Last weekend we decided to get the interiors of our flat repainted for Diwali. Painting and house upheaval started on Monday, as did poor Nero's confinement.
Nero is now confined to the study/lounge while the rest of the house is shrouded in newspapers, black plastic and an overpowering smell of paint and primer. Not that he really minds. He anyway spends his mornings and afternoons sleeping under and over the lounge daybed. Evenings he tends to get a bit restless and when the painters leave, I open him to the messy house. He sniffs around everything, but I really feel sorry for him. The overpowering primer fumes gave me a hell of a headache...I cannot even imagine how it makes him feel! Strangely though, its been 4 days now, and he hasn't really given any signs of being agitated with the smells though. Of course I keep him confined to the lounge, and make him sit in the balcony to ensure he gets fresh air.
We are also trying to project him as a guard dog, a deterrent for safety reasons against the 5-6 men who come and work in the house (not that they've given any reason to, but better to be safe than sorry!) Also, Nero isn't likely to do anything more serious then growl and jump on them, and that too only if he feels like it!! Though of course 30 kilos of an energetic unknown dog with claws jumping on you is not a very comforting thought!
Well, so what really happened? The first day, Mr guard dog slept away under the bed, completely oblivious to what went on around him. Had we not mentioned him, no one would have realised there was a dog at home, leave alone a big one like him!! He didn't even bark at the doorbells. The second day, he decided to make his presence felt (Mebbe he realised hubby had left on a trip for a couple of days!). Loud barking, scratching at the door when I left the room, no one was left in any doubt and begged me to ensure he was locked up when they were working. Good boy! Now calm down! Since, then, he's been a good mixture of barks and sleeps. Mostly he just stays in the lounge with me sleeping at my feet.
My constant companion and potential safeguard, even if he sleeps most of the day away!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Big things are nice, but happiness lies in small pleasures
It was Dussehra last week, the traditional burning of Ravana effigies and story of good triumphing over evil. We discovered an trio of Kumbhakarna, Ravana and Meghnath effigies on our normal Nero walk route. So on Dussehra morning, Nero and I walked over to have a look at them before they went up in flames at sunset.
When sunset arrived, hubby and I were taking Nero for his customary walk, when we decided to go and have a look at the effigy burning ceremony as well. Anyway, it was part of his normal route! We weren't sure how he would react to the firecrackers, though so far he hadn't shown any reaction or distress to them. When we landed there, we were amazed to see the huge crowd who had thronged there. We kept Nero close between us to keep him safe...and to keep others safe from him! He was as good as gold. He sat quietly between us, looking trustingly up at us. "Hmmm...I wonder why we're sitting here instead of sniffing interesting things, but I guess I'm happy to be here with them." At least, thats what I hope he thought :)
A little girl next to us pointed to her mother "Look, even the dog has come to see Ravana burning!" Nero, sat like a good boy throughout, only getting up inquiringly when the first firecracker went off. It was all over in seconds, and he remained relaxed between us, indulging the humans in their weirdly polluting habits of burning and exploding stuff. Once it was over, we walked back quickly to avoid the pedestrian and motor traffic on our normally sleepy road.
Supremely blaise about the burning, the crowds and the fireworks, Nero walked back revelling in the natural gifts of the road and sniffing around as the humans stopped for a glass of juice. Looking at him reminded me of two things: that the best things in life are free, and the fun is often more in the journey, than in the destination. And I looked back and thought, I'd had as much if not more, enjoyed walking to the field with my hubby and frolicking dog, creating a greater sense of togetherness, as I had enjoyed standing those few seconds, watching evil burn to the ground.
When sunset arrived, hubby and I were taking Nero for his customary walk, when we decided to go and have a look at the effigy burning ceremony as well. Anyway, it was part of his normal route! We weren't sure how he would react to the firecrackers, though so far he hadn't shown any reaction or distress to them. When we landed there, we were amazed to see the huge crowd who had thronged there. We kept Nero close between us to keep him safe...and to keep others safe from him! He was as good as gold. He sat quietly between us, looking trustingly up at us. "Hmmm...I wonder why we're sitting here instead of sniffing interesting things, but I guess I'm happy to be here with them." At least, thats what I hope he thought :)
A little girl next to us pointed to her mother "Look, even the dog has come to see Ravana burning!" Nero, sat like a good boy throughout, only getting up inquiringly when the first firecracker went off. It was all over in seconds, and he remained relaxed between us, indulging the humans in their weirdly polluting habits of burning and exploding stuff. Once it was over, we walked back quickly to avoid the pedestrian and motor traffic on our normally sleepy road.
