June 17, 2010

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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