Dogs, We don’t Deserve Them

The weather is changing here in North Texas.

The way I describe it is that sometime in May/June, someone waddles over to the big weather furnace and turns it one. This year, it was late, well after a cool, wet spring. From that point, it’s hot. Damn hot. Africa hot. Then, sometime in September/October they waddle back and turn it off. That happened early this year as well, maybe mid-September. We had a “Fake Fall” where it gets cool, then a week of miserable heat, then cool until furnace time next year.

This is the secret of Texas. Sure, everyone thinks “Way too hot!”. But for nine months of the year, it’s like California. Super temps, no humidity.

That’s what it’s like now. Stunning, beautiful days, and cool nights.

The dogs love this. They loaf around in the hot days. Now? They’ll play all day, especially if I stay outside or in the sunroom. Since it’s been so nice, Aria stays out all day. She has two or three spots where she likes to sit and wait for squirrels. Unless he’s in the sunroom, she’ll flat out refuse to come in when I have to leave. Half the time, while in the sunroom, she’ll look at me and walk away. Good for her. Why waste this weather? What I’ve been doing lately is to sit in a chair we have out on the lawn, enjoying the cool air and sun where I think big thoughts, maybe do my daily praying which is tough because the circus happening in front of me.

You can’t see it well from the video, but Jasper is slightly bigger than Aria now. She’s furrier and more muscular, but he’s on target to be as big as Jethro. He’s only a year old. He was born about the same time of year as Aria , so they go to the vet together. That will be next week, and I’ll be dreading that bill. It’ll be $600, easy, when all is said and done – shots, tests, whatnot.

I sat there smiling and laughing watching this. First off, it’s funny. But secondly, this is the reason I have multiple dogs. They are pack animals, and will keep themselves entertained while I work.

This morning was properly chilly, and Herself had the second day off in a row. She had a class to attend in the morning, so we took the dogs out walking earlier than usual. Way earlier. It was a fast walk, as Jasper’s energy level was dialed to “11” for most of it. Didn’t help that everyone and their mother was out walking their dogs as well.

Jasper is still a little high energy when seeing other dogs (and squirrels). And it’s a ratchet. He’ll be great, then in fast order you see dogs and squirrels and he’ll be wound up for the next block. He didn’t slow down until we were a block from home. With squirrels, I can handle him as long as they get the message and scamper up a tree. He’s learned that the chase is over at that point. Rabbits are worse. They tend to freeze in place until the dude is nearly upon them, then rocket off. If you see them first, you can prevent the big pull. Rabbits also have a bad habit of running past us, like a like a jet fighter making a strafing run. That has a big suck factor when you have three of them by yourself.

But the worst? Cats. By far.

Those little a-holes know full well the dogs are on a leash, and will sit there twenty feet away, staring at the pups. You absolutely have to pay attention and deflect their attention.

Herself really isn’t good at that.

For whatever reason, she took the boys yesterday and I took Aria. Aria is nearly docile as a lamb on a walk, usually walking right next to me like a well cultured lady. Jethro is nearly as good, unless a cat is taunting him. Jet weighs in at nearly 90 lbs. Jasper, last year, was nearly 60. The two outweighing and out muscling my wife by a good 20lbs. Normally, not a problem.

Enter the cat. A grey tiger, like our Bonzai, sitting next to a tree, blending in.

So they happen on the cat, the cat took off, and Herself became a kite. In seconds, she was halfway around a house before the cat jumped to the top of a fence to hiss. I’m amazed she stayed on her feet. She held the leashes in such a way that she couldn’t release them.

A teachable moment for sure. For her, and the cat.

So today, I had Jasper and she took the two better behaved others. I think I’ll be paying for training for the little one sooner rather than later.

I have a new tripod that can hold my phone, so I’ll try and get video of what happens every morning when they decide it’s time for a walk, and every afternoon when they’ve decided I’ve worked enough.

So stay tuned.