Tuesday, 4 October 2011

Rain Rain Go Away!

Steve was born in Atlanta.  He and his brothers and sisters were an "accident".  The result of a one night stand on the wrong side of the tracks!  He spent his first few week of life living in a trailer park and outside dog.  Even when he was adopted by the nice lady that had him for his first 3 years, he was an outside dog.  He was allowed inside and definitely had the best of both worlds, but outside was his main haunt.  A backyard dog.  One with nature.

It's been raining a lot here recently and I've been working long hours.  This means that when I come home from work, Steve has to pee.  BADLY!  He jumps on me with great relief when I walk in the door and bolts to the back door so he can go outside.  He is basically jumping on one foot with his legs crossed he has to pee so badly (Do not judge me, I am getting a handle on the long hours!).  Well my city dog, who has gotten used to his creature comforts has become a little high maintenance.  I open the door he sticks his head out, looks up at me like I'm crazy and walks away.  The dog, who has to pee desperately doesn't want to get wet.  HE HOLDS IT!! He walks back to his bed, snuggles in and goes back to sleep.

What I have learned from this is:  1.  They never have to go as much as they make out they do. All dogs are actors. 2.  Steve's life has gotten pretty comfortable and really, in my next life, I want to be a loved house dog, and 3.  Steve thinks he is so sweet, made of sugar and is going to melt.

A dog's life!!

Monday, 3 October 2011

New Friends

When I got Steve, I had a wonderful cat named Oliver.  Oliver was a 25lb ball of love.  He talked, he fetched and when I was considering bring Steve into our lives I thought more about how it would affect Ollie than how it would affect me.  On Steve's first day in our home, Oliver took one look at him, whacked him across the snout and walked away.  From that moment on, Oliver was the boss and Steve knew it.  City dogs were ruled by cats.

Well, as we all know, having a pet opens your heart to a lot of unconditional love, but also a lot of pain.  Oliver died about 3 years after Steve came to live with us.  Steve was sad.  I was sad.  I was very lucky to have had him in my life.  I love cats but I haven't been about to open my home to a new kitty.  Every time I try I get sad, so I know it's not time;  BUT...I have opened my home to kitty sitting.

Digsy is my friends' Emma and Grant's cat.  He is white and grey and is just the cutest thing.  Emma and Grant are living abroad for a while and after much worry about Digsy living with a dog, they decided to let me have the honour of taking care of him.  Digsy was quite shy when he first got here and hid under the bed and in the back room for quite a while, but now he and Steve are great friends.  Well, Digsy is friends with Steve, but Steve isn't so sure.  He knows that cats are the boss.  Steve gives Digsy anything he wants.  Digsy snuggles on Steve's bed and Steve sleeps on the floor.  Digsy wants to walk through the door first and Steve steps aside.  It's very funny and very cute.    Sometimes Steve looks at me like "What have you done??" but he is happy to share his mom and his house with this wonderful kitty.

Well, things got even more exciting last Friday.  I have taken in another cat.  This time it is Brandon and Tamara's Muffin.  For those of you that know me, you know Brandon is my brother and Tamara is my Girlfriend-in-law (GIL).  They are on vacation.  I am on cat duty.  Muffin is an old lady.  She is not well and so skinny.  She takes medicine and eats like a horse, but doesn't gain any weight.  Steve would love to eat her food.  So would Disgy.  Anyway, you should have seen Steve's face when this little black critter jumped on the bed.  You could just tell, he was thinking, "Another one??!!???".  The funniest part was Digsy's reaction.  The nervous, shy furball, who was afraid of coming out from under the bed, ran right up to Steve as if to say,  "OMG, another critter!  We have to stick together!".

Well, we are 4 days into out 3 animal house and there is peace.  Digsy and Muffin have staked out places on the bed and Steve is just trying to stay out of their way.  He knows he`s outnumbered and out-clawed.  I can tell he is waiting for his peaceful life to return, but that is never going to happen.  It`s never peaceful when you`re a dog in the city.