Wags n’ Words

Dog Walking & Pet Care – Seattle, WA

Monthly Archives: June 2010

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June 30, 2010

June 30, 2010 9:20 pm / Leave a Comment /

Day in the Middle

The flow of my day is dependent on a variety of ever-changing factors. I guess the same could be said for the flow of my week or my month or even the year, but since I like to live in the now, I’ll just talk about today.

First, since it is officially summer (and the weather is finally catching up to the name!) I rarely get left alone. Ann (my other mother) is on summer break and she is a flurry of project activity these days. She ripped out all the cupboards in the downstairs bathroom yesterday while Gretchen was at the pool. I tried to help, but Ann swinging a hammer makes me want to curl up on my bed and cover my head.

And Gretchen going off to work in the afternoons and evenings has been quite a change, too. It means that while I’m not alone (Ann is here), we are sort of alone and all those adventures we did together on summer evenings don’t happen. I’m okay with it — I mean, someone has to pay for my food and toys — but it’s a change nonetheless.

Of course, our daily schedule is always different depending on who is supposed to be walked and who isn’t. Throw in the occasional boarder and I’m never quite sure who I’ll be sharing my day with. For instance, we’re expecting Quillette some time today, but no one is quite sure when.

But there are routines within the varying schedules. Like today is Wednesday, the day in the middle of the week and the day when we always pick up Monty for the first walk of the day. I like that routine!

Of course, Monty always makes me feel a little frisky so it’s hard to contain my joy when I see him.

Take for instance the photo above — I am being a good dog, sitting, staying, and not playing with Monty, but let me tell you, I really, really wanted to play with Monty and so after a moment of being good, I busted loose and Gretchen caught me in the act!

Talk about disruptions in a routine, though and the first thing that comes to mind is Oshi and Perrito. Now that they have a newborn baby in their house, routines have gone out the window! They haven’t seemed to notice though. They were just as happy to see me today as usual!

Rosie is a creature of habit and routine, far more than I am. She loves to check her schedule and know exactly when something is happening, what exactly will be happened, and what’s coming on the agenda next. There are many things I like about Rosie even though I’ve never met her in dog-son and this is one of them — she doesn’t like change nor do I!

But I’ve learned to adapt and though I really enjoy walking Zoe, it appears that the schedule dictates that job now be in the paws of Ms. Gemma. Trust me, neither Gemma nor Zoe mind. They really enjoy each other’s company and as Gretchen says, they make a nice color combination. But today, Ann helped us out and we got to walk with Zoe…we ALL got to walk with Zoe! And Gretchen got to feed us all treats…what good dogs we are!

My work days, though, always end with Saber — our most regular of regulars — and for Monty and me, that’s a pretty nice punctuation mark at the end of an unpredictable day…though Monty didn’t want to pose for the photo…he wanted to smell all the good stuff happening at the pea patch!

And yes, off Gretchen went to work at the pool while I waited for Ann to pick up her hammer again. It didn’t happen, but trust me, there is never a dull moment at this house!

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Monty, Oshi, Perrito, Quillette, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Zoe / Tagged: , , , ,

June 29, 2010

June 29, 2010 8:43 pm / Leave a Comment /

Confidence

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”

Dr. Seuss

I woke this morning, stretched my noisy stretched, saw the gray outside and reminded myself that I have the best life I could possibly have. My cheery outlook on the gray day comes not from some hidden knowledge about the mysteries of life, but from reading Dr. Seuss books. I found a stash last night in the basement — a stack so tall I think it qualifies as an earthquake hazard.

Simple books to read, Dr. Seuss offers anything but simple wisdom. In fact, he is quite profound. And his poetic, sing-songy approach stuck in my head all day today as we went about our business. I’m tempted to try and duplicate his writing style, but I know I can’t do it justice. Still, reading his work has given me a new perspective on the world.

Lately, Gretchen and I have been having deep and meaningful conversations about confidence. I find confidence a curious human attribute and have come to realize that confidence in dogs is as complicated as it is with people. For instance, there are days when my confidence feels like a balloon expanding in my chest. I head out on a walk, see a squirrel, and am convinced (despite past experience) that I can catch it. Inside of me the balloon fills rapidly and full of its energy, I burst forth with such a belief in myself that I know nothing can stop me.

