Park, today. We're doing our thing, Squish wandering round on his long line and Spike playing ball, when a guy turns up with a pretty black Lab mix and her ball.
Spike is offleash, so he's completely indifferent - "Oh, look, a dog. NOW THROW MY BALL, LADY!"
Squish, though - my special little spotted snowflake. He's hugely excited by other dogs, he's frightened of everything, he really loves to bark and he has the social skills of an infant Cluster Lizard raised by a dead guy. He raced up to the Lab mix, hackles up, tail wagging, play-bowing and barking his fool head off all at once. I braced for impact and he still pulled me flat on my face (thankfully, I failed to land in any turds, which in that particular park is a bit like winning the lottery). The poor Lab mix looked like you'd look if someone grabbed you by the collar while you were shopping and started ranting happily about our Reptile Overlords. She was too startled and confused to attack him at once, but she looked like she might any second. And Spike didn't care and doesn't like to hit girls, but Squish is on his crew - he was standing by in case things turned nasty, ready to dive in and make it ten times worse.
So I stood up, at the other end of Squish's long line, all ready to reel him in, and I sang out - "Squishy come!"
And he did. Instantly! And again and again despite the Lab mix's continued presence! Let everyone do the Dance Of Sausage Joy!
*dances*
Spike is offleash, so he's completely indifferent - "Oh, look, a dog. NOW THROW MY BALL, LADY!"
Squish, though - my special little spotted snowflake. He's hugely excited by other dogs, he's frightened of everything, he really loves to bark and he has the social skills of an infant Cluster Lizard raised by a dead guy. He raced up to the Lab mix, hackles up, tail wagging, play-bowing and barking his fool head off all at once. I braced for impact and he still pulled me flat on my face (thankfully, I failed to land in any turds, which in that particular park is a bit like winning the lottery). The poor Lab mix looked like you'd look if someone grabbed you by the collar while you were shopping and started ranting happily about our Reptile Overlords. She was too startled and confused to attack him at once, but she looked like she might any second. And Spike didn't care and doesn't like to hit girls, but Squish is on his crew - he was standing by in case things turned nasty, ready to dive in and make it ten times worse.
So I stood up, at the other end of Squish's long line, all ready to reel him in, and I sang out - "Squishy come!"
And he did. Instantly! And again and again despite the Lab mix's continued presence! Let everyone do the Dance Of Sausage Joy!
*dances*
Tags:
From:
no subject
*dances an intricate dance of sausage joy*
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
And I could use some sausage joy, if you know what I mean... ;-0
From:
no subject
(ME TOO. It's been WEEKS!)
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
(Will be online as soon as I've done this transport, BTW)
From:
no subject
When he first arrived he was mad for puppies. Seriously, if he saw a puppy I was hauled across broken glass, through brambles, whatever so he could get some puppy lovin'. Usually terrified the puppy's owner since he is not a small dog.
Then I brought Gabriel home and Hunter was cured. Full-time puppy was a whole different story, especially one that regarded Hunter's rather splendid tail as the best toy ever and could run under the sofa rather than submit to Hunter's displeasure.
One of our neighbors had a bitch puppy which fell in love with Hunter, who is not physically capable of giving her what she wanted and wasn't all that hot for her anyway. She would try literally to climb on him to encourage him and he'd look at me as if to say "I don't know what she wants, but make her stop this right now."
He's not aggressive with other dogs, but he's more likely to give a series of 'you just stay your ass over there' barks. Gabriel, on the other hand, barks like mad to call them over then hides behind my legs when they get too close.
My boys. **applause**
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
I'll try & ring Elana tomorrow, see if I can find anything out.
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
(I just got back from horseriding lessons and shopping and before all that, class, and discovered this sitting here on my computer all written up. Apparently one must push the "Post Comment" button.)
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject