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Friday February 26 Sunday On The Couch with George?
Ok. I do not want to hear another word about my being too big to get on the bed,
or the couch in the kitchen-yes, my owner mom does have a couch in the kitchen. This was the result of a long held fantasy
that began when she lived in NYC and according to her, kitchens were the size of closets! When she bought and renovated
our house, the very first thing she decided was that she would have a big kitchen with a couch in it. It's great. Everyone
squeezes onto it to watch games, or news or a movie.
Well, when I get on it, I do take up a lot of room. I am not as
big as my owner mom's former Bernese Mountain Dog who weighed 120 pounds- but I am also no micro. I weigh a solid 85 pounds!
Not one of those dogs that shrinks three sizes when wet! Anyway, it is hard for everyone to fit when I am on the couch
and it becomes a dog eat human world to see who gets to the couch first!
So, I have a strategy. First I scratch a lot at the door to be
let out. I am let out. Then I scratch to get back in. I am let back in. Then I beg for food from the table.
I am told no! Then I go back to the front door and scratch. After I see the frustration in my owner Mom's face
and she looks at me and says enough, I make my move! I put my head down and look sad and move very slowly back into the kitchen
towards the couch. Everyone is still having dinner. I yawn. I jump up on the couch, lay down and get very, very cozy. Then,
I pretend to fall fast asleep, I even snore a little. When it comes time for everyone to move to the couch (to watch the Olympics,
for example) who can move a big sleeping dog? So my owner Dad usually ends up sitting on a kitchen chair. But I do feel a little conflicted,
because if I stretch out too much and no one can sit down next to me, I don't get any tummy rubs. So, I do try to move over
just enough for one o human to sit.
But then I see your picture, George, George On His Bed and I think that there is absolutely no reason for me to
feel the least bit guilty! If your owner can negotiate your 245lbs on a bed, then my owners can deal
with me! So,
Owner Mom, Owner Dad, Ben & Laura---I am looking forward to the great couch race! Bring it on! Better still, how about a George size couch so everyone can fit
and I can invite George over to watch The Dog Whisperer! Have a very George on the Couch weekend! Tonka Friday February 19 Vancouver Dreamin' Well, I have to say the aftermath of the snowstorm isn’t nearly as fun
as the during the snowstorm. I am no longer off leash. I have to walk much more slowly so that my owner
Mom does not fall on all the icy parts of the path. And, I hate having to come inside late at night, especially since I have
this awesome view atop a pile of snow and can see fox or raccoon or whatever else goes bump in the night--- all the way down
the block! I have also been sitting on the couch watching the Olympics with my owner Mom. She is NOT a happy camper. How come, she exclaims, these skiers can tumble and crash down ridiculously steep and twisty hills, going a gazillion miles an hour and get up with perhaps just a little limp. When I, she exclaims, have to walk flat-footed on half an inch of ice for fear of killing myself! It’s true that she is walking flat-footed and between you and me looks like a very, very senior citizen! I personally think she would do better on skis! Anyway, I am looking at all that snow. I am looking at all those hills! And I think, wow, how cool would it be to run all the way down a ski course! Just send a Kong out ahead of me and I'd be gone! That would be as cool as Sean White’s whatever he did at the end of his second run! By the way, I am a big fan of his. Focus-squirrel-back to what I was saying or thinking- We are lucky we have four legs, but humans are so-o-o-o lucky they can play as much as they want in the snow! Maybe if my owner gets skis she’ll take me with her? Dreaming of winter Olympics, Have a great Olympic weekend! Sending lots of paw! Tonka Friday
February 12 Wow! That's Love! Well! If this were the Super Bowl we canines
would be the Saints! If this were the lottery we canines would have hit the jackpot! Over 40 inches of snow!!!! And my owners even walked me in the middle of the blizzard with 45 mile an hour winds! We went to the little local market which was open, and my owner Mom had her favorite new snow drink-half hot chocolate, and half coffee! And my owner Dad let me off leash the whole way! Never had I felt this lucky to be dog! Never had I been so happy! That is, until that night-the night of the continuing 45 mile an hour wind gusts, with thick tree branches swaying and snow swirling sideways—the night when I heard my owner Mom threaten divorce and I had visions of being shuttled back and forth between owner Mom and owner Dad, and what about my boy, and the thought was so terrifying that I started to pant very hard. All because my owner Mom started