Category: A Dog’s Life

Snow in Seattle

We went out for our walk Tuesday evening – yesterday. I wasn’t crazy about getting my paws into the snow so for once I did my business fast.

Usually my mom is thrilled – she’s ready for bed! But she couldn’t resist taking out her cell phone for a photo op. “Belltown is so beautiful in snow,” she said. Here’s the entrance to the freeway, usually affording a nice view of cruise ships. Not that I care much for ships: I’m more into what’s on the ground nearby than what’s out on the sea. Nevertheless…

Dog getting a ride

My mom and I came back from our walk and there was our neighbor, Janet. I adore Janet, even though she’s much too nice to our feline housemates. When my mom went out of town, while I was boarding, Janet came over to sit with the cats. She sketched them and brushed them and… good grief. Those felines are spoiled rotten.

We hadn’t seen Janet for while. She has a nice big dog named Emma. I was so happy to see Janet I jumped up.

“Gracie! Off!” my mom yelled.

Janet picked me up in her arms. I love being held. I always relax and look very pleased with myself. Can you tell?

“Gracie thinks she’s a cat,” my mom sighed.

“Maybe she is part cat,” Janet said helpfully.

Yeah, right. I’m 100% royalty. I deserve this.

Decorating the doghouse for Santa at Xmas

My mom Cathy showed me this video of a dog who’s getting ready for Santa. Well, around here my Aunt Sara is my own Santa Claus. She takes me to the park and brings me toys. She makes me wear my muzzle and sit for treats, but hey, nobody’s perfect.

I suppose I could decorate my crate if my mom would let me have some milk and cookies. But she pointed out that I’d eat all the cookies, drink the milk and run up a HUGE vet bill.

Alas, she’s right. I bet we spend the holidays in the downtown dog park.

Another good reason to own a dog

Pamela with Kaylee
My mom Cathy thinks she should get a tax deduction for me: my food, treats and vet bills. She points out that I am an asset to her health and her business. I force her to take walks in the fresh air. I insist that we take regular breaks.

And I am her muse and source of inspiration.

Now my mom has yet another reason to believe dogs are good for business. Her business friend Pamela Bruner just wrote a blog post about dogs as motivators.

It seems that Pamela’s dog Kaylee needed surgery to alleviate a painful knee. (You didn’t know dogs have knees? Now you know.) Pamela realized she had a motivation to keep earning higher levels of income, so she would always be able to say “yes” when a vet asked if she could afford the surgery.

Dog surgery doesn’t come cheap. In fact, my mom sighs, there’s nothing cheap about a dog. Walking. Boarding. Feeding. And more.

“If I didn’t have a dog, my life would be simpler,” she says.

My mom’s New York friend Bill always laughs when she says this. He knows she’d have less fun and “you’d be a little old lady who lives with cats.”

Good grief. Imagine life with Ophelia as the main pet. Be thankful for me, mom!

Another way dogs earn their keep

My mom’s been reading an interesting book, Choke by Sian Beilock. Well, she says  it’s interesting. I may write my blog but I don’t read books.

This book explains why people freeze when they’re under intense pressure. It’s why top students get low scores on big exams, like SATs.

As a dog, I rarely experience this pressure. I passed my temperament test at the Barking Lounge with flying colors. Fortunately they did not evaluate my mom’s temperament, but that’s another post.

So where do I come in?

Well, it seems that one proven strategy involves taking a break. When you feel totally pressured and stressed, give yourself some distance.

When you have a dog, you have no choice. Here’s how I earn my crunchies. Most of the time I’m lying on my cushion, watching my mom work in her office. It’s pretty boring. Luckily I get enough exercise so I am usually sleepy.

But when I sense that my mom is getting intensely frustrated, or it’s just long past time for a walk, I rise from my cushion and flap my ears.

“Uh oh,” my mom sighs. “I’ll have to take you out, won’t I? Just let me finish this one thing…”

So then I come up and rest my head on her knee. I look at her imploringly. We have to take a break.

