are yet unclaimed, such as mail and new purchases, are still fair game). we're even on the way to play a proper game of Fetch!

recall & recoil

2009-10-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

i shed my chicken-hood today and let sam off the lead for the first time in a long while, he rewarded me with a perfect recall, even from quite a distance, when he'd found a nice scent leading into the bushes. very pleased am i! sam, too, was ecstatic about being able to run around in circles, jump and crawl without being hindered by a leash. we kept the session short for now, however (to the protest of my daughter, who loves seeing him run wildly), as i didn't want to push my luck. a lot of practice is still needed to proof the recall.

i don't know if sam has become more jumpy lately or if i simply take him walking when and where there are jumpyfying things, but he has had a few frights recently. in addition to the terrifying groups of children, there was a model plane that was circling him exactly like an eagle. luckily i had him on a lead, or he'd have run right into a busy road to escape from it. later, while he was still jiterry, an ice cream van that emitted LOUD NOISES. actually, that one made me jump as well. maybe if i use it a couple of times to buy him ice cream he'll grow to like it...

warm welcomes

2009-10-02T07:41:00.002-07:00

we had to leave Sam in a kennel again for a week's vacation. the house we rented didn't allow pets and, um, the Great Leader felt like a break from being Great. the kennel we'd used last time didn't have any room, so we went with another one which we'd really liked the look of on our first search. we couldn't quite remember why, but we were getting desperate (we'd left the arrangements a bit late). as the date and hour approached for the pick-up from the kennels, we hesitated and fretted. we hadn't even visited, the way we did last time. we didn't know if they'd be right for Sam, or if he'd bowl them over -- literally -- or not.

then the kennel owner arrived, and all doubts were forgotten. Sam, who's often scared of strange men, cozied up to his legs like an oversized cat. he then strained to follow the chap (as well as Great Leader, carrying his food) to his car, and jumped into the travelling crate. amazing! we suddenly remembered why we'd picked that kennel -- they really seemed to like dogs there. these things often work in reverse as well.

we enjoyed our holiday, hoping Sam did his -- and, suprise, he did. he came back looking sleek and fit -- they exercise dogs on enclosed grassy land there, meaning they can run free even if they're as lousy returners as Sam -- and smelling of shampoo. yup, that's right. not poo at all. as i walked him, i noticed he seemed to have become even more keen to roll in smelly stuff than before. i think they must have had a reason for shampooing him.

on naughtiness

2009-09-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

things are going quite well with sam, so there isn't as much interesting stuff that i must write about. he'll trot fairly nicely along on our walks, only occasionally snapping up some forbidden goodie from the pavement. he'll leave most of our stuff alone, only now and then chewing up our mail. fortunately, he does remind us that he's a naughty dog sometimes by suddenly taking off, running in circles like a lunatic, and making me drop everything, such as a gingerly carried poo bag.

today, however, sam was not the naughty one. my daughter was. we were camped next to a back street when a nice and timid little dog came up. sam started wagging to it, wanting to make friends. and my daughter ran straight at it, arms out, probably looking like a viking berserker. that dog got away, but its older, slower companion was treated to daughter's enthusiastic greeting, which seemed to consist mostly of pummels. i apologized to the owners and explained sternly to my daughter that, you know, you can't just hit dogs like that.

the next dog we met, a little terrier, was only treated to a bear hug. we were treated to a little dance as sam and the terrier both tried to snif each other's bums without letting the other one do so, and when that didn't work, started to jump. when the terrier started to sing in addition to all that, it was decided to cut the meeting short.

then we saw a cute white puppy. sam was still in jumping mode, so i held him back. but my daughter was too fast for me, running over to it and assaulting the poor thing. this time it was her walk that was cut short... and i remembered why i i'd stopped taking both dog and daughter on long walks together. one of them i can handle, two i can't.

pummeled by a lummox!

2009-07-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

sam was inconsolable after Little Cub and i packed our swag bag and went off to meet foreign family. despite both Great Leader and Leader's Friend staying at home to look after him, his reaction to our departure led to our neighbour asking if he'd been left alone at home that night. oops.

after a week of long walks, big meals and friendly training, however, both dog and dudes seemed to be having a much better time. there were only a few scattered whimpers now and then -- mostly from the dog, although when he pulled the Great Leader over to escape from a very scary loose dog, there may have been some manly whimpers on account of a sprained ankle as well.

yesterday, Little Cub and i returned. knowing sam's strength i left her, Great Leader and the luggage outside and entered alone. to say i got a warm welcome wouldn't cover it. i was licked, pounced at, clawed at, and surrounded by a leaping, running, ecstatic dog, who was so wild he wouldn't even run in and out into the garden like he usually does when we return from shorter absences.

this was nothing compared with how he wanted to welcome Little Cub, but we thought she wouldn't like it so let him calm down a bit before they got to meet. sam went to sleep a very happy dog that night, lying guard outside her bedroom.

halloween early for dogs

2009-06-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

sam got the fright of his life on the day when his beloved Mum and Pup (that's me and my daughter) left him not once, but twice, to be alone at home with the Great Leader. as if that wasn't enough, a strange man carrying a large and scary toolbox came in to have a look at our washing machine. no wonder this sorely tested dog had to run upstairs with a tail curling the other way.

after such an eventful day, i thought he'd get some slightly happier happenin' as well. we went to a big green field where we ran and played. sam found an abandoned dummy which he tossed, chased and gnawed on to his heart's delight.

after this little workout we went back rather slowly. we were almost home when sam quick as a duck bent down his head and picked up... another dummy! he'd really hit jackpot after surviving the day's scariness.

upping the ante

2009-06-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

in a bid to make sam a calmer, happier dog when left alone, i've started going on short trips away from him along with my daughter. this has the advantage of amusing her and giving us some time on our twosome, as well as not bringing the disaster that mad, uncontrollable dog paired with mad, uncontrollable toddler does. yesterday, she and i went on a bike ride to the nearest village and back. sam stayed in the corridor and was silent and calm when we returned. success!

today, we went on a longer expedition, taking the bus to a more distant village, toddling about there for a while, and then returning partly by bus, partly by feet, as the poor little thing became bus sick. with waiting and walking and all, we ended up spending a bit more time than i'd anticipated. oops.

as soon as i reached the door i realised this was the opposite of success. the upset plants in the bay window screamed of disaster. meaning sam must have gotten into the lving room. as i turned the key, i could hear the dog howling intently in the distance. great.

once inside, things were not quite as bad as i feared. the bay window was a mess, but not a single pot had been broken, and my beloved plants seemed fine. the bike i had removed from the corridor had been overturned, and the dragon we use to keep our hat and scarf paraphernalia in (everyone has one, right?) had been taken down and gnawed on. i also found a lot of funny things had happened to the computer -- it was supposed to play him soothing radio -- but nothing a dozen "cancels" couldn't fix.