shouting at my owner Dad, and I kept following her following him, as she was yelling, No! Absolutely Not! That is NOT an option!!!!! No! You cannot do that! Are you crazy????? You see we started to have terrible leaks coming from the border of our porch roof. My owner Dad asked my owner Mom what we could put underneath the leaks, and my owner Mom had to pull out all the pots and pans and line them up along the floor of the porch. The leaks seemed to be getting worse. Then my owner Dad said- I have an idea. I will go outside and see if I can bang some of the snow down off the gutters with the broom. Ok, said my owner Mom. I followed them out onto the porch. We watched my owner Dad trudge through the deep snow along side our house. Then, my owner Mom saw my owner Dad pull a lawn chair up along side the house, and stand on it. She was a little concerned. Then my owner Mom saw my owner Dad put one chair on top of another, She made lots of sign language indicating that this was not a good idea at all! Well, it wasn’t working anyway, so back in came my owner Dad with the broom. Let's go up
to the family room and open the window and I can see if I can push snow off from there, said my owner Dad. We all went up to the family room. My owner Dad stood on a chair near the
window and stabbed at the snow outside. That didn’t work either. And then it came. The sentence that started my visions of doom! I have an idea, said my owner Dad. If I get a ladder, I can climb up on the roof and knock all the snow off. Do we have a ladder? My owner Mom never got to the ladder part. She was off and running at the climbing onto the roof part! Are you nuts!!!??? You are going to climb up on the roof, in the middle of 45 mile an hour wind gusts and snow blowing, at night to push snow off???!!! Are you absolutely out of your mind???!!! I think it’s a good idea! That’s the only way we are going to get the snow off! All I need is a ladder! And so it began, this back and forth
between the two of them and I heard her say quite distinctly that she would divorce my owner Dad if he did this, and that
got me going- that I was going to be shared custody, that I might even have step owners, and that my life as I had known it
would never be the same again! All of a sudden, I didn’t care about the snow, or what a wonderful time I was having.
All I wanted was for my owner Mom to stop fighting with my owner Dad, my owner Dad to forget the ladder thing and for everyone
to stay together. I was panting hard, pacing back and forth looking from owner Mom to owner Dad. It was scary!
Well, the fighting did stop. My owner Dad did not attempt to climb onto the roof, perhaps because we do not own a ladder (phew!) and he was reluctant to go ask for one at 10:30 at night. And my owner Mom saw how upset I was and gave me some big hugs to calm me down. The next day, the sun came out. The leaks stopped. Just like that. It was a beautiful day. My owner Mom took me for a walk in the park and I ran far ahead, leaping through the snow. But my owner Mom fell twice so I had to run back and bark at her until she got up. We went to the little local market where we bought bread, I had treats, and my owner Mom had her favorite new snow drink-again! We walked back in the road. All the neighbors were out shoveling. Lots of canines were walking. I was off leash the whole way. When we got home, there was my owner Dad working hard clearing the cars and the walkway. And I went and sat down atop a snow bank to watch the goings on. My owner Mom and Dad stood together outside laughing and talking. I was so happy. Then one
of their neighbors came by and I heard my owner Mom say- Yup-I can’t get him to remember where the pots and pans are, or how to retrieve messages, but a roofer, he thinks he can be in the middle of a blizzard!!!!!! And they laughed some more and my owner Dad put his arm around my owner Mom. And all of a sudden it hit me! Canines and Humans are alike! Humans can yell and then laugh, just like we canines can growl and then lick.. Humans can fight and make up, just like we canines can fight and then nuzzle. Humans can sound as if they will kill each other, and we canines can sound as if we will kill each other. Then, humans put their arms around each other. We wag our tails! Wow! That's-LOVE! I will never forget the blizzard of 2010. My best Valentine's present ever!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! LOTS
OF PAW AND LICKS, TONKA! Friday February 5 Humans Need a Tail to Wag! I had a play date with my brother in honor of our upcoming 8th birthdays. We were born into a litter
of 6. My owner took my boy out to see us all. He picked me. Yes! Then my owner’s very close friend picked
