Dog Days

We are having some sad days, to go along with the weather changes. I was so enjoying the cool weather walking, but Kai gets so beat (okay, I am blaming this on Kai) that we are only  doing short walks. I am not sure what is going to happen if I get a job. She is going to be so heart broken about not getting her morning walk. Today we missed a perfectly good morning because I had planned on cleaning house and just got too busy. Then is was 12 and too humid. I think I will take her down to the river later today, just to get some time in outside of the house.
   
I know that she is bored because I found the inside of my slipper in the living room. I did not know where the other part was until I sat down with a cup of coffee and she came tearing around the corner with it in her mouth. She loves to stop just in front of me but far enough away that I have to move to get whatever she has in her mouth back. Then it is off to the races. We MUST walk, walk, walk.

Mistaken Identity

Kai and I have not been on a walk in ages, so I had to get out of the house and get both of us moving. The first block I thought okay, I do not need that arm. It is a good thing I know that she is going to pull hard the first few minutes of being released from the yard. She finally calmed down about two blocks into the walk and we had no more pulls. But just when I thought she was going to behave, she comes to a dead stop, no matter how hard I pulled or how many times I said come, she was not moving. So I looked to where her nose was pointing, up on a porch was a statue of a dog. It was of about her size but looked like a St. Bernard. Kai just stood there cocking her head. I  am pretty sure Kai was thinking: if I was out on the porch without a leash I would chase after a dog standing in my yard. I think Kai wanted the dog to do something, instead of standing there "looking" at her. I finally convinced Kai to keep on moving, but she kept looking back at the dog on the porch. We have passed this house on numerous occasions but I think she was always sniffing the ground and had never seen the dog on the porch. I wonder if she will remember this the next time we are walking.

Right after that encounter she meet another dog, this one was full of playful energy and Kai I think was relieved that the dog actually acted like a dog. That was our drama for the day, we finally made it home and Kai opened the door, drank some water and went to sleep.

On the mend

Finally I think my Kai is on the mend. She recently went through a stomach ache that kept me up for a couple of days. Chicken and rice and nothing else for about a week. Today I started adding back some food. I hope that it is not the food I have been feeding her as I recently changed it from Nutro to Pedigree and Rachel Ray. But I think it is more likely that she ate something outside or engulfed something from around the house. Her favorite thing is to grab something of mine, like socks, and try to eat them or get me to chase her. I also, had to get rubber bands out of her mouth and a couple of bills. I do not think the electric company would appreciate the "My dog ate it," excuse.

She was very active last night running around the house flipping up rugs and just being a general nuisance. I prefer this actually, because the flopped ear, tail down, look of misery on her face, just makes me feel sad. Now after seeing her human brother off to college, she is resting. I am sure though by the time I want to rest she will be flying around the house. She always needs to get that 7 to 8 PM energy out. Last night after running around forever, she disappeared. When I found her she was in her crate fast asleep, maybe not too energized yet.

New tricks, bad tricks, almost sad trick.

I think that I finally taught Kai a new trick. I have been asking for Kai's paw since we got her. Usually I grab her paw when I ask, this is met by her trying to grab my hand with her mouth. But yesterday as I when I said "paw" and put my hand down, she actually did it. I requested this action a couple of more times and she repeated putting her paw in my hand. So of course I had to run and get her a treat, because I was not expecting her to do it. YEAH

So what is the bad trick, chasing the animals from the bird feeder. I really do not mind that she chases the squirrels because they are little piggies. But she barks at them through the door, which chases all the birds away. Then she goes outside waits until all the birds have come back, landed on the feeder and the ground, where upon she rushes them so that they fly in all directions. She can remain very quiet, laying just out of sight. I think she gets thrilled with the flapping of wings.

Now the almost sad trick, apparently when she chased a group of birds one got stuck in a plant. I looked out the window to see Kai circling a heuchera plant. I went out and did not see anything. Then she started bouncing on the plant, I thought she had cornered a mole or a small chipmunk I just could not see. I told her to leave it and she sat, but did not back away. When I turned, she went right back to smacking the bush with her paw, then I heard the chirp. I went back, chased Kai from her spot and saw and upside down bird, the chest was the color of the dirt, so I missed it the first time. I called for my husband, I grabbed Kai put her inside and we both went out to see what we could do. Apparently, it's claw was stuck around a couple of branches and it had got itself upside down and could not get up. My husband, carefully started moving the plant, amid chirps of terror, and the bird was able to get loose and fly away. I am glad I was alerted to the bird by Kai, but I am equally glad I happen to be by the window observing Kais odd behavior. Not a good trick playing smack the birdie.