Other times, there is no balloon. Instead, there is a quivering hole inside my belly sucking any belief in myself right out through my toes. I worry that I am not brave enough or trusting enough or smart enough or strong enough to face the thing that I worry about — like a stranger’s hand coming to pet the top of my head or the big Rottweiler slobbering toward me or the unexpected bone-shaking boom of (illegal) fireworks.

Gretchen says she has the same insecurities and that her confidence waxes and wanes throughout the day and has done so throughout her lifetime. I’m not sure that gives me a lot of confidence that I might overcome my fears, but she assures me that as I get older the gripping fear that sometimes makes me bark or tremble will diminish and not have any power over me. I can tell, now that I’m three-years-old, that it’s already starting to subside, but still there are those times when confidence alludes me and I must contemplate why I feel so uncertain and doubtful.

On our first walk of the day, Ollie and I discussed confidence at length. Younger than me, Ollie is skittish about certain things. When I asked him about his confidence he said, “I try, Rubin. I really, really try not to jump at weird shapes and sounds and people, but something inside of me reacts before I can contain it.”


I know how he feels, but I tried to reassure him. “That happened to me, too, Ollie, but as I’ve gotten older and seen and experienced more of life, I am less jumpy. Be patient with yourself.”

Rosie, according to Gretchen, has her confidence and insecurities all tangled together. “She had a rough start to life,” Gretchen told me, “And so there are instances and experiences where the past flares up and grabs and shakes her confidence at the neck.”

“Is she getting better?” I asked.

“Yes, much better and she’s very lucky to be with such a wonderful family.”

That made me smile.

Now Gemma is probably the picture next to the dictionary definition of “confidence” since everything about her vibrates confidence. “But sometimes that gets her into trouble,” Gretchen warned.

“How so?” I asked, curious.

“Well, she boldly steps into situations that can sometimes be dangerous — like putting her face into the face of a muzzled dog.”

“Oh, yeah, that would be bad,” I agreed.

“Wait a minute,” Gemma interrupted, “I take umbrage with that comment.”

Umbrage? I rest my case about Gemma and her confidence!

Where Gemma has a cocky confidence, Zoe has a goofy confidence. She bounds through life confident that everything and everyone is going to like her. She approaches each new situation like it’s an invitation and then proceeds to curl up next to it waiting for the love to ooze forth. If I were to bottle up confidence and drink it for breakfast, I’d bottle up Zoe’s.

Or maybe even Saber’s because he’s a lot like Zoe. He has a few more fears — like umbrellas and weird garbage in the street — but overall he is liquid confidence that wiggles hilariously at the hips. And that tail!  I think Gretchen and I have both been happily bruised by that tail wagging with such joy it sends out vibrations into the world.


Yes, today — despite the philosophical undertones — was good and fun and tomorrow, yes, will be another one!

Keep your chin up!

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Ollie, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Zoe / Tagged: , , ,

June 28, 2010

June 28, 2010 8:33 pm / Leave a Comment /

Crush

Dogs aren’t like humans. You know that, of course, but I was thinking about it on a different level. Humans, for instances, get crushes — maddening attractions to people and things that they often can’t control. I’ve seen it happen. Gretchen has a current crush on coconut gelato. She wants to eat it every night, but knowing it’s not the healthiest of crushes, she’s trying to refrain.

Dogs don’t get crushes, at least not that I can tell.

Wait just a minute, little fella.

Gretchen, I didn’t know you were reading over my shoulder!

Well, I passed by and saw the title, which caught my attention. Then when I read the first few paragraphs, I had to interrupt.

So I take it you disagree.

Yes, emphatically!

Alrighty then, tell me why.

Let’s take you for example.

Moi?

Oh, don’t play innocent with me. You have your fair share of crushes and while it might not be on coconut gelato, I can think of some serious crushes you have.

Name one.

Just one? Okay, how about Richard, Colleen, and Jessica?

Those are my human friends.

Yes, but when you saw them this weekend, you almost crawled out of your skin with joy.

That’s because I hadn’t seen them in a long time.

They hadn’t seen you either, but they didn’t jump all over you and scream with excitement.

Did I do that?

Let me continue — while those are some though not all of your human friends, their dogs — Ginger, Monty, and Quillette — equally excite you!

And Wally, don’t forget Wally.

See? You were thrilled when you got to see them all this weekend.

Does that make it a crush? And is it possible for me to have some many crushes on so many different people and dogs?

Apparently it is.

But that’s it, right?

I’m not so sure. There are all the dogs we walk.

But they’re our clients. It would be unprofessional of me to have a crush on any of them.

This is true, but you wiggle with excitement when you see them.

I want to wiggle with excitement to see Rosie and Tyson. How come I never get to see them?

We’re working on it, buddy, but for now, they’re enough for me to handle on my own. Throwing your excitement into the mix will require another human to help me out.


Am I that out of control?

I plead the 5th.

What does that mean?

Let me continue…

Please do…this is turning out to be very entertaining.

One word — Gemma.

No way. I don’t have a crush on Gemma, Saber does. And Ollie, too.

More than one dog can have a crush on another dog.

They can?

Let’s take a look at how you play with Gemma.

What of it?

Well, most dogs find Gemma’s style of play annoying because she constantly pesters them.

That’s so true.

But you just give in. You let her chew on you, roll around on you, and grab your ankles. You wouldn’t let any other dog do that.

How does that make it a crush?

If you didn’t like her so much you wouldn’t put up with the behavior and when we’re heading over to her house, you get a certain bounce in your step.

Hm. But I definitely don’t have a crush on Oshi or Perrito.

Yes, I’d agree, though Perrito has one on you.

I know and maybe even Oshi who walks by my side constantly. He’s like my shadow.

You make him feel safe.

So what about Saber?

What do you think?

I think he adores me.

And  you, what do you feel about him?

I like him a lot, but I don’t think it compares to what I feel — or what you think I feel — for some other dogs.

Like Monty and Quillette and Ginger?

And Paige, let’s not forget about Paige.

Yes, but we didn’t walk her today.

Fair enough. Then what about Alice.

Alice is an interesting case. I think she might be too nervous to have a crush, but she definitely trusts you.

I agree. She’s a lot more comfortable when she sees me on the front step than she is when she sees Saber.

She’s warming up to Saber though.

Yeah, he’s easy to warm up to.

So do you want to restart this blog and retract what you’ve said about humans and dogs and crushes?

Look at the time! Aren’t you supposed to have some coconut ice cream about now?

Very funny. Unfortunately we’re out.

And it’s my bedtime. Good night all! Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Alice, Gemma, Monty, Oshi, Perrito, Quillette, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Tyson / Tagged: , , , ,

June 25, 2010

June 25, 2010 7:45 pm / Leave a Comment /

Take Your Dog to Work Day

How ironic. There’s a whole day devoted to what I get to do all the time. Frankly, I think there should be a take your human to work day though I’m not exactly sure what that would look like. I guess it’s just a reminder of how lucky I am because every day I pretty much go to work with Gretchen and she comes to work with me. Okay, not all of our time is spent together — she’s at the hydrotherapy pool and though I’m more than welcome to come and hang out in the office, I prefer to rest at home especially since I’ve spent the day walking dogs.

Still I have to admit I have a pretty sweet little life.

And today was no exception. We had quite a day yesterday so today’s schedule was a nice reprieve. Just 6 dogs and 4 walks, which was a perfect way to end a busy week.

The first walk was with my buddy Monty. Since we both got coiffed yesterday, Gretchen tried to keep us looking pretty. Therefore as much as we wanted to swim at the lake, she wouldn’t give in.

She walked Rosie and Tyson after that and let me tell you, these are two dogs that would love to go to work with their parents. Lucky for them their parents often work from home so they don’t suffer too much.

Gretchen swung by and picked up Gemma after that and her parents often work from home so she’s not too lonely either. The plan was to pick up Oshi and Perrito so the three of them could hang out, but when Gretchen got to the boys’ house a surprise was waiting for her…well, a surprise written Spanish. Gretchen’s not so good at reading Spanish, but I am so I helped her out. Yep, Oshi and Perrito are the proud uncles (siblings?) of Micah, a baby boy born to their mom early this morning. Congratulations!

Gemma was even happy to celebrate with a group table dance!

After the boys got dropped off, Gemma and Gretchen came by to pick Monty and me up and off we went to play fetch first at the tennis courts…

I thought we’d pick up Saber but he got to go to work with his parents today. Sure hope they raised all their valuables and breakables above his wagging, powerful tail line!

And then we dropped Gemma off while Monty and I played more fetch at the little field!

Whew that was fun and though the sky was gray and kind of cloudy, it was warm. We heated up fast so we got to come back home and rest while Gretchen ate some lunch and got herself ready for her work at the hydrotherapy pool. She asked if I wanted to go along, but frankly staying at home feels like just the kind of change of pace I need!

Hope you all had fun taking your dogs to work! Happy Friday,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Monty, Oshi, Perrito, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Tail Waggin' News, Tyson / Tagged: , , , ,

June 24, 2010

June 24, 2010 6:32 pm / Leave a Comment /

And they think I’m loud!

It’s true. I like to bark. Not all the time, but sometimes. Like when the crows are perching on the fence or when the squirrels race across the trellis or when strangers come to the door. Gretchen says it’s the poodle in me and I guess it is, but I like to think it’s because I’m guarding my property. Still, when it happens at 6 in the morning or even at 7, some people aren’t so pleased.

But I’d like to point out I’m not the only noise maker in the neighborhood. Take, for instance, the chickens that live behind us. Now that the sun is up pretty early, those chickens start right in laying eggs. When they get ready to push one out, they make a lot of noise. It wakes me from a deep sleep and I look over at Gretchen very worried that something (a raccoon or coyote) might be getting one of the chickens. She reassures me that the gals are just laying an egg. Wow. That must be some egg!

And then there are the crows. Every year they build nests in the big maple trees that line the street on which we live. When the babies get big enough to perch on a branch they can make quite a ruckus calling for their parent or screaming about the distance down to the ground.

And then there’s the dog across the street and the one behind us. They each have their own distinctive barks and they aren’t exactly quiet in the mornings. And what about the garbage trucks on Friday mornings? The boom-boom cars that travel up the street at too fast a speed late at night? Or the planes that fly overhead? My three barks once a week can’t really compare to the cacophony of sound this city produces, so I don’t think the neighbors should really complain about me.

Besides, I’m gone most of the day especially when the day was like this one. I looked at the schedule this morning and my jaw dropped. First because there were 9 dogs on the schedule. There’s rarely ever 9 dogs on our schedule, but mostly my jaw dropped when I read “Four Boys to the Groomer.”

“Which four boys?” I asked myself and then I looked closely at the schedule. There were names conspicuously absent — Monty, Oshi, and Perrito. That made three boys and something told me that I was the fourth.

I hate it when I’m right! So up the hill we went, four shaggy boys!

Okay, so it’s not that bad. I really like Liliana and her brother Claudio. They never put me in a kennel, I get to run around with the other dogs while I wait for my turn, and in this late June heat it feels kind of nice to have a short haircut. Still, I missed out on all the dogs today…well, not all, but most.

After Gretchen dropped us off, she picked up Rosie who was already complaining about the heat! Still, she had enough energy to play some cookie fetch before they headed out on a slow walk (slowly only because Rosie was hot!).

Gretchen says that figuring out which dogs to walk when is kind of like solving a Rubik’s Cube. While she walked Rosie (who she likes to walk in the morning because Rosie gets overheated quickly), Gretchen worked the puzzle in her mind. I usually help her with this, but since she was on her own today, she had to figure it out by herself. And that’s just what she did.

Next came Gemma and together they walked up to Woobie’s house, then down through the park where both of them hung their tongues in what I like to call a dog sweat.

They picked up Saber before dropping Gemma back at her house and then Saber and Woobie piled into the car (which Gretchen left at Rosie’s house). Confused yet? You can see the cube moving, can’t you? Anyway, down the road they drove to pick up Ollie who, as always, was delighted to be with his friends though Gretchen told me that he missed me and kept looking back over his shoulder on the first part of the walk wondering where I was!

I was getting clipped and snipped and pruned and plucked! But after Ollie went home and then Woobie and finally Saber, Gretchen came to pick us up, though not all four of us — just Monty and me. We looked fine in our red bandannas and that’s when Gretchen told us she had a surprise — we were going to Paige’s house!

Monty was excited to meet Paige and when they met, I was surprised at how shy they were. It was most likely because we were greeting each other in the hottest part of the day, but I also think they were both a little smitten. I have to admit Paige is so attractive that I blush when I’m around her so I kind of expected Monty to have the same reaction. Instead, he sniffed and then turned away. “She’s cute,” said Monty, “but I think she likes you best, Rubin, so we’ll just be friends okay?”

Wow, did that make me blush even more! In fact, I was so embarrassed I didn’t even have a quick comeback!

On the walk, though, I could tell Paige and Monty really liked each other because they’d imitate what the other was doing all the time. Still, when it was time to pose for our photo, Paige flopped down right by me. Can you see how much I’m blushing? And no, it’s not from the heat of the day or a reflection off my red bandanna!

I know going to the groomer makes me tired, but I imagine Gretchen is worn out as well having to walk 9 dogs by herself so I’m going to finish up this blog, go QUIETLY lie by her tired feet, and see if she needs anything.

I am a good dog, aren’t I? I know exactly when to be quiet.

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Monty, Ollie, Oshi, Paige, Perrito, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Woobie / Tagged: , , , ,

June 23, 2010

June 23, 2010 3:39 pm / Leave a Comment /

Good Friends

This is our neighbor, Dely, and she is a very good friend. I like Dely very much and even though she’s not the biggest dog fan, she is still friendly and kind to my friends and me.

Today, as Monty and I walked down by the lake, Dely was ahead of us. I could smell her. “Let’s catch up to Dely,” I said to Gretchen.

“Oh, Rubin,” she replied, “It’s too warm to be running after Dely. We’ll just let her have a quiet walk by herself.”

And so Dely went her way and we went ours. Too bad, because as I’ve said, I really like Dely.

Then later, while Monty and I were resting, Gretchen took Gemma and her friend Cooper down through the same route we’d traveled that morning. And guess who they ran into again?

That’s right, kind and helpful Dely. Cooper really liked her. You can tell because his little whippet paw is resting on her shoe. But Dely is an extremely humble woman so she’d be quite embarrassed to know that I’ve written about her so much. Still, we must thank her for her wonderful help today. She is a good, dear friend!

Come to think of it, I have lots of good, dear friends. Sure, most of them are canines, but many are humans as well. For instance, Gemma’s dads are good friends. I like seeing them when they are home and they always come to greet me.

I don’t know Zoe’s family, but Zoe is such a friendly gal I can only imagine her family would be my friends, too. Zoe got to go to the lake as well, but unlike the rest of us, she got to go into it. Lucky girl. As you can tell, that made her happy.

Saber’s parents are really nice people too and whenever I see them, I make sure to give them my best wiggle greeting. On our play date with Saber today, Monty and I had a good time playing fetch, but every time Monty and I tried to catch our breath and rest in the warmth of the day, Saber figured out how to disrupt the slumber!

Okay, sometimes he joined us…

…but mostly he just tormented me.

Finally, Monty is my best friend and his mom is one of my favorite people of all time.

I guess there is quite a connection between my dog friends and my human friends. Good thing I realized that because it made my life all the better today!

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Monty, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Zoe / Tagged: , , , ,

June 23, 2010

June 22, 2010 9:16 pm / Leave a Comment /

Solstice

Sunday, the day before the first day of summer was, according to the experts, one of the darkest days in 15 years. Um, what does that mean? I know I was happily playing on a beach and oblivious to the weather, but when Solstice rolled around yesterday — the longest day of the year — I was happy it didn’t rain. In fact, the sun came out long enough to make my tongue flop to the side of my mouth in a hot and bothered pant.

Today it did the same and that sun — the thing that has lost its way in our skies of late — made a beautiful and friendly appearance. I must say that I was very happy to feel the warmth and the light on my skin. I think everyone we walked today was happy as well.

The day started with Ollie. He was very happy to see me, though I suppose he’s always jovial when company arrives. Jovial is a perfect name for Mr. Ollie. He expects every day to be sunny and doesn’t seem to notice when it’s not. That’s an attitude I wish I could maintain, but since I can’t, I just make certain to hang around Ollie — the bubbly ray of sunshine. We walked down to the lake, but never got to go in. I looked longingly at the water most of the time, but Gretchen said we didn’t have time. Shucks. We should make time for swimming despite the chilly June.

On the way back up the hill (and it’s a big one, let me tell you) we stopped for an impromptu drink and then a pose on the hot rocks.

Rosie was next and her name sort of sets the tone for nice days like this. Unlike most of us, she’s not particularly fond of the sun because she overheats quickly. But Gretchen just takes it slow and Rosie likes that because aside from treats, the thing Rosie likes the most is sniffing everywhere! And posing with the blue skies behind her!

Gemma still has a house guest (Cooper) so they loaded into the car and all went over to Zoe’s house. Gretchen says it was a contrast in personalities — Gemma, the confident, bossy Terrier, Zoe the laid back and joyous Bernese, and Cooper, the timid and skittish Whippet. But they all got along just fine and Cooper even found comfort hanging close to Zoe.

Finally, I got to play with Saber at the end of the day. Since no one was at the dog park, we played there for awhile, but it was hot so while Saber busied himself with a large stick (dare I say a log), I looked for shade!

After our mini-romp, we headed on a walk up to the ridge where Saber proved once again that he is much braver than I lying down on the grate looking at the view. I was just holding on for dear life!

So this may be the only Solstice we get according to the weather reports. I tried to back in the glory of it…hope you did too!

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Ollie, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Zoe / Tagged: , , , ,

June 21, 2010

June 22, 2010 5:49 am / Leave a Comment /

Over Indulgences

Whew, what a weekend I had! Woobie has been our house guest this past week and this morning, she went back home, but for a last hurrah, we took a little trip over the weekend up to Gretchen’s old stomping grounds – Port Townsend. I won’t spend too much time telling you about the wild and crazy times, but suffice it to say, it was dog heaven.

First, our hosts — Buster and Dozer — were gracious, hospitable, and more than anything, barrels of fun. They live out in the woods and they have a great yard in which to play as well as this amazing park right by their house where we went for long walks on wooded trails.

Buster is older and not as active as Dozer who was young and spry enough to chase me around their big yard. Then we walked at the State Park (their backyard of sorts) and Woobie and I got to smell the deer and squirrels and raccoons, and who knows what else. It was glorious!

But the best part is that they live within 3 minutes of a beach. I love playing at the beach and apparently Woobie does too! Here’s just a sampling of our beach fun.

Of course, I over did it and ingested a bunch of sand while playing fetch with my favorite ball. I paid for it later with quite the upset tummy Sunday night and didn’t get much sleep.

So as you can imagine between a wild weekend and an upset tummy I was tired today, but duty called and I had never shirk my duties!

The first duty was to return Woobie home. She was thrilled to see her family and even though I’m going to miss her, I’m glad she is back where she belongs! Sleep well without me, Woobie!

Then we walked Oshi and Perrito. They were so happy to see us because lately they’ve had to play second fiddle to their mom being pregnant. The baby should arrive any day now and it was all Oshi and Perrito could talk about! Well, Oshi talked about it and Perrito grunted and groaned over his special little ball.

I got to rest after that romp, which was a good thing since my over indulgent weekend zapped me of my usual endurance. Gretchen walked Rosie and Tyson while I slept and those two were not only happy to see Gretchen, but equally happy to see their parents who had gone wine tasting in Oregon over the weekend.

According to Gretchen, Rosie and Tyson are a study in contrasts. Tyson is Mr. Serious and his look is always questioning. “Am I doing this right?” he’ll ask when Gretchen requests a pose.

Rosie, on the other hand, can be serious, but underneath it all she’s kind of a clown. When they pose for a photo, Rosie is always contemplating how to walk away. She’s gotten better at staying for longer periods, but in the back of her mind she’s thinking, “I could just walk over there and no one will ever notice!”

Gemma had a house guest too and when Gretchen stopped by to pick her up, Gemma introduced her to Cooper — a whippet. Cooper was a bit skittish so the three of them went on a walk so Cooper could feel a bit more relaxed. You can tell by his ears that relaxation wasn’t in the cards today.

When they came by the house to pick me up, Cooper was quite leery of me, but eventually those ears came up if only for a second. Gemma and I just played around him. I’m not sure if it made him less anxious or more.

Finally, we dropped off Gemma and Cooper and picked up Saber. The two of us got to play fetch at the park after a nice long walk, but Gretchen only took photos of us after the exercise. As you can see, we’re both tired from the game!

The afternoon was uneventful as Gretchen went off to work at the hydrotherapy pool. I didn’t mind. It gave me a chance to get some much needed rest. Gretchen hopes I’ve learned my lesson that over indulging doesn’t always make for a happy Monday!