out two of my other siblings. Have a waggy weekend!One of her picks, Cody, died last year. He looked just like me. He was a wonderful dog. It was very sad. My other brother, Rain does not look like me. He is all black, thinner, and very handsome. We all went to a dog park. But once we got there, it was clear we had very different personalities. Rain ran up to all the other dogs to meet and greet, and was very happy to play fetch with his owner. I had never been to this park before, so I had to walk around and sniff everything to get a lay of the land. And, as far as the many balls that were there were concerned, I wanted my owner to throw one up in the air so I could jump and catch it. But, my favorite activity was to find sticks in the snow, lie down and chew. Yum! We were there for an hour. Afterwards, we exchanged presents. I gave Rain candy cane cookies, and he gave me yummy treats. We wagged good-bye to each other and got back into our own cars not knowing when we would see each other again. I thought about that on the way home. Unlike human siblings, when Rain and I were separated a birth it was ok. When our siblings ended up in different families, we were fine. When we did not know when we would see each other again, no problem. We just wagged our tails and went off to play as if it were yesterday. Human affairs are so much more complicated. All that separation from siblings would never be ok with them. I feel sorry for humans sometimes. Maybe they need a tail. Maybe it’s all in the wag. How else does one show unconditional love like it was yesterday? PS-16 inches of snow starting tomorrow!!?? I’m wagging in my sleep! Friday 29 2010 The Flat Rate Box, & The Rocket Scientist! The Flat Rate Box? Flat my Paw! Or as my owner might say, ‘my foot!’!!!
She thought those commercials were pretty cool-I know because every time she saw one she’d remark-That’s a great idea! A box, a flat rate, the postman comes up to the house and picks it up. Only problem?-That is NOT how it works! We went to the Post office yesterday. I laid down on the cool floor while my owner picked out three different size flat rate boxes anticipating an easy way to send stuff out to our boy in California. She goes up to the counter. The post woman adds up the cost of the boxes, and THEN says, And do you need stamps to go along with these? Stamps for what? Stamps for each of the boxes. I thought there was a flat rate. There is but you have to buy the stamps. But if you have to buy stamps how can it be a flat rate? You put the stamps on the boxes and just bring the boxes back here. What about the postman in the commercial that picks it up from your house? Oh, he will if all the stamps are on it! Why wouldn’t it just be included in the price of the box? At this point, the post woman is the only one working behind the counter. So, a woman standing behind my owner, and v-e-r-y professionally dressed, eyes my owner in her muddy dog clothes, (we had just come from fetching in the park) obviously decides we are way out of our element, from across the tracks, visiting from wherever they don’t have post offices or TV and cuts in, shouting- This is not rocket science! You have to buy the stamps! My head picks up. My ears pick up. I sit up! The post woman now eyes the Rocket Scientist, both the post woman and the Rocket Scientist see me stand up, everyone sees my owner’s face and the post woman decides she needs to intervene before one of us goes postal! Thank you for your advice the post woman says to the Rocket Scientist. Advice??!!! My owner looks at the post woman. I watch my owner’s face. She’s weighing her options-deal with this Rocket Scientist (which she would really love to do, since she is always complaining that Washingtonians are so-o-o passive, and the New Yorker in her never really gets to come out anymore) or figure out the box thing, which is now sounding like false advertising not to mention just plain stupid! No one else appears behind the counter. It is lunchtime. Of course! It’s makes perfect bureaucratic sense that at lunch time (when everyone is trying to get their errands done) there would only be one person working behind the counter! My owner knows people need to get going. She acts like a grown-up. I am so proud of her, She ignores the Rocket Scientist, buys the stamps, collects the three boxes and out we march! But I know the Rocket Scientist lives in my neighborhood. I know we will see her in the Starbucks on the Corner of Connecticut Avenue. I am waiting. Should I, too, act like a grown-up and ignore her, or because she insulted my human, go New Yorker!!! I might decide, instead, to become a most enthusiastic big puppy, wag my huge tail, jump up on her with all 85 lbs of me which shed, panting, Hello! Haven’t we met somewhere before!!! Or, I could simply sniff her and decide she is so professionally dressed that she would make a very high-end ‘mark’! And when a canine finds a great ‘mark’ well you know what happens! That, my dear canines and humans is definitely NOT rocket science! On our marks! Get set! Go!!! Have a great marked weekend! Tonka Friday
22, 2010 I spent the day at my owner’s
office. I really like her office because it is in an arcade, and all the storeowners downstairs are very nice to me.
I am invited into the Art and Framing Shop, the Jewelers, the Asian Gift Store, the Barber Shop and the Hair Salon. The ladies
Room is also on the first floor. This is where my owner and I always have a struggle. When she needs to use the ladies
room she wants me to sit right outside the door. But, it is a dark area. Not my idea of where to be. I prefer
to sit right out in the middle of the main floor area. My owner is concerned that someone might walk through the arcade
and see a dog unaccompanied by an owner and be frightened. Frightened? Why would any human be frightened of me, unless
of course that human was trying to do something bad to my owner? All you canines out there-I hope you have a great
tummy rubby weekend!Anyway, as I said there is always a struggle, and we always end up compromising— I get to lay at the very very edge of the dark area, putting most of my body in the main lobby As I lie there waiting for my owner to come out of the Ladies Room, I think- Bring me your frightened yet yearning to pet a dog and I shall set them free! All of a sudden a mother comes into the arcade with a toddler. He does not look frightened at all! He is running towards me! She is running after him shouting, no, no wait for me! But of course he doesn’t and the next thing I know he has plopped right down next to me. My owner comes out very concerned. She apologizes profusely to this Mom. Meanwhile, this little boy and I are having a wonderful time. I roll over on my back so he can rub my belly. Then the mother wonders if there is a bathroom. My owner says yes, and gives her the key to the Ladies Room. In she goes with her little toddler. I look up at my owner. She is looking down at me exasperated. Why? I am sitting in the darkest area right outside the bathroom door waiting for my tummy rubber to come back out! Tonka! Friday January 15, 2010 Humans are whooses (don’t actually know how to spell this word) Really. My owner takes me for a walk. It is very cold and windy but still, sunny. We go into the park. We pass the toddler playground. No kids. No parents. No nannies. No one! We pass the schoolyard. It’s recess. Empty. Where is everybody! Why aren’t the kids out there playing? How many times have I overheard moms telling their kids to put on their jackets or sweaters or hats or gloves? How many times have I heard the kids pout that they do not need the jackets, the sweaters the hats or the gloves. How many times are such things left on a pole, a slide, a bench or in a locker. Kids are not cold. Grown-ups are cold. They complain when they have to walk us. They complain when they have to stand outside and watch their kids run around. But, I think kids would be so much better off with lots of fresh air. I wish they could come out a play with me! I need play buddies and they need to be outside! A win-win idea! Now all I have to do is convince the moms and the nannies and the teachers. Tonka Friday January 8 2010
Yes, Yes, it’s true I was a hero this past week. The pet store manager couldn’t find a feline that went into hiding somewhere overnight, and its new owner was due in very soon to pick it up. Three humans with flashlights—looking under and above, in and out. No kitty. Then, in I came. My owner said she was sure I could find the cat. Of course there were so-o-o many wonderful bone and treat smells, I got terribly distracted but even so—that chair in the storage room--I kept going back to that chair—No, they said-the reason the scent was strong there was because the kitty liked to curl up in that chair. Oh. But still, what was it about that area? I went back to it so many times, they finally agreed to look behind the chair, down on their knees with flashlights-and lo and behold! Curled up all the way underneath the shelves behind that chair was that feline! I got lots of treats! It was great! My owner was so proud! I figure this bout of heroism is good for a least one long evening outside in the freezing cold I so love. I cannot understand why my owner does not share my winter joy!!?? Need more hero points for more nights outside! Think I will become a tracking dog for the winter! Love Tonka!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!A Christmas Card from Tonka
Friday December 11 Tis the season of the parting of the ways between my owner and me. She is not enthusiastic about playing fetch in wind and cold. I am not enthusiastic about being in a heated house. She makes me come inside when the sun goes down. I refuse by rolling over on my back. This goes on all winter. Last night, though, I got to stay outside for a long time because she was posting and too pre-occupied to deal with my rebellion. I sat watch and looked for where the wild things were beyond my yard. Deer? Fox? Raccoon? I love winter! And, I am so happy that my owner is posting her book-on-line. It means she will have too much to do to worry about whether my thick black coat is enough to keep me warm. Honestly, humans are sometimes so