Dog Tricks

Faith has been trying hard to find ways to keep me using all my dog capabilities in this continued cold weather.  She says the calendar says SPRING, but since I can't read, I have to use my powerful dog-senses, and I pronounce it is definitely still WINTER.  Well, I catch Faith watching this other dog on the computer, and I start jumping all around!  I want to learn that stuff, I do I do! Faith lacks the confidence that she can teach me these cool tricks, but I'm out to convince her that she can doooooo it!  I mean she already taught me how to sit, wait, shake, high five, and army crawl my way over the carpet.  Let's keep going!!

Rainy Days

Do you have any idea how boring it is when it rains outside?  This rain is after months of cold and cold and more cold.  I am one bummed dog.  Where is Spring??  Where is the SUN??  I want OUTSIDE again!!

Okay, okay.  It's true.  I get outside every day.  I think I might be channeling Faith's misery.  Why am I so loyal and empathetic?  It's hard being a good dog.

The Sun Returns!

Woof, Woof, Woof!!  Jump, Jump, Jump!!  Yesterday's rain has cleared out -- the weather is better with 45 degrees outside and the sun beaming down -- Faith is home early, and she promised me an extra long walk today.  

Ready?

Set...

Go!!

Windy Walk in the Cemetery

It was photo time again today, when Faith took me walking in the biggest cemetery either of us has ever seen.   Faith used to visit the little cemeteries she found in mountain towns in Colorado, finding she could piece together little historical stories by looking at the grave markers, like if an illness swept through a town during a certain period of time, taking the lives of its children or elderly.

I also remember that when we drove from here to North Carolina last year, Faith stopped at a few cemeteries and we walked around.  These cemeteries were small and most often situated in the back yard of Baptist churches right on the main road in town.  Calvary Cemetery is huge.  When you look down at it from the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, it seems to go on for miles.

I had an amazing time getting to explore.  It was weird though, Faith walked me so much before we got to the cemetery I was all out of pee and poop.  When I tried to pee on some lovely grass in front of a big stone with an angel carved into the top of it, I looked pleadingly at Faith thinking, "Nothing's happening, here.  What's going on?"  She told me she had timed it that way, because it could be seen as rude to sprinkle near someone's resting place. I don't know, it seemed pretty natural to me, but with nothing left in my bladder, it was just sniffing and wandering around for me while Faith snapped these:

Dog Book!

Faith talks to me.  She does.  This is probably not surprising to any of you that have ever worked or lived with her.  She used to just talk to herself, as you may recall.  Now, she gets to direct her words toward me.  To be truthful, I love it.  It's great to try and figure out what she means exactly.

Some things I have down pat.  My ears perk up and I start to twirl or patter around her feet when she says, "Walk," "Hungry?," "Treat," and "Let's brush your teeth!"  In fact, she has to be a little careful, because sometimes when she's on the phone and says these words to someone else as a part of her normal conversation, like, "I think I'm going to enjoy a treat later," I come running in, panting, "Treat? Treat!  Did you say treat?  Is it time for me to do my tricks and get some bison jerky?!"  I'm pretty disappointed when I realize she wasn't talking to me at all.

Other things she says I am not quite sure about, so I look at her, tilting my head and raising my eyebrows.  If she repeats the word or phrase while looking at me, I know it's something she wants me to understand.  This is the fun part, adding to my vocabulary.

Recently, Faith came through the door at the end of her day and told me she'd been listening to a story about a dog.  What could this be?  She showed me a little silver rectangle with some of those things she puts in her ears attached.  Later, I saw her looking at this website: Merle: Lessons from a Free Thinking Dog.  She says she is crying a little on the train and smiling a whole lot.  She has begun to speak with me differently after starting this book.  I hope she keeps it up.  I feel like we're getting to a new place as dog and person, together!

Also, I like the sound of that title!  Free.  Thinking.  Dog.