When we brought Bugsy home at the tender age of 12-14 weeks old we didn't know much about puppies.
Day 2 we took him for a walk. I won't talk about the insanity of trying to leash him and keep him from running out every door. In fact I have to try to remember those days.
But I don't have to try and remember this silly pup that walked with his head & tail up, with this jaunty Lipanzaner-esque trot, in front of us at the very end of the leash. He didn't pull, he just used all the leash. :)
Our very first walk was 2 miles long. ( I giggle when I realize how ridiculous that was)
And he loved every step.
He didn't stop. Or look back at us, he just strutted at the end of his leash.
I remember laughing with my husband that he walked as if he was proud of the humans he had claimed.
Fast forward very nearly 6 yrs to this morning as we walked in a cold rain, and I wore a huge smile as I was still behind him, at the end of the leash, as he strutted with his head & tail high, and a spring in his jaunty, rhythmic step. Life is great when I am out walking!
It was as it always has been.
It was a powerful flashback and one that has a huge grin on my face as I write this.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
How things change
Saturday, in what has become a tradition, we took Bugsy to the Raleigh Christmas parade. Each year he shocks me with his ability to deal with the chaos, noise, and sights of the whole shindig. They estimate about 75,000 people were there this year and 110 different floats/groups in the actual parade.
He was literally swarmed by kids upon reaching the crowds. They hug, kiss and want to pose with him and he is truly happy to oblige. This year we had a particularly sweet interaction with a little toddler who he gave the gentlest and smallest kiss, twice. She then came back and offered him a rock and a leaf as a thank you treat. Even better I gently held his head so she could pet him without a giant tongue on her face and she decided to give him a teeny, gentle kiss on his ear. And then she did it again.
While this was happening he was in dense traffic and had an adult and 3 kids petting various parts of him and the matching band, color guard and horses were passing by.
It is to me extraordinary that any dog can deal with all of this.
The truly amazing part is that it is my sweet Bugsy, a dog who was well over a year before he could tolerate being pet, even by us. He is as non-cuddly as a dog can be. Only in the last 3-4 months will he allow me (and only me) to lie next to him on the floor. In the past he would either instigate play or get up and leave.
Every once in a while he'll curl up next to me and sometimes lay his head on my lap. Every time he does this I am reminded of that wild, feral pup who you literally could not touch or hold.
Because he has always been difficult to touch. I find these interactions at the parade and other events so heart-warming.
Because he has also always been too easy to overstimulate, I am stunned when in the midst of this outrageous environment, he's calm and happy, soaking up and doling out all the love he can.
It thrills me to think he has learned how nice snuggling can be and how wonderful being touched and pet is.
It also thrills me that he can enjoy the children and others at parades and events now and that they get to meet the Bugsy I know.
Now if we could figure out how to get him there without having to be at a parade LOL.
He was literally swarmed by kids upon reaching the crowds. They hug, kiss and want to pose with him and he is truly happy to oblige. This year we had a particularly sweet interaction with a little toddler who he gave the gentlest and smallest kiss, twice. She then came back and offered him a rock and a leaf as a thank you treat. Even better I gently held his head so she could pet him without a giant tongue on her face and she decided to give him a teeny, gentle kiss on his ear. And then she did it again.
While this was happening he was in dense traffic and had an adult and 3 kids petting various parts of him and the matching band, color guard and horses were passing by.
It is to me extraordinary that any dog can deal with all of this.
The truly amazing part is that it is my sweet Bugsy, a dog who was well over a year before he could tolerate being pet, even by us. He is as non-cuddly as a dog can be. Only in the last 3-4 months will he allow me (and only me) to lie next to him on the floor. In the past he would either instigate play or get up and leave.
Every once in a while he'll curl up next to me and sometimes lay his head on my lap. Every time he does this I am reminded of that wild, feral pup who you literally could not touch or hold.
Because he has always been difficult to touch. I find these interactions at the parade and other events so heart-warming.
Because he has also always been too easy to overstimulate, I am stunned when in the midst of this outrageous environment, he's calm and happy, soaking up and doling out all the love he can.
It thrills me to think he has learned how nice snuggling can be and how wonderful being touched and pet is.
It also thrills me that he can enjoy the children and others at parades and events now and that they get to meet the Bugsy I know.
Now if we could figure out how to get him there without having to be at a parade LOL.
Friday, November 18, 2011
this really made me laugh
Bugsy has three regular drinking water spots: his inside water bowl, an outside water bowl, and when we installed a bubbling fountain that became his bird flavored water bowl :).
Here he is trying it upon installation
We have no idea why but he will often want a drink and look at his inside water and then ring his bell to go out. By doing this he has trained us so we realize that he asks out solely to have a drink.
Which brings me to the reason for this entry. This morning it was 26*. The fountain was frozen over, but Beastie asked out and we let him. I walked back to the sofa and saw him with his foot in the fountain - testing the ice I suspect.
I grabbed my phone and proceeded to capture this:
I don't know about you but I find that funny. I can't believe that he likes bird poop flavored water that much, but I guess he does!
Here he is trying it upon installation
We have no idea why but he will often want a drink and look at his inside water and then ring his bell to go out. By doing this he has trained us so we realize that he asks out solely to have a drink.
Which brings me to the reason for this entry. This morning it was 26*. The fountain was frozen over, but Beastie asked out and we let him. I walked back to the sofa and saw him with his foot in the fountain - testing the ice I suspect.
I grabbed my phone and proceeded to capture this:
I don't know about you but I find that funny. I can't believe that he likes bird poop flavored water that much, but I guess he does!
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