clueless. If I were cold, I would scratch at the door and come in. I never scratch at the door unless I hear thunder! I never want to come in unless it is raining. I am not complicated! I am dog! I am mountain dog! This is my season! I’m rolling over on my back until Summer! Will accept any and all tummy rubs! Love Tonka  Friday, December 4 Hello Fellow Paws and Owners! Tonka gave me permission to use his space to explain why he isn’t here. He is still at the farm where he was born because I am going to NY. And I am going to NY to attend my brother’s wedding. If you have read A Personal Story you know that much of my interest in children’s emotional health stems from my brother who was born mentally challenged. He has been devoted to a woman who is also mentally challenged for 18 years, and on Sunday they will be wed in a beautiful little synagogue. We could all learn a great deal about relationships from the way they talk to, and take care of each other. We could all learn a great deal about coping from the way they maneuver through their daily lives without many of the skills we take for granted. We could all learn a great deal about what constitutes a blessing, from seeing them happy and fulfilled. It will be emotional. I know I will cry. I so wish my parents were here but I do believe they will be watching. So, thank you Tonka for sharing your space. Tonka will be back next week! Friday November 20 The BALL has just now been inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame! Honestly, what canine past two weeks old would not know the contribution of
the Ball??!! Humans are so-o-o-o backward!!! Friday, October 23
I know my owner spoke of the moment when kids discover that their parents aren’t perfect. Book: Install#15: Ch 3.2 Intro I bet it comes when their Mom forgets to pick them up at school or practice. Well, guess what. I had my devastating my owner isn't perfect moment too! She forgot to pick me up! Well, in all fairness, she didn’t actually forget,
she didn’t realize that the playgroup she takes me to sometimes when it rains a lot, closed early on that day. But, she should have known. There was a big sign on the front door. She would have known had she not been so involved with a micro dog in front of the door that seemed without an owner. She was so concerned with this mini wind-up that she didn’t see the sign. And so, here I was at the end of the day, shut in for the night with two other dogs whose owners had either forgotten, did not see the sign, or left them on purpose since there is overnight boarding. My owner came flying in the next morning. I was sitting rather glumly waiting. Lots of hugs and apologies. But the fact remains she didn’t come. She isn’t perfect. Can I live with this new realization? I have a week away to work it through. Next week I go away for Halloween. I like where I go since it’s outdoors and where I was born. My owner always does a very big scene on her front lawn. One year it was Starbones, another year McBones, and last year it was a Bone’s Presidential Debate with candidates Dr. Seuss and Yoda. She even had stickers so anyone under 18 could vote. Yoda was for more pizza, and Dr. Seuss was for more spaghetti. Dr. Seuss won by 3 votes! She could not get over how involved the teenagers were-they had serious debates over which one would make a better president! This year she is doing Bones Dancing With The Stars! She gets too worried about all the candy and stuff and it isn’t any fun for me because I have to stay inside. I love all the children but we get a loy of kids, and some of the little ones get really scared of a big dog. So off I go to visit relatives! Have a great Halloween. Maybe when I return, I can look at my owner with new understanding. No human or canine is perfect. I know. But while some of us canines might get distracted by squirrels and bones and other dogs, and refuse to come or stay, we would never ever forget to pick up our owners! Oh the patience it takes to grow a human. By the way, Growing A Human will be the title of my book! My owner says that when she is finished posting hers she might let me post mine! Sending all a high paw! Tonka Friday, October16 Well, last week I said that Humans do things to people Canines would never think of doing.Friday October 9 This week, I must confess that canines lack a major attribute that all humans (well almost all humans) learn and exercise. Sharing! We canines do not do ‘share’ very well. Do not come near my food bowl! Do not touch my bone! Do not lean over my fence! But that said, as much as I love my Kong, if I’m in the park and another dog grabs it, I let go. I do not try to get it back. I look to my owner for help. So, we went to the park to play fetch. It was a lot of fun. Then another dog came. He saw how much fun we were having and went after my Kong. That was it.All the fun came to an abrupt stop while his owner and my owner tried to get it back. Nothing doing. This dog loved the chase. He