Energy Conservation

As pup, I knew two speeds — OFF and ON. Now, a little over two years later, I have familiarized myself with the gray areas between OFF and ON as well as learning the fine art of REST.

I need my rest. As a puppy, REST was a four-letter word and I avoided it by tearing up Kleenex boxes, running figure eights in the backyard, barking at my moms, and refusing to listen. Now REST feels necessary, though I’m still struggling with knowing when is a good time to take a rest. I’ll admit it.  I don’t like to be alone much. I’ll do it without much fuss, but if someone is leaving the house without me, I give them that sad-eyed, woe-is-me look in hopes that I might convince them to take me along — even if I only sit in the car while they shop for groceries.

But when I am left alone at home, when I lie on my bed in the living room, the one that faces the front door, I fall fast asleep and am glad my moms had the good sense to leave me home for some rest.

Today was a day peppered with rest. Turns out I needed it.

We didn’t start our work day until right before lunch. We had chores to do. Well, one really big chore — washing windows. We have lots of windows at our house and so while Ann worked on the inside (with help from Jessica), I followed Gretchen around on the outside. Quillette just walked around inside the house and made sure everyone was doing okay. Cleaning windows is hard work. Watching everyone clean windows was really hard work, but once Gretchen got done, she leashed me up and we headed over to Gemma’s house and then up to Ollie’s to begin our business day.

I enjoyed walking with my friends and I was kind of excited that the three of us might be able to play at the park, but before I knew it, we were walking back home and I was dropped off.

What?

Oh, time to rest.  I was a little miffed, I’ll admit it, but later, after a busy day and evening, I realized Gretchen made the right decision. So Gemma and Ollie got the park all to themselves and from what Gretchen tells me, they made the most of it!  And they are puppies still so they practiced the art of ON until they both gave into the OFF…take a look:

They were ON alright, but then after much romping and chasing, they both headed for the shade and turned OFF, just like that!

Ollie is older than Gemma, so his off is still in the standing form. Gemma flops down with a thud when she’s turning off and her tongue has the habit of stretching out wide and long. 

When Gretchen returned home, Ann and Jessica were still washing windows on the inside. Gretchen grabbed some lunch, leashed me up (I was well rested now), and we headed over to Wilson’s house for an afternoon walk to the lake. Perfect! It was a warm day, not too warm, but still perfect for swimming and so both Wilson and I were thrilled when we walked in the direction of our favorite swimming spot.

Now Wilson, he’s a puppy. Hard to believe, I know, since he’s as big as a horse, but he is still a puppy in his ON/OFF sense of the world.  When he sees us walk through the door of his house, he is ON in every sense of the word and getting him to move forward in all of his excitement is a challenge for both Gretchen and me.

But once we get going, once Wilson realizes what we’re doing, he focuses his puppy attention — sort 0f — and is a bit more manageable. And once he realizes we’re going swimming, well, he walks in a straight line with only a few wiggles of excitement. At the lake, he’s all about the ball and all about the water…I guess I am too!

And here is where Wilson and I show our age difference. When Gretchen leashes us back up for our walk home, I’m kind of bouncy, refreshed by my swim, but Wilson is downright silly. He takes about three steps and then flops himself on the ground and rolls around like a fiend. It’s hysterical.

Gretchen said I did the same thing when I was Wilson’s age, but I have no memory of it.  None whatsoever…

That’s me? Really? After swimming? You doctored that photo, didn’t you Gretchen?

No? Well, what do you know.

We took Wilson home after our swim (and his roll) and then Ann, Gretchen, and I piled into the car and headed for agility class.  I love agility class and tonight I did really well hitting all my contacts (that’s agility speak for stopping on the mark I’m supposed to stop on), racing through the tunnels, and even racing across the teeter and hitting my contact at the end.  I haven’t done that much so I was really proud of myself. Ann and Gretchen were really proud of me, too.

I was ON in every sense of the word, but once I got into the car for the trip back home, I was OFF. Gretchen had to rouse me this evening to finish my blog, but trust me, once I’m finished here, it’s nighty-night for me!  I’m exhausted and at my mature age (2 1/2) I know I need my rest. Tomorrow is another day!

Until then,

Rubin