Supremely blaise about the burning, the crowds and the fireworks, Nero walked back revelling in the natural gifts of the road and sniffing around as the humans stopped for a glass of juice. Looking at him reminded me of two things: that the best things in life are free, and the fun is often more in the journey, than in the destination. And I looked back and thought, I'd had as much if not more, enjoyed walking to the field with my hubby and frolicking dog, creating a greater sense of togetherness, as I had enjoyed standing those few seconds, watching evil burn to the ground.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Home away from home
One of the biggest problems with having pets is how to take care of them if you are going on a vacation. For a couple of days, its an easy thing. We just leave Nero with our full time maid at home. But this time, it was a longish 8 day visit and we needed to close up the house.
The Decision
We had a few options:
1. Put him in a pet kennel. Heard about a good place from a colleague who regularly leaves his lab there. Huge place, lots of dogs to run around with and people to take care of the dogs.
Pros: Professional care.
Cons: Nero is not very socialised with other dogs. In fact, he tends to get aggressive if he sees other dogs on the roads, especially leashed dogs. Plus, we were not very comfortable leaving him with strangers and in a strange place. Also, he's mostly a house dog, plus not used to being tied or confined for long periods of time. And of course, cost.
2. Leave him with his trainer. Though he's been out of training for quite a few months now, his trainer had left his card and said, they do keep dogs at their home and look after them in the owners absence. And they usually don't keep more than 2-3 dogs at a time.
Pros: Part professional care. Known person, Nero knows the trainer so only the place would be strange.
Cons: It turns out, the trainers mostly go out to work and his sister in law really takes care of the dogs. Plus there still are other dogs there. Also, trainer though reasonably competent, was not very confidence inspiring. Lastly, cost again.
3. Leave him with my mum. He's been to my mum's place a few times and knows my parent and the house. My mum's maid likes dogs and is fine with keeping an eye on him.
Pros: Familiar place and people. No other dogs. No need for lengthy chaining. Garden around the house for walking and doing his doggy deeds. No cost.
Cons: Too strong for mum to handle if he doesn't behave. Loose hedge with gaps, so he can't be left open in the garden as he tends to run away from the house/garden. Trouble for parents who havent really kept a dog for ages and never managed a big dog. Both parents are working, so Nero would be alone in the house during the day.
Finally, we decided to leave him with my mum. Deciding criteria was Nero's familiarity with the place and mum's & her maid's comfort with keeping/ looking after him. What helped was that he has a pretty set routine of needing to go out in the morning/evening and sleeping during the day, which fitted in well with my parent's routine. So the decision was made.
The Preparation
Having decided, the first thing we did was on an earlier weekend, take Nero to my mum's place to get him more used to staying there. His delight on reaching there and clear recognition of the place was an affirmation of our decision. He immediately went around the house sniffing everything and marked his territory in the garden. He seemed fairly at home. We also got some dog tags made for him with his name and our phone numbers in case of any trouble with his running off. We hung the one with mum's phone/ voice mail before we left him.
On the day of departure, we loaded up dog, crate, mattress, few rugs/mats he sleeps on, leashes and chains, food bin, food bowl, water bowl, packet of biscuits, assorted bones and assorted toys into the car and set it up at my mum's place. The crate and mattresses were set up at the back verandah. A long chain (made of 2 chains actually) was locked into the front verandah, where he could sit and watch the world go by (as he likes to in the mornings). His bowls were set up, mum and maid briefed on food and mum briefed on how to leash him and walk him. We cautioned mum to walk him either in the garden or nearby and not go too far as she would find it difficult to control him if he saw other dogs (and there were plenty of them in her locality). With all this set up, we left them.
