White Shepherd Stories

Almost New Years Eve

 

We are going to have a big party.  Mom said it is for Spirit, but we all will get presents!  She said we will have hors d'oeuvres, clam chowder, and hamburger-turkey loaf with pumpkin and blueberries.  I guess that is Spirit's favorite.  He can do what ever he wants to do on his birthday.  He will probably mostly sleep and growl at me and Pirate if we bug him too much.

It is sort of my birthday too.  I will be four months old.  But I won't have a BIG party until I am one year old. Spirit will be fourteen years old and mom said when you get that old you get a REALLY BIG party.  We have lots of presents wrapped in pretty paper.  No ribbons though because I eat them....

Mom is going to vacuum before the party. I don't know why.  I just got the carpet looking real interesting.  I like to bring in flower pots.  I can't usually get them up the stairs and through the doggy door without dumping most of the dirt out of them, but mom isn't using them anyway.  I thought she might like to plant some flowers in them or maybe some more tomatoes.  I ate all the ones that were growing in the pool house.

One of my favorite things to chew on is the bark off of the stump in the yard.  I love to peel it off and bring it inside.  It is a little soggy from all the rain.  I chew it into tiny pieces and mom said it really looks awful on the carpet.  It makes my gums feel good to chew on it though.  I think it was a good idea too because now Spirit and Pirate are chewing on it too.  So it is not just me who enjoys it.

This morning it snowed.  I actually got to see it come down.  The first time I saw snow, it happened over night and I just went outside and found it there.  This time I even caught it in my mouth.  It just kind of floats down and lands on me.  Then the sun came out and the snow did not stay.  Mom took a lot of pictures of us playing on the lawn.   

 Journey

Our neighbor stopped to visit when she was driving up the driveway next door to our fence.  She did not recognize me.  She thought I was one of the big dogs.  She really liked me!  She likes all of us and we like to visit with her.  Quest manages to put his football over the fence so she can throw it for him.  Spirit just likes to have her pet him.  Mom told her about Spirit's party.  

It is no wonder she didn't know me - I weigh 42 lbs. now.   I think maybe I will be as big as Quest.

Quest.

Spirit

Gosh I wish Spirit's party was tonight.  Two days is a long wait.  Mom said it may snow again though and that would be fun.  After we played in the yard for a while mom and Spirit got cold, so we all went inside to play before dinner.   I was running so fast, and so were Quest and Pirate.  We make a big circle through the kitchen, the laundry room, the hallway, the living room, dining room and back to the kitchen.  Some times one of us doubles back around the dining table and then jumps out to scare someone else.  It gets wild.  Sometimes maybe too wild but mom doesn't really mind as long as we don't crash into Spirit.  If that happens they both get mad at us.

We had Timberwolf Wilderness Elk & Salmon for dinner with a little meat loaf.  After dinner the big dogs get a greenie for dessert.  I get a chicken stick.  Mom says I am not old enough to have a greenie yet. When I am six months old I can have a greenie if I promise not to gulp or swallow it in bites that are too big.  I could probably have one now because I am really a good eater and I don't gulp.  I don't eat rocks like Pirate used to, either.  I sometimes eat a little dirt, but not much, and I am trying to stop.  

After dinner Pirate and I usually wrestle a little before our after dinner nap.  

Happy New Year from our pack,  Journey, Pirate, Quest & Spirit  

Big City Lights

 

Yesterday I drove to Vancouver to pick up our Santa pictures.   Everyone went and Journey even got to go in to the store to pick up our CD.  He got treats and I believe he may have sniffed every dog bone in the store.   

Vancouver, Washington is right on the Columbia River, across from Portland, Oregon.  We went on into Portland to visit my daughter and her husband.   It rained most of the day.  At my daughter's the dogs got to play in the woods a little and visit.  

There was a wreck obstructing the traffic on the Interstate Bridge, north bound.  I had noticed it on the way south.  When we checked the traffic it seemed a good idea to take a different route home.  The new route leads through the center of town, across the Willamette River and then toward the airport.  That route leads us to a different Interstate Bridge and the traffic was moving along fine.  What I had not thought about was our new little guy's first impression of the big city.  

We live in the country, about 40 miles north of Portand.  Even our downtown area is pretty unimpressive. I am not a "city person" so that is fine with me.   It is nice to see the city once in a while though.  Portland is a gorgeous city.  It has multiple bridges crossing many rivers all through town.  There are many hills and on clear days there are gorgeous views of Mt. Hood, (which to me, is about the prettiest mountain you could ever want to see).

Photo by Lonnie Gorsline

If you climb to the top of the Hoyt Arboretum you can see Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens.