signs your dog has used the computer: bookmarks have been turned on and F7 has been pressed 19 times.

apart from that, nothing else had been touched -- the toast on the table, the folded laundry, the sofa -- all was fine. i guess he must have spent a lot of time howling. as soon as he'd been assured we were actually there, and jumped around a bit and licked us lots, sam plopped down on his rug and went to sleep. he really must have spent a lot of time and effort howling.

canine cleverness

2009-05-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

sam is hardly any fun anymore, he has calmed down considerably since we adopted him. they talk about a six-month settling-in period; and as sam has been with us for six months and is indeed quite settled, i am a believe in it.

that's not to say he doesn't ever do mischief, or has stopped bouncing or any and all monkey business. oh, no. it's just more of a surprise these days, and usually a big surprise.

his biggest recent trick happened when he was out in the garden for a long time. a very long time. i had a touch of that star wars feeling, and went outside to investigate.

our garden has its oddities: because of an extension, it's impossible to see half of it from indoors. because of the river at the bottom, there's a fence enclosing the inner part of it. as soon as i entered the garden, i saw that the gate in the fence was open.

now, sam has opened this door previously, but that was only when i was on the other side and he was very excited. this time, he must have gotten excited all by himself. all the stuff he'd get to do, without me saying no, too!

this is where experience and training stepped in as my friends. i knew he'd been very interested in one of the neighbouring gardens. i also had been doing a lot of recall training on our walks, although i'd been too nervous to let him off the leash for ages. i went out to the river section, and called 'come' with a bright and happy voice. i yelled again. and then, galloping down that very garden, sam came bounding towards me. he did some manic playing while i herded him back into the garden. with the relief of him not having gone completely astray, and the astonishment of his perfect recall, it was easy for me to give him tons and tons of praise.

we now lock the gate with a chain.

blondes have more fun

2009-05-21T16:57:00.001-07:00

dogs do silly and embarassing things sometimes. sam will have to put some effort into bettering this: bailey the golden retriever stole a ~~bone~~phone, ran away with it between his teeth and somehow dialled 999. the emergency services heard confused noises and the shout "come out, or else -- I'm warning you!" before the call was cut.

bailey's owners finally managed to lure him out from behind the shed with biscuits and treats, and salvaged the phone. this dog must really like phones... or biscuits.

back in the swing of things

2009-05-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

had a nice long walk with sam tonight, unencumbered by prams and such. we walked an unusual route where we'd been only once before, many months ago. that first time, at a particular spot, sam suddenly started jumping up on me, to play. at that time, that included nipping quite hard, so i was not happy.

this time, when approaching the same spot, sam became very alert and eager to snif, but he didn't jump. however, he became very energetic, and when we rounded the corner and saw another dog, i became apprehensive. especially as the dog looked like a shih tzu -- those small barkers spell trouble! when we were five metres away, sam began jumping. i was half-expecting this, so i pulled him with me across the road -- sam kept jumping high into the air. we must have made an intriguing sight.

this was not the only time he jumped on the walk. after sniffing the ground outside an apartment complex with an air of absorption, sam suddenly looked up, and jumped sideways. he was spooked by something he saw -- possibly a hanging flower pot. this i can assure you was both intriguing and amusing.

when we came home, sam still had a lot of bounce in him. i gave him a bone which he jumped high up to get, just because he was so silly and bouncy. hmm, encouraging mad behaviour... i must be mad, too.

break

2009-05-19T13:47:00.001-07:00

quite unexpectedly, we had to go abroad and leave sam in a kennel. HELP! we were definitely not ready -- that is to say, we did not think he was ready to be left in a kennel and be trusted to behave decently.

but death waits for no dog, and we really had to go to that funeral. we scoured the net and the neighbourhood for good, professional yet friendly, kind yet strong dogsitters. the search was successful, and we left sam behind bars, slightly nervous that he'd destroy the keepers, their stuff, our reputation, or everything in one go.

after he'd spent a night there we hadn't received any angry calls, so we left, hoping for the best. after a week, i went back to pick him up.

"best" may not be the best way to describe sam's behaviour when he saw mOHBOYOHBOYMOMMYDOGHASCOMEFORME MUSTJUMPMUSTPULLMUSTJUP! the kennel owner also mentioned that he might benefit from classes because he had, it seems, pulled them around a bit. but there was no destroyed stuff and, as far as i could tell, no traumas. success!

after sam's big, bouncy welcome-home hugs, including one where he literally bowled over my daughter, something he's never done before, i was a little afraid he'd forgotten the few good habits he does possess, or even developed new, bad ones. however, once he'd been home for a while, he settled down very nicely. he almost seems calmer than he was when we left. perhaps he thinks if he's very good, we'll never send him away again?

i believe in dog

2009-04-21T04:38:00.000-07:00

we had a busy easter with lots of visitors, which temporarily removed my mind, it seems. i would take sam for walks and forget a "scoopy doo" bag. i was in danger of embarassing myself, my dog and dog owners everywhere by becoming one of those people, the ones who don't clean up after their dogs.

halfway through one of these walks i realised my predicament, and started praying to the big dog in the sky that sam wouldn't need to poo on this walk. especially since i knew he had a slightly upset tummy from adventurous treats given by guests.

sam did, of course, need to poo. but a miracle happened. he did it straight over a sewer grate. there were four little plops... and our honour was saved.

the photo: 'Wuff by Zickie on flickr.

in training

2009-04-14T07:37:00.000-07:00

we have put various schemes into practice in order to become better dogs and owners (let who is what be endlessly debated by philosophers scholars). first, a most enjoyable training session: sitting by the river enjoying coffee and easter choklit while sam practised being good in the fenced-in part of the garden. he was very good, with no jumping onto the fence at all, and only a few pawings at the gate. this good behaviour was probably helped by the fact that one of the trainers was the great leader himself.

then, another session today where sam was supposed to be nice and quiet indoors while mom and daughter spent some time out front. he was quite calm, neither barking nor howling. unfortunately, though, i hadn't shut the door between corridor and living room, so sam soon went into that inviting room with its bay window. i realised something was wrong when i heard a thump and saw a huge dog leaning against the glass. amazingly, the potted plants and sewing machine which live in the window were still standing -- sam has become more dainty, possibly learnt from my daughter, possibly not.

but we aren't the only ones being trainers! sam must have sniffed out news about weave poles, because that's what he started practising with me in the thicket today. sam wove between the trees, and i unwove his long lead behind him. fun was had by some.

there's no such thing as a good dog

2009-04-07T03:25:00.000-07:00

when i said sam hadn't done any mischief lately, i was of course being amnesiac. i guess since his latest antics haven't left visible scars, they're more likely to be forgotten.