Smooth Sailing
It all went off without a hitch. Nero was as good as gold during the day, when no one was home. He did his deeds when mum took him out mornings/evenings and good as gold indoors. The only time he got a bit frisky was the day before we came back. He couldnt expend much energy indoors so he put on a bit of weight as well. But overall, everyone, dog and humans were happy! All is well that ends well :)
The Decision
We had a few options:
1. Put him in a pet kennel. Heard about a good place from a colleague who regularly leaves his lab there. Huge place, lots of dogs to run around with and people to take care of the dogs.
Pros: Professional care.
Cons: Nero is not very socialised with other dogs. In fact, he tends to get aggressive if he sees other dogs on the roads, especially leashed dogs. Plus, we were not very comfortable leaving him with strangers and in a strange place. Also, he's mostly a house dog, plus not used to being tied or confined for long periods of time. And of course, cost.
2. Leave him with his trainer. Though he's been out of training for quite a few months now, his trainer had left his card and said, they do keep dogs at their home and look after them in the owners absence. And they usually don't keep more than 2-3 dogs at a time.
Pros: Part professional care. Known person, Nero knows the trainer so only the place would be strange.
Cons: It turns out, the trainers mostly go out to work and his sister in law really takes care of the dogs. Plus there still are other dogs there. Also, trainer though reasonably competent, was not very confidence inspiring. Lastly, cost again.
3. Leave him with my mum. He's been to my mum's place a few times and knows my parent and the house. My mum's maid likes dogs and is fine with keeping an eye on him.
Pros: Familiar place and people. No other dogs. No need for lengthy chaining. Garden around the house for walking and doing his doggy deeds. No cost.
Cons: Too strong for mum to handle if he doesn't behave. Loose hedge with gaps, so he can't be left open in the garden as he tends to run away from the house/garden. Trouble for parents who havent really kept a dog for ages and never managed a big dog. Both parents are working, so Nero would be alone in the house during the day.
Finally, we decided to leave him with my mum. Deciding criteria was Nero's familiarity with the place and mum's & her maid's comfort with keeping/ looking after him. What helped was that he has a pretty set routine of needing to go out in the morning/evening and sleeping during the day, which fitted in well with my parent's routine. So the decision was made.
The Preparation
Having decided, the first thing we did was on an earlier weekend, take Nero to my mum's place to get him more used to staying there. His delight on reaching there and clear recognition of the place was an affirmation of our decision. He immediately went around the house sniffing everything and marked his territory in the garden. He seemed fairly at home. We also got some dog tags made for him with his name and our phone numbers in case of any trouble with his running off. We hung the one with mum's phone/ voice mail before we left him.
On the day of departure, we loaded up dog, crate, mattress, few rugs/mats he sleeps on, leashes and chains, food bin, food bowl, water bowl, packet of biscuits, assorted bones and assorted toys into the car and set it up at my mum's place. The crate and mattresses were set up at the back verandah. A long chain (made of 2 chains actually) was locked into the front verandah, where he could sit and watch the world go by (as he likes to in the mornings). His bowls were set up, mum and maid briefed on food and mum briefed on how to leash him and walk him. We cautioned mum to walk him either in the garden or nearby and not go too far as she would find it difficult to control him if he saw other dogs (and there were plenty of them in her locality). With all this set up, we left them.
Smooth Sailing
It all went off without a hitch. Nero was as good as gold during the day, when no one was home. He did his deeds when mum took him out mornings/evenings and good as gold indoors. The only time he got a bit frisky was the day before we came back. He couldnt expend much energy indoors so he put on a bit of weight as well. But overall, everyone, dog and humans were happy! All is well that ends well :)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Save it for a Rainy Day
Its been raining a lot recently so walktimes for Nero are sometimes rain drenched, always mud drenched! There are little ponds in the park, puddles in the road, mud everywhere and the smells...oh my!! He's learnt that we don't like him splashing in the puddles on the road while we walk him on his leash. But when he's off leash in a park, he decides his own rules!! 