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Oshi, Perrito, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Tyson, Woobie / Tagged: , , , ,

June 18, 2010

June 18, 2010 7:58 pm / Leave a Comment /

Hard to Believe

Monty’s Mom calls this month “Juneary” as in January in June. Yes, it’s been cloudy and gray, we’ve had more than our fair share of rain, and lately it’s been cold — not your typical June in Seattle.

But today the sun came out. Yes, the sun — that warm, glowing star high up in the sky that keeps our planet alive.

So it wasn’t like a normal summer day where the temperatures hovered in the mid-70s and the sky was eye-achingly blue. No, it was a day with a few clouds, no rain, and a bit warmer temperatures, but at this point, I’ll take whatever hint of summer I can get.

Our clients were happy about the day, too as we set out for our final day of a very long dog-walking week. Woobie, our house guest, agrees with the long, hard week. Last night, as we both curled up to sleep – she in my bed, me in hers — she whispered to me, “I feel like I could sleep for days, Rubin. How do you do this every week?”

“It’s my job,” I replied and then said, “You better get some rest because tomorrow will come quickly and it’s another full day.” With that Woobie and I slept and dreamt and sighed really big sighs. It’s nice having her around.

And this morning did come fast and furious. We woke early, ate breakfast and then set out for our money walk with Monty. I think I’ve said this before, but Monty has as serious crush on Woobie. I’m not sure she’s noticed yet, but Monty (whose nickname should be Romeo) does everything he can to share his heart’s desires whenever we’re together and since we were together most of the day, you can imagine how he’s worn himself out flirting!

Gretchen got a special treat on this warmer, sunnier day and that was an extra-long walk with Rosie and Tyson. Since the normal half hour got extended to an hour, Monty, Woobie, and I rested at home while the three of them played and then walked. Rosie was the happiest about the sun since she thought yesterday was way too cold.

Since it was warm and Rosie tends to get overheated, they walked down through the cool shade of Frink Park…

Oshi likes the warmer days the most of any of us. Since he thinks he’s a cat, he balks at going outside if the thermometer drops below 70 and lately, it’s had a hard time pushing 59 so you can imagine it’s been a chore to get him out the door.

Perrito doesn’t care at all about the weather. He just wants to stretch his legs and look for mischief around every corner.

He’s a lot like Gemma in that regard. Gemma sees the outdoors as her hunting grounds. She bounds down the steps of her house on the offense ready to meet, greet, or eat whatever crosses her path. She and Perrito make a good match!

For Saber, each day is wondrous surprise. When we show up, he’s always thrilled to see who’s on the porch waiting for him and he’s even more thrilled when he sees the sun, feels the warm, and realizes he gets to spend an hour with his friends. Of course, he loves some of us more than others!

The day ended with Monty going home and Woobie and I watching Gretchen head off to work at the pool.

“How does she do it?” Woobie asked me after Gretchen walked out the door. “I’m beat and she just keeps going!”

“I’m not sure,” I responded honestly, “but I’m thankful for the time apart because we get to rest and sleep and dream about more warm days!”

“Good idea,” she said. “A very good idea!” And with that we fell asleep until dinner time.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe my life is so wonderful, but when the sun comes out, my wonderful life really glows! Hope yours does too!

Have a good weekend,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Monty, Oshi, Perrito, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Tyson, Woobie

June 17, 2010

June 17, 2010 7:51 pm / Leave a Comment /

Attracting and Repelling

There are things I like and things I don’t. There are days when what I like is different than the day before or even the day after, but still, I’m a pretty predictable guy in terms of things that set me off and things that make me dance.

Top of the “Like List” is playing. I love to play more than anything and sometimes that gets me in trouble. I also like to go to new places and today we got to do both — play and explore. Gretchen says I have strong Attract and Repel magnets somewhere in my genes. What I like, I attract to me with full force, and with an equal and opposite force I repel those things I don’t like (usually with a loud growl or bark!).

Top of the “Don’t Like List” is my raincoat, but luckily today I didn’t have to wear it. Don’t think that’s because summer is here because it’s not. Our friend Colleen (Monty’s mom) calls this month “Juneary” and I’m beginning to think she’s right. It was cold out there today, but luckily playing and exploring kept us warm.

