Dear runners, about my dogs… July 11, 2012
Posted by mareserinitatis in pets.Tags: dog, dogs, etiquette, Gigadog, runners
16 comments
It would be much easier to walk the dogs individually, but it’s awfully difficult to find the time, especially with the hot weather. The only time I really have to take them out before the heat sets in is about 6 a.m. So I get everyone leashed up, and we look like this.
Keep in mind…that’s an 1/8 of a ton of dog I’m holding onto.
Today, Rainier left a brown, smelly gift on someone’s lawn. Cleaning this up is not easy while trying to hold onto the dogs. Therefore, I get them to sit down nicely on the sidewalk, and they are pretty good about staying there while I take care of their business.
Except today…because of someone who wasn’t thinking. After this incident, I feel it necessary to convey some etiquette to clueless joggers about dogs. I hope they listen.
Dear runners,
If you see a dog seated on the sidewalk, please make a point to take advantage of the 8 feet of boulevard to your left. Only an idiot or small child runs up to a dog they don’t know. Do NOT try to run directly past them. I am not attempting to ‘own’ the sidewalk. I am telling you this to keep you (and me!) safe. If nothing else, try to remember that running on grass is better for your knees, so you can at least give your knees a break.
1 – Running up to a dog you don’t know is stupid. Not all dogs are friendly to strangers. If you run up to a dog you don’t know, they could very well turn around and bite you as they may think you’re attacking them. I hope not…but some dogs are that way.
2 – Running sets off a chase instinct in many dogs. If they didn’t have an inclination to go after you before, they very well may after they see you running away.
3 – A dog who is friendly may also be excitable, and you running up to the dog is likely to result in that dog jumping on you. I can tell you that having 100 lbs. of excitable fluff jump onto you can be an unpleasant experience.
4 – Running up behind a dog is stupid because, even if those dogs are super friendly with people (like mine are), you may spook them (like you did today), and they may take off running (like they did today). This may result in the person who didn’t see you because she is attempting to pick up poop either having her arm yanked out of the socket or nearly pulled over. All I can say is that I am glad Rainier really doesn’t move fast because he was a great anchor when Gigadog decided to check out these interlopers.
Now that I have clearly established reasons why you were not doing the brightest thing today, I can assure that I will continue to take my dogs to sit on the boulevard and let you pass. I realize not all people like dogs, and I make every effort to keep mine from accosting strangers who have no interest. I would ask that you do the same for me, however, when I am not in a position to see you coming.
Thanks,
Cherish
The latest Gigadog pics September 23, 2011
Posted by mareserinitatis in pets, photography.Tags: dog, drool, Gigadog, newfoundlands
1 comment so far
Gigadog is almost 8 mos. old and she’s grown a lot. I plan to take her to the vet tomorrow to do a weigh-in.
In the meantime, I have two pictures of her. The first is showing was a majestic girl she’s becoming. The second…not so majestic. She seems to have developed a bit of a drooling problem…
Crazy busy weekend… February 6, 2011
Posted by mareserinitatis in family, older son, personal, younger son.Tags: cleaning, dog, fingernail polish, fortran, girls
4 comments
Okay…totally a fluff post. But you need those sometimes, eh?
• Finally realized one thing that has been making the homeschooling part of things hard on the older boy: he likes to work to a ‘good stopping point’. Telling him to work on something ‘for two hours’ is just too vague. So I’ve been sitting down and coming up with how much he should do. Things like, ‘work to the end of this chapter.’ This seems to be working worlds better, and his pace has been picking up a lot.
• Younger boy likes finger nail polish. So much so that I had to paint his toenails with some holographic stuff I got. I didn’t paint his fingernails because I know there are boys at school who would pick on him. He did, however, have to take off socks at gymnastics. I was very nervous about it, but no one said a thing. He did ask one of his teachers what she thought, and she said his nails were beautiful. Huge relief: boys get judged so harshly for being different, and I’m so glad people didn’t get judgmental. I did warn him, however, that it might happen.
• Honestly, I used to get nervous about wearing nail polish to work. No one has said anything over the past couple months when I have worn it, so I’ve been indulging a lot more often in one of my few very girly interests. Even been wearing sparkly stuff.
• Younger boy also strongly associates girls things with pink. We went to buy some dog supplies yesterday, and anything that came in pink was what he chose to buy. No one will ever question whether our dog is a boy or girl.
• My house is clean. It’s always good motivation when you have guests staying with you. Also discovered the teenager is getting amazingly good at cleaning.
• I’m relearning Fortran. It’s been a while…a very long while.
• I’m getting braces tomorrow. Not. Looking. Forward. To. That.
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