Recently, he's also discovered little toads hopping in the grass. The first time he found one he jumped almost as high as the toad! Now he actively seeks them in the grass and tries to paw them...while we're trying our best to drag him away! No Nero No! They are NOT playtoys!!!!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Bon Appetit
As Nero turns adult, one of the primary dilemmas I face is how much to feed him. Till now he has been on a diet of dalia/veggies/curd for breakfast and roti/veggies/curd for dinner, which bits of dog food added to get him used to the taste. He also gets some titbits from us while we eat, though thats limited to half a roti or so. His activity levels seem to be coming down a bit. He still has his two walks a day, but he tends to sleep/rest more when he is inside.
A lot of net survey, reading on labs and an earlier conversation with his vet reminds me that this transition period is when dogs start to put on weight and their appetite might actually be larger than their requirement. Nero is now 30kgs and I'm planning to bring in some change in his diet. For one, I plan to keep one meal as only dog food. Right now, thats a mix of Royal Canin and Propet. The difficult part is that the recommended daily intake (300g) given on their labels is 1/4th of what he actually eats right now!! Thats a bit difficult to reconcile to! So the modified plan is, one meal of dog food (entire 300g) and one meal of 2-3roti/veggies/curd. Lets see how that works. Meanwhile, a list of questions to ask his vet -
1. What is his ideal weight supposed to be? Now? 3 months from now? 6 months? 1 year?
2. Does he agree with my current diet plan?
3. What is his take on the recommended intake given in on the labels?
4. What about the calcium and vitamin supplements he was taking as a puppy? (He has been off them for a couple of months)
5. What about occassional portions of egg, chicken, meat? Raw or cooked meat?
Here's something useful I came across. A list of what NOT to feed your dog and their consequences. Thanks to the site authors!
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1661&articleid=1030
A lot of net survey, reading on labs and an earlier conversation with his vet reminds me that this transition period is when dogs start to put on weight and their appetite might actually be larger than their requirement. Nero is now 30kgs and I'm planning to bring in some change in his diet. For one, I plan to keep one meal as only dog food. Right now, thats a mix of Royal Canin and Propet. The difficult part is that the recommended daily intake (300g) given on their labels is 1/4th of what he actually eats right now!! Thats a bit difficult to reconcile to! So the modified plan is, one meal of dog food (entire 300g) and one meal of 2-3roti/veggies/curd. Lets see how that works. Meanwhile, a list of questions to ask his vet -
1. What is his ideal weight supposed to be? Now? 3 months from now? 6 months? 1 year?
2. Does he agree with my current diet plan?
3. What is his take on the recommended intake given in on the labels?
4. What about the calcium and vitamin supplements he was taking as a puppy? (He has been off them for a couple of months)
5. What about occassional portions of egg, chicken, meat? Raw or cooked meat?
Here's something useful I came across. A list of what NOT to feed your dog and their consequences. Thanks to the site authors!
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1661&articleid=1030
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Doggie Day Out
Day before yesterday, we decided to stay over at my parents' place for the weekend. Since the maid also had the weekend off, Nero came with us.
My parents' home has a huge garden surrounding three sides of the house. New smells, trees, lots of mud, grass, plants, and immediate access - oh my! Does Nero love it or what!! As soon as we parked the car, he shot out to greet my mom standing at the doorway. Mom loves him, but 30kgs of energy jumping at you can be a bit difficult to handle!! Once the family was greeted, he immediately raced to the back of the house to look for Jimmy - the stray adopted by Madhu, my parents' maid. Jimmy was nowhere in evidence, obviously off to do his doggie deeds, so Mr Nero condescended to play with us, running round in the mud, playing fetch, and eventually at the end of two days, losing his ball somewhere among the plants! Maybe mom will find it today!!
He spent a happy couple of days barking at visitors, playing in the garden and trying to play with Jimmy (who we kept chasing off due to his lack of vaccination, tick treatment, worm treatment et al). It also turns out, Nero has a tendency to try to mount Jimmy (yes they are both males, even if Nero is neutered!!). Umm...the implications of that seem a bit radical to digest..but we do plan to ask the vet on our next visit!
