Working-K9: December 2007 Posts

Sunday, December 30, 2007
Privacy; A Human Thing

Normally when my human wanders off to the bathroom I'm right there wish her. Every now and then she slips away when I'm not looking or distracted. Now it's my job to keep her safe and to watch over her. I take this job very seriously (most of the time). So when she shuts me out of the bathroom but forgets to latch the door I burst on in and quietly sit and stare at her.

This action usually results in her telling me that it's polite to closet the close the door after barging in like that. Personally I don't get it. Why does she need to pee in privacy? I pee outside in the yard, for all to see. I don't care whose watching. Heck I'll even come in, lay down on the kitchen floor and lick myself while she's eating a meal. I don't mind that she or anyone is watching. Why are humans so strange?

Finally after getting tired of never having her bathroom door shut she convinced me to shut it after I came in. I figured it was the best way to make peace on this issue and I got a few treats for it so it wasn't all that unbearable. Will I maintain this level of etiquette? We shall see….

Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Sad Night

Like most nights my human talks to her family before they turn in for the evening. Tonight she even called her brother to catch-up and chat a bit. As usual he wasn't overly talkative. That's very normal for him and she knows and respects that aspect of his personality. Then something happened to turn a normally friendly conversation in to a very sad one.

You see he had agreed to send my human a Christmas card. She didn't care if it was home made or store bought. At most the cost would have been $1.50 to buy and send. The card isn't really what is important either. To her it's a simple task that takes little time but requires some thought and attention. Granted only a little thought and moments of attention by human standards but it's just that little something that lets her know that he actually cares enough to do something out of the norm specifically for her.

Well Christmas has come and gone. No card. So tonight she asked him if he had mailed it yet and apparently he said no and that he wasn't going to. This broke her heart and I swear I heard it break. I have good ears you know. She let him know that even sending it late would be ok. She didn't mind. However no he still has no intention of sending this card.

Keep in mind that this is the one thing she asks for each year from him. One thing that requires an act of pure compassion and commitment. This year, as with others he failed. She cried. She'll get over it and move on. She's actually more accustom to disappointment from him than she'd like to admit. More often than not it rarely fazes her but it's the little things like this that really wound her deeply.

He is often there when she needs him, which she is always grateful for but sometime it would be nice if he'd just be there for her when she didn't.

Still she does love her brother and speaks very highly of him to her friends and acquaintances. She'll continue to send him a card on his birthday and at Christmas and she'll always be there if he needs anything from her.

Saturday, December 22, 2007
Temptations of the Cookie

I don't take food from the table. That has been a rule since day one in my humans' house. It's a rule I admit I was slow to learn but over time I've learned to control my animal urges and leave food alone when my human gets called away from her meals. More often than not I'll get a little bit of her meal when she's done anyways and this arrangement has worked out well for the both of us.

That was, until tonight. Call it a moment of weakness. Call it temporary insanity. Call it a release of my inner beast. Whatever it was that made me do it, I apologize.

However in my defense, my human had been sitting at the table munching on cookies for awhile and their sweet aroma wafted down my way, tickling my nose and tantalizing my senses. Now I admit I could have gotten up and walked away from the smell of the baked goodies but I found that I couldn't move. That's right the cookie delights had paralyzed me and I was transfixed on them.

Finally the humans' phone rang. She was called away to her office for a moment. It was my time to strike! Oh what to do. Do I be a good dog and risk not getting even a scrap of a cookie? I had heard her say that the cookies were not good for dogs. Like that's possible. With the possibility of no cookie at all, I knew I was left with only one option. Stealth!!

I lifted that cookie from the table with the grace of an Olympic diver, the speed of an Indy car and the stealth of a professional thief. I didn't leave a single drop of drool on her table, I didn't move her chair, and I didn't displace her napkin or disturb her glass of water. I left no evidence of my thievery except for the obviously lack of the fore mentioned cookie. Damn I'm good.

I quickly headed off to join her in her office to throw off any suspicion.

Upon returning to the kitchen table my human looked at her napkin and then to me. I sat and wagged my tail sweetly while looking at her with the sweetest expression I could muster.

Needless to say she wasn't happy, and I spent the next few minutes across the room in my time out spot while she devoured yet another cookie. Even though I did get caught and was in trouble I must admit, it was totally worth it.

Thursday, December 20, 2007
Coloring

Last night the neighbor kids came over for a visit. My human quickly put them to work coloring the drive way with all sorts of holiday art. We have Trees, Snowmen, Gifts, Candy Canes, Snow, Lights and more. They did a great job and I just wanted to share their hard work with all of you.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007
I Met Santa

Why haven't I been posting lately, some of you have asked. Well I've been busy. Well my humans been busy, I've been holding the floor down. I've been doing a great job too. Moving around to various places in the house to make sure it stays down evenly as I nap briefly.

Well finally we got out to do some Christmas shopping. My goodness there's a lot of people out shopping this time of year. Everywhere we go we find long lines. Thankfully most everyone has been very friendly and helpful. I get lots of lovin' too. Even if annoys my human and distracts me to point of utter uselessness.

Today was our last day venturing out; I think. Because it was our last day out my human dragged me over to meet Santa. That's right the big guy himself! I was so excited and a little fearful but my human kept everything fun (and brought treats) so I didn't freak out.