item number one: daughter and i bought a nice, crisp, tasty loaf of bread in town. we came home to madhappydog and were amused at his antics. i was putting away the shopping when she said, bemusedly: "he took the parcel!" i went upstairs to his hideout to see what "parcel" the dog had been stealing, but only saw the usual scattered paper bags. i went down again to look for the bread in its white paper bag. in vain. that's when i realised the true meaning of "parcel".

item number two: my mother, not presently used to dogs or toddler in her home life, had left some pills on the stairs in order to take them up into the bathroom later. sam found them out and helped her take them upstairs. he even helpfully opened the box and started crushing one of the pills. fortunately, it seems they didn't have a very nice taste, because he didn't eat them all up. from now on, i'll be leaving all his medicine in enticing places.

i think that's all for the moment. but yon sam hath a mean and hungry look... i'd better be on the lookout.

an hour later: sam just tried to eat a wet wipe which had been used in the snot-wiping business. however, i was on the lookout, and he only got half of it.

good times

2009-04-06T03:13:00.000-07:00

well, sam has spent the last few days being mostly good, meaning there is little to put in the blog. he seems intent on becoming a proper lapdog, putting as much of himself as he can fit in my lap, licking my face and nuzzling the keyboard and the books lying next to it. perhaps he is trying to be as much of a cat as possible, in order to prevent us from getting one which will terrorise him?

we have had house guests -- a family friend and my parents -- and the dog was chuffed when the house was full of people. and him safely ensconced in the middle.

we have also met the inquisition -- a representative from the RSPCA who called to see how we were treating our stray. we got top marks on everything except tagging -- we bought a name tag which he destroyed after a day, and didn't bother with a replacement -- and leaving, which, we were told, must not involve tying him up. we felt like naughty doggies hearing this, but have decided to cease and desist, and are therefore to be considered good doggies again.

what's on the stairs today?

2009-03-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

in the last few days, sam has had some digestion problems, resulting in the evocative smell of runny poo combined with that of cleaning chemicals. that trouble has cleared, thank dog, and sam even did his bit to give the staircase a fresher, more hygienic scent. how? he stole the children's tooth paste, which he has had his eye on for a while, and mauled it to death then and there.

if this gives him indigestion, i'm going to force him to eat it! wait... better not get into that particular vicious cycle.

naughty doggies

2009-03-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

if sam had a doghouse, he would have been in it after his behaviour over the last few days. first he chased sweaters, then he caused me grievous footy harm, and as if that wasn't enough, he started chewing on my new plum tree in the garden! branches were harmed! he's only allowed there under heavy guard now.

still, reading about other dogs' mischief, such as mountain dogs munching money, terriers teasing with tasty bones or hounds helping out with halting economy, makes me realise that sam isn't a particularly mischievous mutt after all. just... average. with big teeth and a lot of weight.

with a steady supply of branches and bones that are okay to chew, toys and insects that are okay to chase, and walks where it's okay to go mad a little, he seems to be contained. for now.

a big pup

2009-03-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

doggie and humans: just before adoption, and four+ months after.

sam seems to have grown a little since we got him. first i thought it was simply him getting more confident, not to mention better fed, as his former loving owner had kept him quite skinny. however, when we noticed that he could now comfortably rest his head on a dining table he previously had to jump up to reach, we knew it was true: our pup has been growin.

sam has retained a lot of his youthful playfulness, which can on occasion be rather annoying in a dog so huge. he'll casually pull down coats and rip them to shreds -- mostly, we're able to channel this skill into an old carpet in the garden, but sometimes he gets a kick and forgets that clothes are not his toys.

today, he decided that my daughter's sweater would be good fun to chase and worry. unfortunately, the sweater was still on my daughter. while he the time of his life tugging at her sleeve, she wanted the sweater and herself to stay where they were, and not be dragged about. i came flying to the rescue, like an avenging mother, and trod (with bare feet) on a pair of sharp tacks which were lying scattered (by playful doggie, no doubt) in the garden.

while i was rather angry, that darned dog was caught in a mix of exuberant playfulness and fear of the great leaderess. he danced about while i was trying to catch him, then banged himself about to get loose. big heavy dog on my frail musician's hands equals hurt hands.

i almost felt like locking the door and throwing away the key after i'd thrown him into the garden shed to calm down a little. but i didn't, i just closed it. after some time, and some whining and thrashing, sam managed to open the door and sauntered out. cowed? perhaps. still full of fun and games? you betcha!

dogs might mutate?

2009-03-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

from a vet on the edge:

One time a dog was in for a surgical procedure, and it was noted to have a very large mat behind each ear. We shaved them off [...]. The owner was enraged. They thought that the mats were extra ears, and that their dog had a unique mutation that made for four ears. I ask you. Did they not notice that in its original form the dog only had the normal number of ears? Did they think their dog just suddenly decided, as an adult, to grow more ears? It's not a starfish. It's a dog, and dogs don't spontaneously grow extra ears.

this last statment, i am quite ready to believe. but don't try telling me that dogs may not suddenly shoot laser beams from their eyes!

like owner...

2009-03-07T11:40:00.000-08:00

times, reporting from crufts.

(is the link between dogs and owners the reason pedigree breeding has taken so much flak recently? with more people becoming overweight, asthmatic or depressed, pets follow suit?)

magic

2009-03-06T04:43:00.000-08:00

neil gaiman has a magical flying dog.

sam has a red collar, too.
but can still not be trusted off leash.
do we need pixie dust?

most expensive dog biscuits

2009-02-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

one tends to marvel at the sums people are willing and able to pay for dogs, second dogs and housing for their dogs. one also pours molten scorn on those who stick bling on doghouses and collars to make them the "most expensive".

today, however, my dog was fed an exclusive, and certainly expensive, biscuit. a trip to town... a visit to bettys... a purchase of fine, hand-crafted, vanilla-scented and sugar-encrusted thin butter crisps for our little biscuit connoiseur... all ended in the bag being carelessly left lying about, and sam skillfully sniffing out the supreme goodness within. luckily his rival, my daughter, is quite greedy, so had gotten through quite a few of them before they became dog biscuits.

encounters of the weird kind

2009-02-19T13:15:00.000-08:00

our walk today was along the river, to "goose green" and back on the other side, over the big grassy field where dogs abound and bound. i have avoided it in the past because i don't know how loose dogs, or indeed how a bound sam, will behave.

today, i learnt a few things about that. first, i must accept that sam has a split personality. he really wants to bound and play with those other dogs. however, he also wants to cower and wish them away.