Apart from the usual, this stay was marked by an interesting incident. On Saturday night, I decided to accompany my dad to the market, and against better judgement, took Nero along for the walk. Why against better judgement - simply because NCR (thats the National Capital Region or Delhi and its surrounding cities) is a haven for stray dogs. There is no place that is not inhabited by them, especially market places. They exhibit pack mentality and can be very territorial. Normally, they do not attack pet dogs/ leashed dogs accompanied by humans, though a newcomer does rouse their collective hackles! This was the scenario we walked into with Nero.
It was an impressive display by the local dogs. There was a veritable relay system going on, from the moment we crossed a neighbourhood park, all the way to the market, a distance of about 700 meters. We stopped at 3 different shops at about 200 mts from the park, 500 mts from the park and at the marketplace. At the first stop, 2 brown dogs greeted us barking furiously, while one black dog lazily looked up from his repose. When we stood in one place (while dad did his shopping), they barked from a distance, observed us very closely and then when they assured themselves we were just sitting and no real threat, gave some more barks, then loped off. At the next stop, another dog (alsation mix stray this time) did the same, except his barking was fiercer, prolonged and echoed by more barks behind us. Lo behold, when we turned into the main market, we were confronted by not 1 or 2, but 4-5 dogs of various heritages, all looking mean and barking pointedly & furiously at us. We sent dad off, found a suitable corner near the entrance of the market and stood still over there. The dogs kept barking at us, actually fanned out in front of us at one stage. It was scary, even though you know usually the strays don't actually attack, and there were a lot of people around. Still, they looked unpredictable!! Meanwhile, our hero, Nero for once seemed to take heed. Normally, he tries to bark and leap at strays barking at him. This time I had him firmly under control (yes my arms/hands suffered) and kept telling him to stay in a low but insistent voice. Wonders, he had his hackles up, but apart from some low growling, he obeyed! The culmination of the stand off was the stray dogs peeing on some poor scooter which was parked a little way ahead of us, clearly marking their territory. It was amazing to see them mark it in turns. Who says dogs talk a different language...their communication was loud and clear to both of us!!
With all that display and caution, there actually turned out to be no trouble. All bark and no bite!! We relaxed and walked back home with dad...only for utter pandemonium to break loose...of all places about 50 meters from our house! There was a woman with a small black dog on a leash and a daschund running free walking along. Now, there definitely is some animosity between Nero and daschunds. He always goes mad when he sees the one in our complex, this one was no better. Nor was the daschund, who totally ignored the woman and barked madly at Nero. Holding on to Nero was literally like holding on to dear life...he was MAD! So was the daschund! And the daschund was free, though he didnt come near us. But he kept running around (mostly between us and the house). The woman called him a couple of times but walked off to the park which was nearby (and obviously her destination) leaving us to deal with the situation! Somehow, we got Nero home (without any physical contact between the dogs), but it was exhausting!!
When we reached home, my dad summed it all up - 'we found trouble as expected, but when it was totally unexpected!!'
My parents' home has a huge garden surrounding three sides of the house. New smells, trees, lots of mud, grass, plants, and immediate access - oh my! Does Nero love it or what!! As soon as we parked the car, he shot out to greet my mom standing at the doorway. Mom loves him, but 30kgs of energy jumping at you can be a bit difficult to handle!! Once the family was greeted, he immediately raced to the back of the house to look for Jimmy - the stray adopted by Madhu, my parents' maid. Jimmy was nowhere in evidence, obviously off to do his doggie deeds, so Mr Nero condescended to play with us, running round in the mud, playing fetch, and eventually at the end of two days, losing his ball somewhere among the plants! Maybe mom will find it today!!
He spent a happy couple of days barking at visitors, playing in the garden and trying to play with Jimmy (who we kept chasing off due to his lack of vaccination, tick treatment, worm treatment et al). It also turns out, Nero has a tendency to try to mount Jimmy (yes they are both males, even if Nero is neutered!!). Umm...the implications of that seem a bit radical to digest..but we do plan to ask the vet on our next visit!
Apart from the usual, this stay was marked by an interesting incident. On Saturday night, I decided to accompany my dad to the market, and against better judgement, took Nero along for the walk. Why against better judgement - simply because NCR (thats the National Capital Region or Delhi and its surrounding cities) is a haven for stray dogs. There is no place that is not inhabited by them, especially market places. They exhibit pack mentality and can be very territorial. Normally, they do not attack pet dogs/ leashed dogs accompanied by humans, though a newcomer does rouse their collective hackles! This was the scenario we walked into with Nero.
