20 posts tagged “dogs”

Here's a couple of videos of the whippets running yesterday...not fantastic quality because it's off my regular camera, but you can get the idea that they are pretty fast :)

At the end of the first video I was warning Andrew of the guy running by us...(the whippets like to chase things if they see them...like runners or bicyclists).

They came home after this and slept all afternoon quite happily.

Watching the whippets run

Yesterday it rained 4 inches. Over a period of several hours. Of course, the dogs had to go out at some point. I tried to put it off as long as I could, because remember how I mentioned that I can't use an umbrella when I take them out in rain (I thought it was just because it causes them to dawdle for ages or never go?!)...well it was raining so hard that I decided just to try the umbrella...

I geared up, leashes on dogs, rain boots on me, grabbed the umbrella, stepped outside into the downpour...opened my umbrella, and in that split second I remembered why I can't use an umbrella....

Wallace is terrified of umbrellas.

The second I opened that umbrella he took off...fortunately or not, he was still attached to me by way of his leash. So I'm skidding (as close to water skiing as one can get) across the flooded backyard, screaming at him to stop.Of course, I'm still senselessly holding onto the umbrella and so when he does slow down, he turns to see that I still have that wretched contraption, and so he starts up running again.

Gromit thought it was all some big game, so he was running right along with Wallace. I'm lucky I kept my footing and didn't land face first in the mud, and Wallace only stopped running when a giant boom of thunder scared him to his senses and I closed the umbrella and dragged him back inside. Of course no one managed to go potty....and once again I thanked my lucky stars that my parents don't have neighbors at least all theses shenanigans of the dogs have been unseen by others.

Wallace has numerous irrational fears besides umbrellas;

ponchos (I tried this number on him later...he was just as terrified as with the umbrella), balloons, big blue balls (only big blue balls- all other balls are fair game to be popped), vacuum cleaners (he loves Gavin don't you think?), moving trucks, crinkling paper or bags, suitcases, I know I'm leaving out so many of them...it would almost be easier to say what he's not afraid of....thunderstorms (unless they involve umbrellas), food, beds (unless they are air mattresses), and petting.

Otherwise, you can just assume he's terrified of it.

I once read on a website about whippets that since, in general, they have a mind of their own when they are running off-leash; that if they get away from you, you should drop to the ground like you've been shot...screaming and making a scene. Chances are, your whippet will forget whatever he's taken off after and come back to see why you've seemingly lost your mind. Otherwise, if you don't catch their attention somehow, they will dash into oblivion at a pretty fast 38 mph.

Yesterday I had let Gromit out to run, (I've decided I'm going to let him fetch tennis balls as a form of exercise so that he doesn't lose his mind inside my parent's house without a fenced backyard.) He had worn himself out almost and then he just off and decided to run away, after a butterfly or other bug no less.
I yelled for him to come back, I waved my arms like crazy...he paid me no attention. Visions of missing dog posters flashed in my mind...and then I remembered the sage advice from that website...

I very dramatically dropped to the ground, writhing in pretend agony..yelling for his help...and wouldn't you know it..he immediately stopped running, turned around and high-tailed it back to me to check on my physical and no doubt, mental state.

No comment on if I'm going to be willing to do this if he escapes in public. I know I will if it's necessary, but for pride's sake I'm hoping it won't come to that.

I have the world's most patient dog.

Giddy up Gromit!

We had a terrible thunderstorm this afternoon. I hate storms, always have- when I was little- I borrowed my dad's shop headphones and would wear them whenever it stormed...even through dinner...Now, I am pretty much am content to snuggle under the covers to wait it out,  with my ears covered of course ! But that's not feasible when you have a one-year old. And I think I may have scared him by being scared. I was trying to carry him around and act like nothing was wrong, but the lightning was so close, I jumped and almost dropped him- then gave up on holding him, put him down- he screamed.

It struck again, closer this time, I jumped again, which made him jump- which started the waterworks flowing...I went into the hallway and tried to play with his ball popper toy, to drown out the thunder- but that didn't make him feel better (or me honestly). I watched the power flicker on and off, and the floor and walls shake with each convincing boom of thunder, and realized I couldn't find the dogs.

Lo and behold- my dogs who (honestly) aren't scared of thunderstorms or any other loud noise (fireworks) were snuggled ASLEEP on our bed. They could've cared less.

Then Gavin started signing, "eat" and  was getting really grouchy when I told him to wait a moment ( I didn't want to venture out of the hallway). Finally  I did and quickly retrieved the box of Cheerios. He clapped and we sat in his room, and ate cheerios together. The dogs (of course) got up for this- and sat in the floor, side by side patiently waiting for cheerios.

Gav didn't make them wait too long, he got his fill and then doled them out one by one to the waiting whippets. It was absolutely adorable...Pretty much went like this..."One for you, *CRUNCH*, okay, and one for you *CRUNCH*. He was so fair with them it was too cute!

No pictures though- I was too scared to get up and go get it ;)

Gavin has mastered sharing with the whippets. Unfortunately, its food and its totally blown the whole "no begging for food" rule out the window. Whatever Gav is eating, it doesn't matter..it can be sweet peas and the whippets will sit under the highchair and beg. And then Gavin leans over and drops food for them. It's too cute to scold. Yes, I know that's creating a terrible habit. We'll deal with that...tomorrow.

But Mom....they're hungry!!

Gromit, the youngest of our two dogs cracks me up daily!
 This morning, I let them out and Wallace promptly starts digging. I think the moles must be back, the death of two of their family members last fall must not have been a strong enough reason to move out of our yard. So Wallace is digging away happily, I open the door and yell, he stops, looks reproachful and stops digging. A few minutes later I hear Gromit barking in his "tattle tale bark" as we call it, he does it whenever Wallace is doing something he doesn't approve of (i.e. Wallace stole his spot on the couch, Wallace won't let him on the couch, Wallace looked at him wrong etc.). So I glanced out the windows, and Wallace is digging again, but Gromit is in his face barking. So I just imagine that he's saying "Wallace!! Mom said NO digging!" Wallace lifts his head from the heap of dirt and just looks at him like..."Shut up, you tattle tale!" and walks off indignantly. This has been happening for the last hour. Gromit "tells" on Wallace, Wallace stops digging, goes off to sulk by the a/c unit but when he gets over Gromit's injustices he just finds a new spot to dig and starts again...and of course, Gromit tells on him again :)