romped around panting-come and get me, if you can! I just sat glumly thinking I would not see my favorite toy again. I remember my owner talking about the time my boy was a toddler and he was at the pool and he spotted a cool toy near by that another toddler was playing with. So he trotted over and simply took it. This little boy’s mother was really angry! My owner had to pry it out of my boy’s hands. He was screaming. The other little boy was screaming. It was quite a scene. I thought about that story watching my owner and this other dog’s owner trying to get back my Kong. His owner kept saying common' Badge, give me the Kong, common Badge give it here! My owner was saying, here Badge bring it here and I can throw it (Right! Like we can’t read right through that line??!!) Badge was laughing! Finally, my owner had an idea. She picked up a stick. Looking right at me she shouted, Go fetch! And she threw the stick. Badge looked up in that split second and dropped the Kong. My owner rushed and scooped it up and put it in her pocket.I wondered why she hadn’t thought to do something like that when my boy was a toddler! But the whole point of this story is that you will never hear an owner say—ok, now both of you take turns. First you fetch, Tonka and then it’s your turn Badge. Good boys! Ok, bring it back and it’s Tonka’s turn. Good sharing! I’m so proud of you. Time for snacks! Right! Frankly, for canines, sharing is overrated. We make up for that attribute in so many other ways! But don’t tell humans. They need to do a lot of sharing. Otherwise they’d run wild! There’d be no socializing them! A wild, unsocialized human? The thought is really scary! Tonka Friday, October 9 We Would Never Behave the Way Some Humans Do! I do not understand Humans. They do things to each other we would
never do. We are not complicated.
be eternally loyal and love you for life! Humans do not behave that way at all. 14 years ago my co-owner (my owner's husband) took a chance He did not give my co-owner a heads up. He did not have a personal one-on-one with my co-owner. He did not go into my co-owner's office alone. My owner later said-so much for moral courage. (She talks about that later on in her book) We canines just don't have that kind of behavior in us. I think human relationships would improve
profoundly, Fear, Geniality, Aggression, and, these
traits were discernable by clear and distinct actions. So simple and easy! My owner took me to the Apple Store today Tonka! Friday, October 1
The girlfriend. She is very cute. She is very sweet. She talks to me. She pets me. She wants to include me in activities. She wants to be my friend. No. I know, I know--call it selfish. I love my owner's son very much.
He's my boy-my best buddy. It took me a long time to get used to him being away at college. It took longer for
me to understand his coming home for a week and going back. We canines cannot look at a watch or a calendar. Someone
comes. Someone goes. How do we know when they will return??!! So, my boy, my best buddy comes home for his birthday. I'm so happy! But wait-he's not alone! He has a girlfriend who hugs and cuddles and snuggles with him on the couch. She plops herself near him and stays there forever! I curl up on the floor. I cannot compete with this. It is way too strong. I am hoping he will look my way and come and pet me. He does. Then he goes back to her! I am hoping he will play a little with me. He does. Then he goes back to her! I am hoping he will let me up on the couch. He won't. He's on it with her! I am hoping he will stay home in the evening. He won't. He'll be out with her! I am not having a good fur day!!! I have heard parents talk to about sibling rivalry-I have overheard my owner give advice. So, where is my advice???!! Forget wanting to put a baby brother in the washing machine, what am I supposed to do with my desire to chase this girlfriend out the door, up a tree and as far away as possible from my best buddy! He has gone back to graduate school. She is still here on a college internship. My owner will take her to lunch on Sunday. I will see her. It would be so much easier to plot if she weren't so warm and engaging. But still, she has stolen my best buddy! What's a dog to do? She'll suggest to my owner
that they take me with them for lunch. Is this bribery time? Like lunch outside-with lots of scraps? A good restaurant-NOT
A SALAD BAR- what respectable canine eats salad??!! Depending upon the scraps, I could forget for a short while how
much I miss my best buddy, but the missing will come back. I wish I could go to visit him. I wish we could hang out-just the two of us alone. I wish he were younger again and we could fall asleep together watching ESPN on the couch. But, he's all grown. He's gone a lot. He has a girlfriend. I need a plan. I need a support group. I need an intervention! Wait a minute,
I'm grown! And I'm neutered! Why can't I have a girlfriend too! There are some foxy paws out there.