It was an impressive display by the local dogs. There was a veritable relay system going on, from the moment we crossed a neighbourhood park, all the way to the market, a distance of about 700 meters. We stopped at 3 different shops at about 200 mts from the park, 500 mts from the park and at the marketplace. At the first stop, 2 brown dogs greeted us barking furiously, while one black dog lazily looked up from his repose. When we stood in one place (while dad did his shopping), they barked from a distance, observed us very closely and then when they assured themselves we were just sitting and no real threat, gave some more barks, then loped off. At the next stop, another dog (alsation mix stray this time) did the same, except his barking was fiercer, prolonged and echoed by more barks behind us. Lo behold, when we turned into the main market, we were confronted by not 1 or 2, but 4-5 dogs of various heritages, all looking mean and barking pointedly & furiously at us. We sent dad off, found a suitable corner near the entrance of the market and stood still over there. The dogs kept barking at us, actually fanned out in front of us at one stage. It was scary, even though you know usually the strays don't actually attack, and there were a lot of people around. Still, they looked unpredictable!! Meanwhile, our hero, Nero for once seemed to take heed. Normally, he tries to bark and leap at strays barking at him. This time I had him firmly under control (yes my arms/hands suffered) and kept telling him to stay in a low but insistent voice. Wonders, he had his hackles up, but apart from some low growling, he obeyed! The culmination of the stand off was the stray dogs peeing on some poor scooter which was parked a little way ahead of us, clearly marking their territory. It was amazing to see them mark it in turns. Who says dogs talk a different language...their communication was loud and clear to both of us!!
With all that display and caution, there actually turned out to be no trouble. All bark and no bite!! We relaxed and walked back home with dad...only for utter pandemonium to break loose...of all places about 50 meters from our house! There was a woman with a small black dog on a leash and a daschund running free walking along. Now, there definitely is some animosity between Nero and daschunds. He always goes mad when he sees the one in our complex, this one was no better. Nor was the daschund, who totally ignored the woman and barked madly at Nero. Holding on to Nero was literally like holding on to dear life...he was MAD! So was the daschund! And the daschund was free, though he didnt come near us. But he kept running around (mostly between us and the house). The woman called him a couple of times but walked off to the park which was nearby (and obviously her destination) leaving us to deal with the situation! Somehow, we got Nero home (without any physical contact between the dogs), but it was exhausting!!
When we reached home, my dad summed it all up - 'we found trouble as expected, but when it was totally unexpected!!'
Friday, May 30, 2008
Its a dog's life
One year old. Our puppy is now officially a dog! Not that his behaviour has changed overnight. He still as jumpy and chewy as ever, but much much more routinized!! He's up with the sun and by 6:30am, wants to go sit in the balcony and denude the potted palms while watching the world wake up. Chewing on leaves takes precedence though. Unless he can sniff and nudge my hubby awake...then its walk time...ooh heaven! A nice long walk with time aside for his morning toilette. No more soiling indoors...hooray! Hubby likes a brisk walk, so Nero has a nice long morning stroll. Back at home, he accompanies hubby around till he (hubby not Nero) leaves for office. Then its a toss up between overseeing the maid clean the house, or retiring to his favorite place in the whole world - his den. Which does NOT happen to be the crate we bought for him, despite all the crate training. No sir, heaven is below the sofa-cum-bed in the lounge, a dark, cool place where he can rest out of reach of anyone who doesnt want to crawl under the bed. This is his domain, and he spends a happy morning sleeping there.
Then its lunchtime, not for him (he eats only two meals/day now). But any meal times are sacred for him. It is utterly necessary for him to be sitting by our side during mealtimes. Sometimes scraps of roti's do make their way to him!! Post our lunch, its time for him to sit vigil while the maid lunches in the kitchen. He isn't allowed in, but that doesnt stop him from sitting pretty at the kitchen door!! Once all the food has been consumed, its time for another nap. This time, on top of the aforementioned sofa-cum-bed, or in the floor near it. This is also the time the AC is usually on, so the entire room is nice and cool for him.