on our trip across the stray, we first came across a loose and easy-going black and tan being, fairly large but also seemingly calm and gently interested. how did sam react? he tried to leap straight at the dog, which was luckily a couple of metres away. when the leash restrained him, he instead jumped into the air, like the amazing jumping dog he is. he made quite an amusing picture in all his jumping bulk. however, the other dog was not amused by the spectacle, and walked off, leaving sam to let out one of his rare barks.

next, i kept sam close outside the playground while our little girl did her thing in there. after a while, a cobble of three dogs, two of them loose, came running up. this time, sam did not want to play. he laid down; when two of them came up to snif, he sat crouching, even nipping slightly to get them off. the friendly couple was not very fazed. the third dog, a fat black labrador, was gentler, and sam let it -- her, perhaps? -- snif.

he really has to meet dogs. hopefully, the encounter with the last dog outweighs the less fortunate ones... or maybe he learned something from those as well.

dogs are natural scouts

2009-02-18T17:25:00.001-08:00

a sniffer dog at a norwegian airport just caught two chaps carrying cannabis, ecstacy and a large stash of cash. this isn't news, exactly, but the fun thing is that it happened while the dog and its handler were outside the customs area, taking a break. "a sniffer dog can't help it, it does its job 24 hours a day," explained the customs officer.

well our sam is ready for mischief all times of the day, and definitely night, too! he can't help it!

amusement

2009-02-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

we have a room, "the other bedroom", which is forbidden territory to sam. unfortunately, he is very interested in it, and it also has a non-closing door. on several occasions, he has gone in there, gotten hold of something, and exterminated it. so the great leader and i decided to be pro-active -- whenever the dog goes upstairs, we keep our ears perked up, and if we hear the tell-tale thump of an opened door hitting the wall, we run upstairs.

sam does seem to have gotten the idea, that he's not supposed to go into the room even when we're not around, but it's hard for him to remember against the lure of "the other room". yesterday, he had a relapse. i heard the door open, ran upstairs screaming, and sam crawled off to the landing like a BAD DOG. then i closed the door and looked at the cowering creature. then, since he was no longer doing forbidden stuff, i praised him. the transformation was instantaneous! he leapt up, overjoyed, bounced around the hallway and proceeded to bound up and down the stairs for a few minutes.

today, the door has remained closed. [...time passes...] until, that is, i'd posted this. then i found sam with a pillow cover out on the landing, and the bedroom door open. that dog! after i took the cover away and closed the door, i praised him, and the whole rigamarole started again. i really hope i haven't taught him a new game...

havoc!

2009-02-13T14:12:00.000-08:00

i tied up sam and went to town today, rather upset because he'd destroyed his second cushion in two days, so he didn't get any nice toys or treats. this turned out to be a mistake.

when we returned home, sam had gotten himself loose by breaking the chaining mechanism. he had been on the table and transported the margarine to the hallway, where he'd also pulled down two coats and a backpack, breaking two hooks in the process, and thereafter gnawed up the backpack. he'd jumped into the bay window in the living room, toppled several plants there and broken a flower pot. he'd managed to open the door into the garden and been out and in, as evidenced from the paw marks on the floor.

still, he hadn't gone into the kitchen with all its temptations. he hadn't touched anything in his usual haunt, "the other bedroom". we thought he'd managed to stay out of the forbidden master bedroom as well, but discovered dirty pawmarks on the bed -- our reconstruction involves him running in from the garden, looking for us everywhere, then suddenly realising he was in a not allowed bed and scampering out.

it was a bit of a shock to find such mess when we came home, but as we tidied and brushed away earth we realised it wasn't quite as bad as it could have been. furniture, clothes and most importantly, toys have been left intact. and we have taught him to stay out of the kitchen. now the only remaining tasks are the bedrooms, the window sill, the coats and the table...

crashlanding

2009-02-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

we created a little drama during the weekend. i don't like it when these troublesome things happen, i'd like everything to be easy, light and fluffy at all times.

after a walk along the river where i'd kept him tightly reined, i'd decided to give sam some free running time at the big field. he ran off ecstatically. however, it was a weekend, and people were walking their dogs. a cute little springer entered the field. first, sam lay down in his usual nervous way. then he suddenly fell for the cuteness of the springer, and bounded towards her. i stupidly let him -- acutely aware that i wasn't sure recall would work or not.

since the other dog found sam way too boisterous, i tried catching him -- impossible -- and then chasing him away from her. luckily, he did come once both of us had calmed down a little. meanwhile, my daughter, who had found the whole thing hilarious, was trying to ride the poor little dog. i mumbled my sorrys to the owner, and went off with a leashed dog, a lashed finger and a bruised self-image as a dog trainer.

later that day i didn't even want to walk sam, as i felt i'd lost control of him. luckily, all that was over the next day. although i still felt sorry we scared the other dog, i was ready to practice again. and this time, in the other field which is slightly more secure and deserted, sam bounced off again, and then came back to me when called.

cotton might fly

2009-02-05T14:45:00.000-08:00

and so, we know that even a cute ball of fluff like a coton de tulear might take off at any moment. just like sam, even though the closest he gets to a ball of fluff is on the brush when i brush him.

he has been able to indulge a little in his love of flying lately, though. since his recall is becoming trustworthy -- not fully so, but enough that i can let him loose and not immediately go into a panic -- he can take off like a bullet across the wide open field. and he does.

sam's other type of flying is his playful jumping, which is awesome, if a little overwhelming. he knocked me in the gum with his teeth today. amazing, and a bit of a pain.

Funday afternoon by Rex Hammock released as Creative Commons attribution non-commercial.

prefect...

2009-02-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

after being such a good dog yesterday, and most of today i might add, the cosmic balance must have demanded that sam do something bad. so he set about to ensure the continuation of the universe, and gnawed up the Great Leader's slipper. all that was left was a sole and some grey fleece. i found him lying on top of the other slipper, which i assume he was saving for later.

dear sammy boy... couldn't you have been content with eating the snow, and the plastic bags you'd found previously?

perfect!

2009-02-01T14:38:00.001-08:00

sam! the perfect dog with the perfect recall! not once, but thrice did he come back to me as i called him away from the interesting trees and river banks at the other big field. i thought the previous episode was merely good luck. but today, there was no mistake: sam really did the happy running towards the caller that he's supposed to do.

later, he of course ruined everything by lying down to sleep in the forbidden other bedroom. the sheet is full of dirty paw marks, but strangely enough, i found him lying on the floor next to the bed. maybe he rolled off in his sleep?

we're awaiting rescue from a doorman -- a joiner, that is, who'll get us new doors that are dog proof.

those alsatians...

2009-01-31T06:40:00.000-08:00

if they're not barking, they're scarfing!

this time, it was a trainee police dog named gunner who decided to taste duchess camilla's nice plaid scarf. (daily mail has the best pictures)

it must therefore be sam's alsatian genes which prompted him, that day in the busy city centre, to attach himself to a lady's crocheted poncho. okay, he was upset by the crowds as well. and he didn't actually try to eat it, just to catch it. still, the incident kept us away from the city centre for a while.

today, we made a new attempt, and sam was very well behaved. he stayed away from ponchos and scarves. he walked nicely by my side. he did want to take in as many interesting smells as possible, and became somewhat skittish among to many people, bikes and a highly interesting pram, but he conquered his demons and walked to heel.

dogs might fly!

2009-01-30T05:02:00.000-08:00

from A Dog Year by Jon Katz. the author has just picked up his new border collie at the airport after chasing him through the crowds there.

I decided to take Devon for a short walk before introducing him to Paula and the house. Partway down the block, he was walking alongside me so easily, his nose to the ground sniffing the pavement, that I relaxed a bit for the first time that night. My tree-lined suburban street seemed serene compared to Newark Airport.

An ill-advised reverie: With a sharp jerk of the leash from my hand, Devon was gone. I spun around in all directions and saw no trace of him--until I happened to glance at a passing minivan and saw him perched on the roof as it drove slowly down the street. I didn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. Dogs don't fly.

Brandishing a pooper-scooper in my right hand, I gave chase, shouting as I went, "Hey! Hey, stop! Stop, there's a dog on the car." My neighbors walking their terrier across the street paused in shock and stared.

the book explains the trials and tribulations of getting an adolescent border collie, which makes sam seem like a dignified king poodle in comparison. perversely, the book made me want a collie even more.

encounters three

2009-01-29T14:58:00.000-08:00

once upon a time, there was a dog whose fur was as white as snow, as black as night and as grey and tan as a washed-out alsatian. one day, the dog left his house behind to go on a quest; a quest for Fun, and possibly Food.

he walked far, farther than i can tell, and then by the side of the road he spotted a cat. the cat was big and fluffy and stared at him with big, blue eyes. was this Fun, or Food? the dog wagged his tail, but the cat jumped onto a pedestal and grew big, and the dog was pulled onward by an invisible force

then he met an old crone in a disguise. she had no warts or a lengthy nose; instead she looked like a kindly old woman. "ooh, aren't you a pretty boy," she said to the dog. "i used to have an alsatian, long ago." was this Fun? the dog leapt up excitedly, but the invisible force returned and pulled him away.

now he walked into a field, and what should he see but a hound? the hound had long, floppy ears and red eyes as large as dog treats. it also had an impressive bass bark.

the dog and the hound sniffed each other, and the dog decided this was certainly Fun. he jumped, but the insvisible force pulled him away yet again, while the hound was pulled its way by a human.

the dog walked far, farther than i can tell, and at the end of that, he was back home. and what should he find there but a big bowl, brimful with Food? his quest had been successful. the dog fell asleep, ready for more Fun on his next walk.

cat and dog from flickr. now with scary eyes.

husky voice

2009-01-29T01:15:00.000-08:00

i was under the assumption that northern inuit was based on malamute and alsatian, mixed with a liberal dose of the famous breed known as "cross", but upon closer reading found that huskies were also involved. this means when i've been telling people sam is part husky, part alsatian, i haven't been lying after all.

looking at pictures of huskies, i see many similarities. but what does sam most resemble: the alaskan husky on the right, or the siberian below?

"Alaskan Husky" was taken by James (scubadiver67) and shared under a Creative Commons by 2.0 license.

"Husky Relaxing" was taken by Red Wolf (redwolfoz) and shared under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa 2.0 license.

product recall

2009-01-28T06:03:00.000-08:00

amazement! in a daring act of recklessness i let sam off the lead after a long break. and yay, all that reading about recall training and the actual training process seems to have worked (knock bones!). or at the very least, sam decided to cooperate last night, and did the right thing when called: turned towards me, looked happy, and bounded up. he even sat and took his treat.

i'm not pushing my luck -- the area was small and fairly secure, and he hadn't had the time to go completely "wild" as he does sometimes. it also remains to be seen if he'll be as good next time. still, i think sam and i have made a good start.

treats!

2009-01-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

we all went to the "pet's pantry" today, and returned with a big bag of food, a puzzle toy, and some super fishy treats. the nice lady at the shop oberved that sam would be a spoiled dog in the coming week.

after he'd been very good dog on his walks, hardly pulling at all, accepting his bath with little fuss, and bugging no one except for his Great Leader, who deserves it, i felt quite justified in letting the spoiling commence. first he got his treat ball, with merely normal dog food in it, but a great success nevertheless. then the fish treat was brought out -- and the big dog heaved himself into the air for it. he then bugged the Great Leader a little as a thank you, before settling into a contented sleep.

upset

2009-01-15T03:57:00.000-08:00

oh no, not again! i had hoped that sam's upset stomach upon first arriving with us would be the last, but of course not. he is a sensitive dog, if only when it comes to his tummy. we're still debating whether it was the type of dog food, the river water drink or the bit of waffle with jam that did it. the end result is indisputable, however: liquid poo appears on the carpet during the night. i'm so happy it's an old, ugly carpet now.

we had a long, nice walk yesterday, where sam played around on the extendable lead a lot. he was very good -- not running off like a mad dog, just being crazy in a cute and controlled manner. he seemed quite happy on the lead, and i was happy to, being able to push the pram and keep both safely arms in their sockets.

sad squeeze

2009-01-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

FAMILY pets are becoming the forgotten victims of the economic squeeze as animal shelters see a massive rise in those abandoned. ... some people who have lost their homes have been slumming it out in their cars to hold on to animals because of restrictions in rented accommodation. WalesOnline

the telegarph reports that pretty much all rescue centres and council facilities (pounds) are filled to overflowing. in addition to the animals that would normally get surrendered because of owner death, family breakups and failure to cope, many families are simply forced to give up their pets by economic reasons. most rented accommodation, for instance, does not allow dogs.

we had an inkling it was going to become bad for dogs when the recession hit, which was one additional reason to adopt sam. now i wish we could take another... but it would merely be a drop taken from an ocean. our best bet would be that the dogs trust were successful in making more landlords accept pets. but you need a lot of dog's trust to believe that's going to happen.

a bumpy flight

2009-01-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

sam has been improving alotly with his recall on lead, so i decided to let him off it in a small, fairly well enclosed area by the river yesterday. he did great, sniffing trees and fences, but running back to my sticks or treats when called. he then ran close to my feet as i walked along the path towards the bridge that takes the road across the river.

and then... he took off, and disappeared under the bridge. i called him, to no avail, then walked under the bridge, certain to see him somewhere in the undergrowth, but he wasn't there. i called out "sam", and looked wildly around me. then i saw him -- a shadowy dog form, on the other side of the river. this clever/stupid dog must have run up the stairs, along the road, and down on the other side.

