Keeping up with the Jones'...

[Christie M]

.....or just Heather and Leih.

Here is Geisha's adventure for last night.

Last night, I walked over to the neighbors for a chat. Geisha trotted along with me, and since we live in the sticks the dogs have allot of freedom when we are supervising them. It is only my neighbor and me on this road, so although its quite a walk, its pretty isolated.

My ninja pup played with the neighbor's dog, so I left her outside while we chatted. Apparently the play was boring. Instead of my precious puppy coming into the neighbor's house, or curling up under a bush, she just headed home. Once there, she let herself in the front door and then proceeded to "read." However, her version of reading including pulling all of the books off of the bookshelf and spreading them around the floor. She also brought a bath mat out from the bathroom to lay on while she read.

When I walked in the door all I got was a cute innocent look. She may even have seemed a little proud.

[k9katet]

LOL! Great story Christie! You are in sooooo much trouble with her. She is very smart!

Glad to see the peer pressure is working.

[leih merigian]

Pretty freaking funny!

We're out in the country, too, and have a half acre fenced yard, but there are so many sticks and acorns and that kind of stuff around one long side, I just can't let Geyser off to mess with that stuff, as that's where she goes and what she wants to do...chew acorns and sticks. Grrrr. So, I just keep her on a long line. She doesn't like it much, especially when she spies the cats, with whom she'd love to consort.

Your girl sounds like a lot of fun (and a great challenge, too )

[vneerland]

That's the kind of stuff that my nightmares would be made of. While I truly live out in the sticks, I cannot imagine letting any of my brindles, adults or juveniles, make their own decisions about where to go. The old pro's make great around the farm dogs, and stick around no matter what. Until I am sure they stick, though, I lack the courage to risk that they would travel back home from a neighbors house. They would find the only busy street in the hood, and cross it in front of the only car that came along that particular hour.
Glad the story has a happy ending. Was her choice of literature at least worthy of your approval?

[Christie M]

That's the kind of stuff that my nightmares would be made of. While I truly live out in the sticks, I cannot imagine letting any of my brindles, adults or juveniles, make their own decisions about where to go. The old pro's make great around the farm dogs, and stick around no matter what. Until I am sure they stick, though, I lack the courage to risk that they would travel back home from a neighbors house. They would find the only busy street in the hood, and cross it in front of the only car that came along that particular hour.
Glad the story has a happy ending. Was her choice of literature at least worthy of your approval?

Yeah, I guess it sounds more dramatic than it really is. The adults are only out directly supervised, while the puppies may wander a bit while we are working in the garden, with the horses..etc. The neighbors have a pack of Boston Terriers that are never confined and one German Shepherd. Its pretty common for me to take a puppy with me to the neighbors. Typically they just hang out and come inside with me once they are bored. This was the first time my kid didn't join me. About 10 minutes in the conversation, my neighbor's husband came in.
"I spose the brown pups yurs?"
"yep, she still around?" (I have started talking southern )
"Oh yeah. Messin with Sissy."

I was pretty surprised to NOT have her waiting when I walked out. But was extremely relieved to find her safe at home.

I'm not overly protective about the various sticks or acorns that she may pick up. She tends to find me, the horses and other dogs more entertaining as long as I am not making a game out of shoving my fingers in her mouth often. I think that making an issue of it often causes more problems than ignoring it. Its fun to play chase and tug!!

I used to stress constantly and test for everything. And yet, still Willow pushed the screen out of a second story window to let herself out to potty in the middle of the night. Thank God they are sturdy - and I think I'm observant and know my kids really well. But Judith - you are correct and I don't think that I will be letting her just play with the neighbor kids again

[vneerland]

I was pretty surprised to NOT have her waiting when I walked out. But was extremely relieved to find her safe at home.
<snip>
But Judith - you are correct and I don't think that I will be letting her just play with the neighbor kids again

I bet that first sentence is the understatement of the year. You must have been running all the way home, heart pounding and wondering how (you were going to tell the world that your pup was missing or worse)
I know I would have needed a stiff drink and a couple of valium after something like that.

I 'lost' a young adult once. (Actually: twice) She had just arrived from Holland and was seeking (her owners?) I found her walking alongside the very busy road in front of my place. The only wreck, thank God, was me. Another time I was loading up for a trip to the airport to pick up a shipment of dogs. My 6 month old pup was just sniffing around. It was barely dawn and when I looked up at the truck that came by and honked, I saw my pup scoot away from the (same) ditch/road, towards me. She had NEVER ever gone that direction, because they were simply not allowed. I could have lost either. And they were among my best dogs later in their lives. I hope for you that that is at least a good omen

Edit: pic of 'brown pup?'

[leih merigian]

I'm not overly protective about the various sticks or acorns that she may pick up. She tends to find me, the horses and other dogs more entertaining as long as I am not making a game out of shoving my fingers in her mouth often. I think that making an issue of it often causes more problems than ignoring it. Its fun to play chase and tug!!

You know, Christie, I agree with you.

[k9katet]

Is she ok with the horses?

[Christie M]

Is she ok with the horses?

She's great with the horses. She's a little bit curious, but not enough to get within 6-8 feet of them. She feeds Charlie (the Belgian) with me every AM and PM. She tries her best to get a bit of grain before he gets to the bowl, but she just calmly moves off to watch when he approaches. I have yet to seem something that phased her. She is curious - but not ever afraid or over excited by new things.

I'm not sure how she will mature with them though. Some of my dogs get over stimulated with them and want to herd, chase, etc. That is too dangerous and so they stop getting horse privileges as soon as I see it. My dream is for one of them to be stable enough to train ride with me. Emma is pretty good - but it has taken her about 3 years to get there. She used to just vibrate when I would lunge them when she was around. Willow's fine with them (now that she's 9), Dante couldn't care less (but he did nip once when he was young and spry), Salix still thinks they need to be controlled, and Gaia just wants to eat their food and poop.

[Christie M]

This is my second take on this.......
Today I brought the Ninja out for a little back tied grip work.
My first question was: "How did this blunt nose......

...turn into this head?"


Then I started to wonder about why she wasn't gripping. After a quick check I discovered that she lost her bottom two middle incisors and one of the top is loose too. When did she get that old???? Grip worked stopped and switched to retrieve and she brought me a tug, leash, clatter stick, small tree stump and anything else that I would chuck out there.

Ash - I know why I call her Ninja Puppy. But uh.....can you explain "Donkey Puppy??" That has to be a good story.

[asheleylane]

the EARS!
Haha this one is just for Geisha

[KRoberts626]

This is my second take on this.......
Today I brought the Ninja out for a little back tied grip work.
My first question was: "How did this blunt nose......

...turn into this head?"


Then I started to wonder about why she wasn't gripping. After a quick check I discovered that she lost her bottom two middle incisors and one of the top is loose too. When did she get that old???? Grip worked stopped and switched to retrieve and she brought me a tug, leash, clatter stick, small tree stump and anything else that I would chuck out there.

Ash - I know why I call her Ninja Puppy. But uh.....can you explain "Donkey Puppy??" That has to be a good story.

So Geisha is willing to pick up anything too?? Ziva will pick up plastic bottles, aluminum cans, as well as glass bottles (which I discovered last night). On the flip side of that though she'll eat ANYTHING! Dog poop and duck poop are her fav but she'll try to eat rocks, even lava rocks which to me the texture SHOULD be unpleasant but not to her, paper, cotton, sponge, cardboard, she licks the sidewalks, etc. If she finds it outside she will eat it, or attempt to. I have to go after everything in her mouth because I worry of intestinal blockage!