Then its lunchtime, not for him (he eats only two meals/day now). But any meal times are sacred for him. It is utterly necessary for him to be sitting by our side during mealtimes. Sometimes scraps of roti's do make their way to him!! Post our lunch, its time for him to sit vigil while the maid lunches in the kitchen. He isn't allowed in, but that doesnt stop him from sitting pretty at the kitchen door!! Once all the food has been consumed, its time for another nap. This time, on top of the aforementioned sofa-cum-bed, or in the floor near it. This is also the time the AC is usually on, so the entire room is nice and cool for him.
His internal clock sets off again around 6:00pm. Its amazing, no matter how deeply he might be asleep at 5:59, a quick stretch and he's sitting in anticipation for his evening walk! If there is no immediate movement from me, he'll start with gentle pawing, escalate to harder pawning, degenerate to whines and active jumping on top of me. More often than not it works. Sometimes, I have to hide in the bathroom. Then he lies await for me outside. In the rare case, all his techniques have failed, he selects a toy from his toy box and settles down with it to wait. He knows he's going to get that walk...its just a matter of time!!
Evening walks are leisurely affairs. A variable stroll lasting from 20 minutes upto 1.5 hours! Apart from his evening toilette, its time to check out new smells, jump at passing people and other strolling dogs, and if the park is dry, play ball! Recently, its been raining here and the laburnums are in full blossom. Sometimes I feel like Dorothy, and a rather large Toto, walking down the yellow road!!
Evening walks are leisurely affairs. A variable stroll lasting from 20 minutes upto 1.5 hours! Apart from his evening toilette, its time to check out new smells, jump at passing people and other strolling dogs, and if the park is dry, play ball! Recently, its been raining here and the laburnums are in full blossom. Sometimes I feel like Dorothy, and a rather large Toto, walking down the yellow road!!
Once his route has been walked, the smells sniffed and dusk duly fallen, its time to return home. A quick power nap of 15 minutes or so, and he's ready for games again. By this time, hubby also would be back (or on his way back). So its playing with his toys, either fetch (if the humans are in the mood), or on his own, with lots of sound effects (whines, growls, short barks)! This is also the time to keep going out the the balcony (everytime we just close the door, he's jumping at it within a few minutes), watching the night fall and barking at other people standing on their balconies.
Dinner time for him, and then either he goes back to playing or settles down in the lounge with us, curling up against us as we watch tv. Sometimes curling up that is, other times stretching out and nudging us towards the sides of the sofa/bed and he hogs the center! Family time entertainment indeed. When the day is finally done for the humans, usually he's been asleep on the sofa/bed for a while. Very reluctantly, usually dragged off the bed, he joins the humans in the bedroom and finally condescends to use his den (the crate..yess at last!) to sleep in, interspersed with bouts of naps on the rugs and near the foot of the bed.
Thats his day, everyday. Sometimes, we both go out and he's left alone with the maid. Then I'm told, he sleeps in front of the main door (and the maids door which is just inside the main door). Doorbells need immediate investigation, with lots of sniffs under the door, barks and jumps. The wall near the door is scratched to bits!! People coming to work home, plumbers, electricians, repairmen etc. need thorough investigation. Usually denied as most of them insist he's locked in a room. So as soon as they go, a round of sniffing around to ensure he's complete on top of things happens. Visits to my mother's place are full of fun. Lots of garden place to run about and a stray dog, domesticated by their servant to play with!
The days are packed. Life is good =)
Thats his day, everyday. Sometimes, we both go out and he's left alone with the maid. Then I'm told, he sleeps in front of the main door (and the maids door which is just inside the main door). Doorbells need immediate investigation, with lots of sniffs under the door, barks and jumps. The wall near the door is scratched to bits!! People coming to work home, plumbers, electricians, repairmen etc. need thorough investigation. Usually denied as most of them insist he's locked in a room. So as soon as they go, a round of sniffing around to ensure he's complete on top of things happens. Visits to my mother's place are full of fun. Lots of garden place to run about and a stray dog, domesticated by their servant to play with!
The days are packed. Life is good =)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)