I have one in mind. I'm going to ask her if she'd like to play in the leaves Saturday night? Still missing my best buddy, but there is love is out there in the cool fall air. I need to stop moping! Feeling better. I'll even try to be friendlier at lunch as long as it's not salad! Now I just have to get past the glass door! 'A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of'. ~Ogden Nash Tonka Friday September 18 View
From The Paw Ok. We need to talk about owners' ideas of the night walk and our idea of the night walk Now, I know that some of my dogs friends out there do have somewhat rigid owners. Do your business, I'm tired, and it's time to go to bed. When my owners walk me at night, they talk about their day, and they do let me sniff a lot. I consider myself lucky. But the night walk is special. Female canines abound. Things go bump in the night--like cats, the occasional beaver, or raccoon, That's what we live for! And, if we're really lucky, we get to see fox, even deer! But what happens? The leash happens. It pulls hard. Then the voice follow---No, stay! No, I said, stay! It made me think that owners do not know how lucky they have it with us!!!! I've been around the block long enough to have witnessed lots of toddlers in meltdowns, tizzy fits, tantrums, shouting matches and stomping feet over something that was either lost, got away, would have to wait until after nap or dinner. or wasn't allowed in the first place! Now think for a minute. How many of us canines have such high drama outbursts!!! True, we might become passive aggressive, lie down, roll over and refuse to get up. But, have you ever seen any of us have a total outburst when we were denied a treat, or we were pushed off the bed, or rudely pulled away from sniffing another friend? No! So, every once in a while I have a fantasy that I am walking my owner and she sees a store window, and I run in front of her and very firmly bark, No! You cannot! No! No shopping today! You can put it on your wish list for your birthday! Next, she runs into a friend and they begin to talk and talk and talk, and finally I put my paws down and say-it's time to go now. Let's say good-bye to our friends. I am barking to 3. Let's go. We have to leave. Say good-bye. We will make a play date. You can talk again tomorrow. And then, we are back home, she heads for the refrigerator, and I bark to her that she can't! She hasn't had her food yet. She'll get fat and unhealthy...Oh, oh I am waking up...and I am no longer on the bed! Hmmm. Tonka Wednesday Spetember 2 View From The Paw
Dads Walk Dogs the way They Walk Kids-According to Mom! There is definitely a big difference between the way Mom walks me and the way Dad walks me! When Dad walks me he takes me off leash-no problem, he insists to Mom-He says stay and I stay!! I am very good, he tells her. Mom does not like this at all. I am after all a dog! What if I see a cat, or deer (at night or very early in the morning)? It's fine, replies Dad, I can handle him. Really.
Well, both Mom and Dad walk me this morning over to the little market where they can get coffee. Dad has me off leash. He wants to show Mom how this works. When we get to the street corner, Dad says: Stay! I do not stay. No only do I not stay, I walk diagonally across the street! Mom is definitely not impressed!
Then we got to the little market and since the door is invitingly open, I trot right in to meet and greet and sniff all the warm smells of fresh baked muffins and bread. Mom is so not impressed she takes charge!
Walking back on leash, I spy a cat. Mom can hardly contain me I pull so hard. Dad takes over my leash. Mom says to Dad-You both flunk!!!
I fear my off leash mornings are over unless Mom cannot come. Meanwhile, I overhear her tell a friend that there is no difference between how Dads handle dogs and how they handle kids. When she sees a Dad walking with his kids, they are totally "off leash" and always tagging several yards behind!
Dads and dogs and kids-yup, hope Mom is very, very busy!!! Tonka
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