“Okay, Gracie,” she says. “Let me just set down a plate of cat food for Ophelia. She can’t jump to the kitchen counter the way Creampuff does. She can’t eat while you’re loose around here. The poor thing is hungry.”

Yeah, right. All 15 pounds of furry feline.

Once she’s up and moving, my mom doesn’t waste any time. Now that we live in Belltown we take a fast walk to the dog park. Sometimes we run into the park regulars and hang out awhile.

By the time we’re home. Cathy is feeling refreshed and ready to hit the computer again. I am feeling good because most park regulars (and a lot of strangers) make a big fuss over me.

See? Pressure is lifted. Mom thinks more clearly. And it’s all because of me, the resident dog.

Dog mom taking too many photos

Dog park regulars on a cold December night

My mom has gotten carried away with her cell phone. She loves taking pictures because, she says, it’s so easy to transfer them to her computer. With the camera, she has to hook up a cable…and we all know how I feel about cables. Delicious!

Sue is one of the park stewards and regulars. She looked so cold and cute my om said, “I just have to get this picture.”

Here’s Sue saying “Enough!” while Mary Alice, another park regular, enjoys the scene. Do you see where I am? As usual, I know the best person to ask for a butt rub. You can take my picture anytime.

Keeping the mom puzzled

As the resident dog, one of my official roles is driving my owner nuts. I excel in this area.

Since we moved I have demonstrated a new skill that dogs are not supposed to have. When we go for walks, I sometimes stop on the way back. I refuse to budge.

Peo0ple laugh at my mom. “Dog doesn’t want to move,” they say.

My mom gets so embarrassed. “Keesha never did this,” she sighs.Never mind that Keesha was 10 pounds heavier, three times as fuzzy and a different breed altogether.

My mom noticed that I tend to do this when we’re coming back after a walk just before she goes out. I am destined for some serious crate time and there’s no reason to rush back.

“How do you know?” my mom asks. “Maybe I change my clothes just before we walk. Or I fill your water dish.” So she doesn’t change her clothes or fill my water dish till we return. No dice. I still know.

My mom’s pretty smart about most things. She keeps trying to figure out how I know what’s happening.

I am not going to tell. A lady needs to keep her secrets.

Dog Crate Needs Repair

Here’s a photo of my crate, also known as my castle. I have to stay there when my mom goes out even for a few minutes.

When I realize my mom has gone, I stand by the door and wait anxiously. If I’m left alone for hours, who knows what I’ll do? So I spend LOTS of time in the crate.

The fastener on my crate has broken. My mom has to prop it shut when she goes out. She’s very nervous about leaving me alone in a crate that won’t close properly.

She ordered a new crate door from dog.com. She was astounded that someone could own that domain name, she said. “They must have bought in back in the Dark Ages.”

I heard her on the phone with them.

“Can you hurry the order? Yes, I’ll pay extra for UPS shipping. You see, this is a dog who can’t be left alone – ever.”

Oh no. Not again.

But my ears perked up when she said, “A sale on a dog blanket? That’s a reasonable price. A nice fuzzy fleece? Hmm…”

Ah, that sounds delightful! So soft and warm. I started getting visions of curling up on the soft warm blanket…maybe nibbling a little piece of wool here and there…feeling the fleece tickling my tummy…

But then my mom said reluctantly, “I’m afraid Gracie will just chew it up. She chewed a blanket into tiny pieces. I can’t even leave a blanket in her crate anymore.”

She read my mind. I bet fleece blankets taste delicious!

Oh well. I’ve still got my old dog cushion on my mom’s bed. I inherited a few dog beds from Mom’s first dog, the sainted Keesha. They’re tough. Even my determined little teeth can’t destroy them.

Life could be worse, although I wish my mom would stop telling the whole world about me. People will get the wrong idea. I’m actually a member of royalty who deserves the utmost respect.