Dogs

”New and Improved Neck Warmer!”

~ Elizabeth ~ 30 Comments

We have always had herding dogs who love to be outside and come in the house long enough to eat and fall asleep at our feet. Friendly, but pretty aloof over all. When we decided at our age we needed a smaller dog who couldn’t knock me over, we got Zoe in March. What a contrast! She hates going outside unless we go too. She wants to be with one or the other of us at all times. Her favorite positions are on top on one or the other recliner–whichever one is occupied.

Fortunately her good nature is constant. She loves the groomer. She even loves the vet and runs into the office to greet everyone, seeming to ignore the things they put her through. She immediately warms to any house guests. When the phone rings she runs over to join in the conversation. If the call is on Face Time she will drop a toy in front of the screen to invite the caller to play.

When we were without a dog for the first time in our marriage I really longed for another creature to liven things up. Things get a little dull occasionally with just the two of us. Zoe apparently heard the request. She livens things up from dawn to dusk. I had no idea how my idea of “dog” was conditioned by our string of Australian Shepherds. Zoe has made it quite clear that I was misinformed! According to her dogs are constant love machines. And I can’t help but love her back.

Traveling East in Winter

~ Elizabeth ~ 10 Comments

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Most people don’t try to drive across the country in February, but that was when we had to travel and take the dogs. Between Oregon and Connecticut in the winter, snow is inevitable. In fact, our moving company decided to go south through Texas to avoid weather delays.

We tried to go about 550 miles a day. As providence, or luck,or fate(pick your philosophical choice) would have it, there was a series of storms just ahead of us and just behind us. As long as we kept up our pace, we could completely avoid the snow storms. We would come on the Interstate hours after the gates(such as pictured above)had been reopened to traffic. The next day, they would be dropped again closing the highway. The most snow we ever encountered was in Wyoming as powder blew across the road from nearby fields.

There was abundant snow everywhere we traveled, but it wasn’t snowing on the days we were actually driving. The dogs loved the snow and ran, jumped and spun in it each chance they got. It was, however, freezing. Literally. We had a zippered car top carrier to hold our suitcases, and my husband emptied it each evening to bring things into the hotel. One frigid Wyoming morning, as the dogs merrily chased rabbits across the adjacent snowy fields, my husband nearly gave up trying to repack the carrier. Finally, the zipper closed and we set out again.

The movers got stuck in the snow on their southern route and were delayed for three days.

Living With Animals

~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

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Little did I know when I met this goat as a 5 year old that I would eventually end up with a goat of my own. When I was a young nursing mother, a student who was grateful for my teaching, gave me a milk goat. That year seems in my memory to be endlessly about milking, either by my baby or by me! I learned to make goat cheese and goat yogurt and drink goat milk. Sadly, that goat was attacked by a pack of wild dogs and didn’t survive, despite the best vet care and home nursing. But I was heartsick when she died since we had formed a genuine bond over our milk supplies.

Animals have always been part of my life, and we currently have a female Australian Shepherd, acquired near Easter, named Grace. She fends off the mailman and threatens the U.P.S. driver with her fierce barking. But while she keeps strangers away, she is totally welcoming to anyone we invite into the house. She loves ice cubes and comes running when I open the freezer door, hoping I will drop one.

I thought about getting a puppy a few months ago, and I swear Grace read my mind. She suddenly became very attentive, following me around the house and resting at my feet. I certainly got the message that she was convinced that I only needed one dog–her. So no puppy for the time being.

I don’t know if Donald Trump has a dog, so I am waiting to see. Animals have a calming effect on us, and it seems to me that he often needs to calm down.

 

Dog Sitting

~ Elizabeth ~ 1 Comment

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I often take care of the dogs for a neighbor when the neighbor is away for a couple of days. Ideally, I put a leash on the white dog and walk her while I let the black dog out to run around the back yard. Yes, that blur is the white dog. The black dog waits patiently under the table for me to let him out.

There are many ways to get daily exercise. This time it was from trying to catch up with the white dog!

Dog Days

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We are in the middle of our second heat wave of the summer. This one has very high humidity, and the weather forecasters keep up the cheery news: “It’s 96 degrees out, but it feels like 110!” As if they are excited with the discrepancy. Once it gets past 90, it’s all the same to me.

Our dog fails to see the humor when I tell her “It’s dog days!” She’s onto me. She won’t even stay outside after barking to be let out. She stares back balefully at me after 30 seconds on the porch. She seems to be chastising me with “where was the warning before you opened the door?”

“You are supposed to be a sheep dog,” I remind her. “Out in the field all day, despite heat, rain or snow.” She curls up in front of the air conditioner and goes back to sleep.