Like most of us here, I have been hyperventilating about the fiscal cliff, the GOP internecine struggles, the Progressive dislike of the current compromise, the inequality of our system, global warming. It is understandable since I I am here and I care ... damn it. BUT, I need a break. So let me tell you about my clever dogs.
Some background first. I live with my daughter (long sob story about how my wonderful daughter took me in has been told) who had twins on December 14. Right now, I help her take care of the babies when she lets me (for she is jealous mom) and I will be nanny when she goes back to work.
So what does this have to do with our clever dogs other than giving me an opportunity to play with images in diaries and post a picture of my grandchildren?
Chula and Zoe are kind enough to let us share their home. They are rescue dogs and the next best thing to sliced bread.
This story is really about Chula a (very) mixed breed with some herder in her.
When the twins came home, she was a little stand offish, but started to warm up to them in the next few days. First, she was just curious to see who was invading her home of 10 years. Then she was interested in watching and sniffing them. Then three nights ago, she came and woke me up ... paws patting my face and wimpering. when I got up to see what was wrong, I herd the babies crying and my daughter trying to take car of both babies. The next night she called me when they started whimpering. Now she wakes me when she just barely hears them grunting, before they start to whimper, much less cry. She is truly a herder and a better nanny than I will ever be!
Since the topic is clever dogs, I have to share my favorite story ... back 20 years ago wh had Scruffy, the Houdini of dogs. He was beagle and Fox terrier and looked just like Snoopy and was just as clever. Scruffy learned to climb chain link fances, scale brick walls and escape at will. So we had to make him a mostly inside dog. He did not like that since he was a wandering soul and learned to unlock, open the patio door and escape to explore the world. Finally we put in a lock at the top of the door so that he could not go out. He was not happy but since he was a short little dog and could not reach it even after he pulled up a chair, he learned to live with it.
One day, he needed to go out and went to tell my son who was about 11 and mad about video games. So my son put him off, several times. Finally, Scruffy had had enough, and being the clever dog that he was, lifted his leg on my son's back and let go. I always think of that as a most appropriate way to express how pissed off you are. BTW, NOBODY messed with him after that ... if Scruffy asked to go out, we stopped everything to make sure that he got out to do his business!
So, take a break with me and tell about your favorite clever dog/cat/mouse/snake story.