I sniffed him and his helpers a bit then my human sat down with him and I joined her. We all posed for a photo. Several of the other mall shoppers thought we were all so cute.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Night Before Christmas

My human has gone out Christmas shopping a bit and I guess all the decorations, glitter and toys has kind of put me in the holiday spirit. So, for your amusement I've written my own rendition of: "Twas the night before Christmas". That's right; doggie style!

Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout our home,
All was still, peaceful and nothing was bothersome.

My booties were chewed and laid without care,
In the hopes that I'd find treats soon in there.

My human was nestled all snug in her bed,
While visions of beef snacks danced in my head.

My human in her nighty and I in the buff,
I don't know what she was dreaming but I was dreaming of foodstuff.

When out on the yard there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet and barked a crazy mad chatter.

Awoke did my human and gave out a yell,
But I wasn't deterred as I ran for a quick smell.

I pressed my nose to the door frame crack,
I strained and I stiffened all ready for the attack.

My human got out of bed; she did stumble and stagger,
As she came down the hall to see what was the matter.

When suddenly we realized we had nothing to fear,
For it were only a sleigh and eight little deer.

I gave my human and loving lick,
Knowing then that it was only St Nick.

I called to the deer like it was a game,
I called to each deer, I called them by name.

Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

Bring me some treats, bones and more!
For this is all I ask, I beg, I implore!

Alas all they heard was "bark" "bark" "woof",
They jumped, jilted and stomped a hoof.

From there they took off, that's right they flew,
Away with my treats, goodies and, oh ya, St Nick too.

Oh why didn't I know they couldn't speak dog?
I guess I'll have to go back to sleeping like a log.

As I turned to escort my human to bed,
She laughed and gently patted me on the head.

Maybe my barking really was a nuisance,
I just couldn't control my own puppy-like exuberance.

I was so sad; my disappointment was quite clear,
So she gave me some biscuits, I made them disappear.

Then my human hurried back to her bed,
I followed behind gladly, and happily fed.

I do hope St. Nick and his deer get over the fright,
And try once again next year on this very night.

Happy Christmas

Thursday, December 06, 2007
Rope Toy

If you recall awhile back when I wrote of the blue ball I loved so dearly. Well now I've found a new favorite toy. You see my blue ball met with a rather untimely demise. Granted it was partly my fault, I did tear it apart, but I blame my human for throwing all the little bits of it away.

Well after a time and some well timed "Poor Puppy" glances my human gave in and got a new rope toy for me. This toy is huge! So big in fact I really didn't know what to do with it at first. However now that I've had some time to "chew" on it I've decided that this is my new favorite toy. I'd like to think this toy will be around for years to come but let's face it. I'm just not that gentle with my toys.

Monday, December 03, 2007
New Trick

I'm such a clever dog. I learned a new trick last night. You see my human was changing the ink cartridge in her printer. Most if not all new cartridges have a little piece of tape on them that must be pulled off before they are put in to the printer. Now I do love her dearly but her little fingers are next to useless these days. She struggled and struggled with that tiny bit of tape before calling it to my attention.

She explained what I needed to do and held the cartridge out for me to assess it. I nimbly yanked that tape off and deposited it in her lap. I tell ya, what would she do without me. *laugh*

Sunday, December 01, 2007
Family, Friends & Food

I apologize for not writing sooner. It's been a crazy few weeks around here.

First a friend of my human shows up and we spent lots of time at the store buying food for the feast she planned to cook for Thanksgiving. A feast, I must add, that would have been better if I had been allowed to eat more of it. I know I'm a dog and all but don't I also deserve to partake in the delectable Thanksgiving meal?

More humans, this time my humans' family (parents, brother, cousin and a family friend) arrived on Thanksgiving Day. I accompanied her to pick up her parents but was left behind when she drove to the other airport for the brother, cousin and friend. So I stayed home and gently sniffed at the sweet aroma of the feast. Did I mention I didn't get my fair share of the food? Really, would a pie of my very own been too much to ask?

At this point the house was full of people. Lots of belly rubs for me. I liked that part. I wonder when they will all come back. My belly is a bit itchy.

More rushing around followed the fun that was Thanksgiving as they jumped in to wedding mode. My humans' aunt got married Saturday. You'll see a picture of that in my previous posting. The humans were gone all day. Lonely day for me but they appeared to have had one eventful day.

The next day more family showed up. These were the uncles and other cousins that didn't stay at my humans home because we simply ran out of room. I had to stay in my kennel. Once they left, the bride and groom came over. The humans looked at photos on the computer for awhile. Apparently they took a lot of pictures. I don't see the appeal personally. Now when they develop cameras that take photos and smells, I'll be more interested. After they left, more family came over. A cousin and her family; hubby and five kids. I was caught and kenneled just before I had the opportunity to knock down the smaller kids. Drat.

Monday came and the chef left for home. The rest of us went shopping. My human got a new PC; hence why I haven't been able to post to my blog lately. Plus she got a new router because the old one wasn't working well. This also haywire router also played a part in why I haven't been posting lately.

Tuesday the brother and cousin flew back to whence they came. Wednesday was spent cleaning and working on the new PC. Thursday morning the parents flew home and the house was once again mine. My human was very sad to see them all leave. I know she enjoys having her family around, even if some of them were eager to get home themselves.