since i wasn't about to lure him back the same way, i ran up those stairs, across the river, and called into the darkness. this time he did come, but there was a fence between us, and the slats were just too thin for him to comfortably squeeze through. so he went off again. i stood about the roadside, thinking "he can't be thinking about crossing the road," realising "yes he can," and starting to look for cars when i saw him coming... on the other side.

i tried a feeble "sit!", but he was already trotting across. luckily for us both, it was a late saturday evening with few cars about, and the road remained empty. sam came straight to me, and i gave him a treat for coming, after all.

now the great leader of the pack tells me northern inuits can be difficult to teach recall. oh. really?

meeting alsatians

2009-01-06T15:14:00.001-08:00

speaking of alsatians, sam has met a few of them and not enjoyed it much. there were a few at the rescue centre, one a few kennels down which barked furiously whenever anyone walked past and was "not for rehoming", and another mad barker at the other side of an endless, flimsy fence.

then there are the two alsatians down the road. we met them with their owner early on at one of the nice green spaces where dogs can run. i had a nice chat with him until suddenly one of the dogs started... guess what... indeed, barking furiously, and we had to part ways rather hastily.

a few days later, we met them at the same place, but this time, the alsatians were lose. the aggressive one ignored its owners commands to come back and tore towards us. i'd recently read dog books about not getting involved in dog fights, so let go of the leash and let sam fly as best he could. the other dog caught up with him and sam yelped, but luckily, that was it. sam didn't seem overly damaged physically, and he can be a bit loud when something is disagreeable to him. however, his submissive attitude to other dogs seemed more like fear from that day on.

today, we met the owner again, sans alsatians, which meant i hardly recognised him. he held his hand out to sam, and this usually fairly friendly dog sniffed it carefully. "still timid, eh?" said the owner. i didn't mention my theory that the smell on his hands might have something to do with it...

alsatianness

2009-01-03T03:20:00.000-08:00

the other main heritage of northern inuits is german shepherd dog, which i usually refer to as alsatian for shortness, whereas others call it GSD, presumably for confusion.

alsatians are lovely dogs, well-known throughout the world with good reason. they're known for their loyalty, trainability and suitability as guard dogs. like all breeds, however, they do have their faults. i used to be neighbours with an alsatian which would come out onto the balcony every sunday morning and bark... bark... bark.

the alsatian in sam is less visible than the "snow dog". he doesn't look like an alsatian, but you do see traces in his shape and colouring. i like to call him a washed-out alsatian. he has none of the aggressiveness or assertiveness to dogs or people of some alsatians. he does seem to be more trainable than your average malamute, and he has an alsatian's bark -- but only if desperate, like when we leave him alone outside a shop.

so i guess the passers-by are correct in thinking sam is a snow dog. but who says alsatians can't be that as well?

"German shepherd in the snow" was taken by Maurice Koop and shared under a Creative Commons by-sa 2.0 license.

snow dog

2009-01-02T18:17:00.000-08:00

we keep being asked if our northern inuit sam is a "snow dog". i'd never heard the term before, but it seems to refer to dogs from the arctic, such as huskies (huskys?) and malamutes. i'd never heard of those either, but the net is my friend, and the US alaskan malamute rescue has taught me a lot. yup, there is a lot of the behaviour they describe in our sam. and of course, he has the brown eyes typical of malamutes, not the blue ones often found in husk...s.

the photo is "yuki snow run" by paulmoody. published under Creative Commons by-nc 2.0

glossy fame

2009-01-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

sam is a bit of a local celebrity now. his accident was witnessed by a lot of people, who are all relieved to see him out and about with nothing worse than a scratch on his front paw to show from it. after they've made sure all is well, they remember to ask us how we are. luckily, our bite marks are healing too.

recall training is going fairly well. i can get sam to come, sit down and get a treat in all safe situations -- that is, indoors, from the garden, and out when on a leash. still, there is some way to go before he'll be totally safe to let off it. i have lost hold of the leash twice in the last few days, resulting in an ecstatic dog that preferred to ignore any entreaties to "come". the other day, i got him when he lay down. today, he actually did come to get a treat, after i'd waited and watched him fight his extendable chain for a while. we'll get there, eventually.

a bit of trauma

2008-12-30T11:51:00.000-08:00

when we first got our sam, he found all cars, but especially big ones, traumatic. after walks along the traffic-free river, we moved to nearly deserted night streets, then residential areas, and then, eventually, long walks by continuous traffic, such as in the road we live by.

all in all, a successful treatment. sam no longer thinks traffic is a big deal. then, the week before christmas, we open the door to carollers -- one fairly bad caroller, actually -- and before anyone can stop him, he has streaked out of the door, and right onto the road. into traffic.

a car breaks but sam is hit midleap, in the middle of the pedestrian crossing. everything is awful. the husband tries to keep him from running into more cars, i try to get him into the house. onlookers try to give advice, the car driver tries to take the blame, while sam refuses to move and turns into a wriggly, biting beast. well, at least he's not paralysed. bleeding from our hands, we finally manage to get him onto a chain and lure him into the house, where he slinks away, once again a traumatised dog.

luckily for us, the driver did break on time, and sam's injuries are mainly external. our wounds are deeper, but are healing now. and sam, oddly enough, is still confident about traffic. we're developing a strict routine of him always sitting down before we go outside, and will be looking into gates and fences for the forecourt.

new skills

2008-12-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

sam is a very clever dog, quickly getting the hang of new commands. this may have lead me to progressing too fast, so that many of the commands don't become firmly established or he gets them mixed up. i'm backing off a little, training the important stuff, recall and silence, much more slowly. today, we got him to be quiet for a short while when tied up at the playground, and to come back on a lead when walking by the river. hooray!

but one ability which sam has picked up and developed is playing with toys. when he first got his pink squeaky ball, he would chase it a little, but shortly afterwards it would end up under the sofa. now he leaps, pounces, throws it in the air and chases it around the room, before lying down to gnaw on it, emitting happy squeaks. i think he really got the point after we bought him a pig that goes "onk".

good pooch!

2008-12-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

or actually, poo.
warning...
keep post out of contact with food.

i never thought i'd be this happy to pick up a pile of poo. after three weeks of liquid and semi-solid products, sam today properly shaped lumps with what looked like pieces of wood in them. maybe he's been lacking in fibre? anyway, the vet's cure seems to be working. hurrah!

teaching a new dog old tricks

2008-12-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

i taught sam a trick! one of the simplest in the book, namely "put paw on hand where treat is", but it's still quite amazing to see how fast he got it and how happy it made us both.

in other news, he's still not very good to leave alone at home. today, i'd made the leash a bit too long and he'd managed to reach and overturn a shelf full of stuff. this was the same shelf my daughter climbed on and overturned a week ago. maybe i simply need heavier furniture?

home alone

2008-12-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

the first time we left sam alone at home for an extended time period, he howled and made a mess (in a neat pile). and the second time. the third time, he only made a puddle. today, he made a puddle as well, but only by upsetting his water bowl. progress is such a sweet experience.

the hubby even talked approvingly of getting another dog ("an older, more sedate female who can teach sam some manners" -- yeah, right!). more fuel for my dreams!

sam...