It started with a nice, brisk walk with Ollie and off we went exploring the new neighborhood in which he now lives. We found this really long trail right through the neighborhood and even though it felt kind of dark and creepy, we ventured down it and down it and down it. Ollie kept looking at Gretchen slightly worried about how dark it was and Woobie kept looking over her shoulder.

I just tried to stay positive so everyone felt safe. I mean somebody had to do it.

Besides, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, and like a magnet I just kept letting it attract me!

Rosie has serious attractions and repulsions. She’s repulsed by cats (you go, girl!) more than anything and she’s seriously attracted to treats. So much so that she’ll sit and wait for them for long stretches of time…something she didn’t do when Gretchen first started walking her. In fact, she’ll hold a pose even close to the open grated walk, which is right behind her in these photos and Rosie hates those open grated walks as much as I do!

Look at her! She’s doing better than I would have, only when I have to stand for this pose, Gretchen drags me onto the grate and makes me sit there for an eternity.

Grates go on my “Repulsion List” for sure! I mean, why do they do it? Why not just put a firm, solid, concrete slab down or build your park on the ground. Suspending it high above the air and making it so you can see down it is just cruel. Rosie totally agrees!

Gemma’s got attractions and repulsions are all mixed up sometimes. She seems to be attracted and repelled by many of the same things — dogs barking from behind a fence, squirrels chattering in the trees, cats who slither under parked cards — she wants to get to them as much as she wants to GET THEM, if you know what I mean.

Woobie thinks Gemma’s kind of funny, but one of the things I’m learning about Woobie is that she’s kind of repelled by the camera. Every time Gretchen pulls it out, Woobie turns her head. It takes a lot of coaxing to get her to do otherwise. Not Gemma though. She’ll look straight into it every time she’s asked. I think she finds her own reflection attractive!

But eventually, when Woobie is really tired and resting while I’m still playing, she’ll look at the camera. She does have a sweet face even though sometimes it’s hard to see her eyes.

As you know, Woobie is staying with us for awhile and while she has always found exploring an attraction, I think today she may have been a bit repulsed.

“Gee, Rubin,” she quietly whispered to me this afternoon, “I never realized you worked so hard at your job! Your paws must get really tired by the end of the week!”

“Not just my paws,” I complained. “I mean, have you seen how some of my clients treat me?”

Woobie shook her long locks “yes” and after our play time with Saber, I think she got a much better understanding of just how hard I work!

Saber, Saber, Saber — he is attracted to EVERYTHING. Only once have I seen him repulsed by something — an umbrella — though today he was a little worried about the water bags they put around trees to keep them hydrated. But it wasn’t repulsion, just curiosity with a bit of nervousness. Once he smelled it, he was okay.

If there is anything that attracts him the most, it’s my favorite ball!

I pretty much thought the day was over at this point, and I was looking forward to a nice afternoon nap on my favorite (attractive) bed. But no, it was time to not only play and explore, but to meet a new dog!

This is Paige. Gretchen walked her once before, but today Woobie and I got to meet her. She’s a beauty, isn’t she? I certainly found myself attracted to her, so much so that even though I was super tired, I pranced my best prance just to get her attention. I sure hope she noticed!

Every time Paige looked my way, though, I got really shy and turned away. I guess that’s the fine line between things that attract and things that repel. When I was around Paige today, I got all flustered and clumsy.

She didn’t seem to mind, though. Nope, she was the best hostess as we explored her neighborhood. She showed us the trails that cut in and out of her neighborhood and wind around a gentle creek. She even let me walk close to her for awhile, but it was very hard for me because I found her so attractive. Eventually, I got so hot and bothered, I had to walk on the other side of Gretchen just to keep my attractions in check.

I sure hope Paige is on the schedule every day, though Gretchen tells me that it will be more like once a week. I guess I’ll have to take what I can get. Sigh.

What a day, what a day, what a day. My paws are sloppily typing out the last lines of this blog and my eyes are all droopy. Playing and exploring, attracting and repelling, spending time with new friends and old — it’s a wonder I’m still standing by the end of the week.

It’s a good thing I love my job, isn’t it?

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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Posted in: Gemma, Ollie, Paige, Rosie, Rubin's Buddies, Saber, Tail Waggin' News, Woobie / Tagged: , , , ,