2008-12-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

my northern snow dog.

the bitter pill

2008-12-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

so, nice mr. vet gave sam a course of antibiotics and three deworming tablets. after i arrived home, i tried giving the antibiotics to him by placing them in his dry food. the hungry dog was suddenly totally uninterested in dry food. i then alternately tried tricking him to eat them along with some treats ("schmackos"), or shoving them down his gob (luckily, in this case, he doesn't know the meaning of biting). howling like in the nether circles of dog hell and strong rabbit behaviour, i.e. wriggling away and running off fast, ensued. it took a good while before he would come back in from the garden, even the wellbeloved schmackos didn't tempt.

this put me in a bout of despair, until i realised a bit later that the pills could be crushed and mixed with a nice meat mash we had in store. this time, the bowl was licked clean of food and medicine.

that still left the dewormers. these tablets seemed bigger, and i didn't have that much mash to mix with. what to do? the vet had said i might be able to give them directly, and the package did say something about "flavour". so i tried with one. the dog, no longer suspicious of my feeding intentions, sniffed, licked, and gobbled it up like candy. the second tablet went down fast as well. by the third one, sam had lost interest, repeatedly "losing" it and only sniffing at it when it lay on the floor. i steeled myself, and forced it into his mouth as gently as i could. it disappeared. the deed was done.

that only leaves a lot of grinding and mashing (but hopefully no gnashing) over the nex few days...

old haunts

2008-12-01T15:32:00.000-08:00

i took sam on a long walk back to the rspca today. not "back" as in we're giving him up -- heaven forbid! -- but to have their vet see him, because of his little pooblem. we got deworming pills and a prescription for antibiotics, so now whatever is being mean to his tummy should be very afraid. that is, if we successfully get him to eat the pills.

the nice staff at the rescue centre were, of course, pleased to see sam, and to hear that he and we were settling well with each other. what was even cooler was that when we left the centre, a cute enforcement officer, or whatever they're called, peeked out from his car and asked if that was an inuit dog. i replied in the affirmative. he asked if we'd gotten it from the centre. yup. it turned out he was the one who rescued the dog. apparently, sam had been left behind by a breeder who got into some trouble. it was good to get a fuller picture of his history -- i'd imagined him being left somewhere tied to a fence, which for this people-loving animal would have been a disaster of great magnitude. i mean, just leaving him to enter a shop for a few minutes has him howling to the heavens.

we then went to the nearby vet to pick up sam's antibiotics. as soon as the receptionist saw us, she exclaimed "is that the one that just was here with the rspca?"

it seems we got ourselves an unforgettable dog. except by certain breeders, that is.

give the dog a bone!

2008-11-30T12:20:00.000-08:00

i have to confess that, until i got my dog, i had no idea what "paddywhack" meant. i never even thought it existed as an object, only as a funny word in the old song. but i saw it in the pet shop, was amazed and puzzled, and took it home just for the heck of it. now i know that it's a piece of neck and that the dog likes it.

"liking" is too weak a term when it comes to describing his relation to a real bone, however. "going crazy about" would be closer, but sam goes crazy a lot, like when anyone in the household re-enters the house, or when his lord and master calls him a good dog. "deeply devoted to" might be better, as the bone remained glued to his mouth for several hours after we gave the dog his bone.

now, all that remains to be seen is if the old man will be rolling home. he went out to taste some whisky with a scotsman, so i wouldn't consider it entirely out of the question...

long walk, short steps

2008-11-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

we worked on sam's recall today -- the hubby and i took turns calling him from upstairs and downstairs, giving treats as rewards. sam got it quickly, and scampered up and down the stairs between us. he got it a little too quickly, perhaps, because after a while, when one of us said "done" so that the other could call him, he would run to the other for his next treat without even being called...

the whole pack of us walked into the city centre, which was also packed. this became rather tricky, as sam was alternately scared and curious and wanted to go any odd where. so we're keeping him away from the city, at least until the christmas rush is over. still, we managed without incident, except for all the people who wanted to know What He Was. oh, and some poo. luckily, we had 3x3 bags with us.

shit happens

2008-11-27T15:13:00.000-08:00

(don't read if eating.

please.)

"big chief, no shit" used to be the hubby's refrain when he walked the dog. this he sings no more, instead having to use three plastic bags to pick up piles of wet poo. as responsible for the evening walk, i, for my part, can only add "big chief, much shit". we're wondering a bit about the dog, but he seems otherwise healthy, so we're not worrying yet.

shit happened, too, when sam was left alone at home for three hours the other day. apart from that, he hadn't destroyed anything, so i considered myself lucky with just a neat pile to wipe off the floor. then my daughter stepped in it on her way to the bathroom. sheeeet...

dogs might fly...

2008-11-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

...if they have the right equipment.

original picture from upsidedowndogs
capshunned with icanhascheezburger

barking mad

2008-11-24T13:43:00.001-08:00

sam has a little problem. he has a big problem about being left alone, and will whimper, howl and bark until he's panting. occasionally, he'll make a mess on the floor. if not securely tied up, which is somewhat difficult to do in a small english house, he'll grab clothes, gnaw on shoes or jump into the window sill in his anxiety. when tied up outside shops, he'll raise fear and pity in passers-by, sometimes attracting kind strangers who wonder if he's been abandoned. well, he has, but only for a short shopping trip.

we tried following the dog book's tip of leaving him alone for progressively longer periods. unfortunately, i misread "20 1-minute sessions" as 20 minute sessions to begin with, which means our training has only served to make him more anxious. we are now back to basics, with me leaving the house or hiding behind a car, only to reappear as soon as he stops yammering. i don't know if this will work yet, and we don't have time to progress slowly. today i have to leave him behind for over two hours, taking my daughter to playgroup. someone's going to be trasked...

we have takeoff

2008-11-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

i let sam off the lead today. it was a risk, because i'm not 100% sure he'll come back to me when called, but i felt i could trust him enough to take that chance. he zoomed off like a grey bullet, frisking and jumping like a calf after christmas. then i called him, and he turned, zoomed right back to me, and beyond, for another wild chase.

i let him run in huge circles around me as i slowly walked across the stray (yorkshire for "big green field"), then calmly put his lead on as he was lying down to chew on a bit of wood. we walked a bit more, but then i thought, he enjoyed it so much, i'm sure there's a lot of bounce left in him. so i let him off again. this time he went for the hedge at the edge of the stray, which borders on a row of houses. the hedge apparently has lots of interesting smells and such. this time, he did not immediately come back when i called. i turned and walked away, and luckily, he did come then. another lie-down, and the lead was on. perhaps it was too big a risk to take...

poo sticks

2008-11-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

as sam was starting to smell a bit too much like a cowshed, i decided to face my dogmons and hose him down a little. it was easier than i thought to get him into the tub, although i did have to give the great lummox a little help. he was okay in the tub, but initially, not with the shower. you haven't lived if you haven't seen a big dog perched uneasily on the edge of a tub. fortunately, sam is a good_dog(tm), calmed down and came back down again. i got him very nice and clean with no more fuss.

the next day, we went for a walk along the river side, and he found a pile of poo to coat his neck, head and ear. time for another bath, sammy-boy...

amazing dogitude

2008-11-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

i just caught our dog in the act of nimbly picking a spoon from an empty bowl left on the table. it's too bad he's not allowed to take anything from it -- i was mightily tempted to call him a "clever dog" nevertheless. but i guess in his own mind he is one, anyway.

what did earn him a lot of praise, however, was his being able to open the door to the garden. he's been jumping onto the door handle a couple of times lately, but today he actually managed to twist it, get the door out slightly, and then nudging it open with his snout.

much can take place in a week

2008-11-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

there's a full moon tonight. i'm getting more attuned to the night sky as i spend time out with a doggie that needs to relieve himself, bounce and play, or be prevented from eating all the lobelia.

sam is everything i expected him to be. an all-round good boy who sniffs, wags, licks hands (and occasionally ears) and kills "prey".

he also steals and chews clothing, toys, and any food he fancies and can get hold of, has bad habits such as jumping up or nipping people, and has been used to relieving himself on hard floors for too long. his hat of being separated from his pack knows no bounds, and he's got a good howl in him. the need for constant vigilance during the day, in addition to disturbed sleep at night, has made the last week, and sam, a real handful.

it was the worst of times, and the best of times, to get a dog. november is, actually, the cruellest month, with its rains and winds, not to mention firweorks around bonfire night, which happened to be the night after we picked up sammy-boy. luckily, he's not afraid of firweorks at all, just traffic and other loud engine noises. although i'm on studying vacation, my husband has a lot of work to do, having recently received his school's first batch of students, while at the same time having to prepare a new curriculum (and other stuff) for next year. and daughter dear has a runny nose. all this means that, all things considered, it's the best time to introduce a canine, because if we can get through this, we can get through anything.

we alreayd knew from the rescue centre that there was a lot of bounce in sam -- the kennel workers tended to have difficulties putting his collar on, taking it off, and entering or leaving the kennel without him getting out -- but we also found out he really liked mouthing things. the first few days were spent teaching him not to jump, and leaving our stuff alone. we can measure how calm he's become with us by seeing how much he still bounces in new and frightening situations. he's learnt the leave, sit, and out commands, although he chooses to pretend he hasn't sometimes. the nipping, which could be painful, has become more of a gentle tickle. he still jumps sometimes (such as right now), but we have found that sending him outside tends to burn off excessive playfulness.

i think we have succeeded in convincing sam that outside is overall the best place to put pee & poo in, although accidents may happen if he's overly stressed. twiggy's yell of "quiet" stops him from barking and howling his way through the night. best of all, he and little boo peep are getting along very well -- she can hang on him, lie down on top of him, and even pull him around by a chain, without either of them causing the other too much trouble.

everyone seems to be getting more trustful. the dog can go out into the garden on his own without worrying that we'll disappear, and we can have the same trust in him. he'll probably still nip at the lobelia, and possibly bounce through the forbidden kitchen garden, but he at least knows he's called sam and that he's our dog.

we got it!

2008-11-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

we're getting our doggie the day after tomorrow. today he went to have his thingies snipped (eww, that sounds horrid! now i understand the popularity of medical jargon) while i went on a shopping spree to the local pet shop. they had it all, from the super-deluxe hand-brushed leather collar and chain, to icky-tacky multicoloured ones with bells and whistles. after searching hard, i managed to find something a bit between the two extremes. so, sam has suffered, but i suffered, too!

sam in his kennel

2008-11-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

my sister took this photo when we all visited the RSPCA to meet and walk sam. as always, he bounced up and down in his kennel when he saw us.

choices three

2008-10-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

the husband has forbidden me from saying one more word about dogs tonight, so here i am. my muscles are aching after walking three big, bouncy and boisterous dogs, pets that have clearly overwhelmed their previous owners, but who all have a very loving nature. i'm ashamed to say that i rejected the labrador as too pedestrian -- it's the dog everyone and his neighbour has in norway, and i find it nice, but not too interesting. so i'm a breedist. that's good to know.

i've also realised that the dog for me is big, and therefore strong. the great dane i walked, however, proved a bit too big and strong, as it knocked over our little daughter, and even pulled over my own sturdy self as i tried to help her. in addition, this dog didn't have the redeeming feature (to her) of being soft.

that leaves sam, the northern inuit dog. he looks like a wolf, walks like a cat, bounces like a rabbit -- so that's all the pets we wanted in one -- and flees from cars like a sheep. animal bonus! he seems never to have had any training, but if he gets some, i think he'll make a perfect pet.

my husband and his ears would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who read this!

whatever happened to british bureacucracy?

2008-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

we went to the RSCPA animal rescue home on saturday afternoon. a volunteer contacted us in the evening and arranged a home visit the next day. today, we received a call from the home to say we were approved, and they hoped to see us soon. obviously, i'll be there to check out a dog tomorrow morning.

are all charitable organisations this efficient? are they the ones that actually run britain? so many questions... but who cares? we're gettin' us a doggie! oh boy oh boy!

the beginning

2008-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

with four toy horses, six soft rabbits and approximately 111 teddy bears, we thought our house was a little short on pets, so we went to the local RSPCA shelter to look at the rabbits.

so we walked past the dogs and looked at the rabbits and the hamsters and the cats, and i fell totally in love with a cheeky male who reminded me of my parents' old mog -- leo the dog-cat. the husband refused a bird killing machine, and i had to agree, we didn't need that in a garden as twittery as ours.

then we went back to the dogs. then the husband took our daughter back to miaow to the cats while i spoke to the dogs. then our daughter took me to miaow to the cats while he checked out the dogs. and then we went and arranged a home visit to see if we'd be suitable owners for a dog.

they got us connected with a volunteer with amazing efficiency, and we'll be vetted (heh) tomorrow. the toughest part was convincing our daughter that she wanted a dog rather than a cat or a rabbit. but if she can live without live bears or horses, she can probably manage without those. however, we've still got some work to do to make her consider something else than a brown dog.