Mt. St. Helens

Hoyt Arboretum - Oregon

The lights of the city and the bridges are reflected in all the beautiful rivers.  There are no two bridges the same and there are beautiful walkways and parks everywhere.  Portland is decorated for Christmas and they go all out.  Every tree in the downtown area is lit with tiny white lights and even the tallest buildings are decorated.  I had not thought about driving through the downtown area, but I was enjoying it immensely when I noticed people on the sidewalks and in cars beside us smiling at us.  When I looked in back, the dogs were looking everywhere at people and lights and cars and just enjoying the view out their windows in the back of the Subaru wagon.   I had the shade pulled back from the sun roof, which gave Journey a chance to look straight up in the air, at the tallest buildings and the decorated tree branches over head.  His cute little face just registered awe.  Actually, so did Pirate's.  I guess I have deprived these guys. Spirit and Quest have been to so many cities, so often when we were traveling, I just didn't think about it.  Even when we are traveling we normally stop to camp before evening, so we do not often see lights like this.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying it.   Too soon we got to the freeway and headed for home.  It takes about an hour.  It is a beautiful drive in the daytime, all along the Columbia River to Kelso, Washington where we live on a hilltop just out of the city limits.

It is nice to visit Portland, but it is a never ending joy to me to turn off onto our little winding road and head up to our hilltop retreat overlooking the river.  The only sounds we hear are from nature, unless you count the occasional sound from a distant train.  We enjoyed our visit, but this is where we belong.  

 

"Please Be Careful, I Am Little"

 

I looked up just in time to see Journey's back end; with feet in the air, disappearing around the end of the couch.  When he next came into view I could see that he was being pulled by his collar around the living room.  I guess Pirate finds it easier to move him this way.  Journey had no objections, he just relaxed, limp, as he was pulled around the dining room table.  It did look funny!  He looked so comfortable on his back with his little tummy up and such a peaceful expression.  

On their third pass by Spirit looked at me with what has become a common expression, ("are you going to let them do that?")  Since there was no squeaking and no damage being done, it seemed OK to me, so the game continued.  It occurred to me that this is probably why Journey looks like he does after he and Pirate play in the wet dog yard.  He always looks like someone used him to mop the yard .... and that is exactly what Pirate was doing with him.

It is scenes like this that make me wonder how Pirate, and Quest too, for that matter, were managing to entertain themselves before Journey.  The excitement level has increased a lot around here.  Before Journey we had rules like "Outside Play" and "Inside Play".  We even had toys classified as "Indoor Toys" and "Outdoor Toys".  If someone headed toward the door with a soft, fuzzy indoor toy, all I had to say was "that is an indoor toy".  Who ever was carrying it dropped it immediately and changed to some sort of rubber toy that was approved for outside play.   Now that phrase is like a command of "RUN" to Journey.  It is a good thing it is past lawn-cutting season.  I would need a huge rake on the lawn tractor to find all the "inside toys".   I have an old screen in the garage I use to dry soggy, stuffed indoor toys that somehow made it past me.  

On the subject of rules - well, I suppose a lot of this is my fault.  For some reason I seem to have turned into a grand parent with Journey.  It could possibly have something to do with my age, but some things just do not seem as important as they were when I was training the last puppy, Pirate.  It was only three years ago - so I am not sure it is only age.

Just as an example, I do not feed my boys junk food.  I try not to allow myself to eat junk food either.   Occasionally I just find that I am out somewhere and starving.  The best change I have made is to steer myself away from hamburgers and fries and head for a Subway instead.   So, on the rare occasions when I weaken and actually buy some fries, you can imagine how much I really, really want them!  Sharing them had never entered my mind until I felt Journey's soft little chin rest on my arm and saw that little face looking up at me.  A cautioning voice inside said "no, no, no....."  but oh well, we got in the habit of sharing a few fries.  I get the main part and Journey gets about a half inch off the end.  Since this has only happened a couple times, I did not think it was really doing much harm.   Then the other day I had just unwrapped the top of a hamburger and guess who instantly reached his head over my shoulder and took the first bite.  I did draw the line there, but I know whose fault it is.  Are puppies getting cuter or is my resolve just getting weaker?

Our home has doggy doors leading out to the dog yard.  The boys can go in and out whenever they want.  We call that "outside", to differentiate from the main part of the property which we call the "BIG" outside.  When I ask if they want to go out in the "big outside" this causes everyone to move quickly to the main entrance.  Spirit and Quest sit nicely waiting for me to open the door.  (They were trained before I turned into a grandparent).  Pirate runs in circles, like a mad fool, from the entrance, through the living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry room and back through the hallway to the entrance where he sometimes spins Journey like a top.  He would knock Spirit down too except for the things I told him I would do to him if he ever hurts our #1 boy.   Anyway at this point I say "sit" and those not already sitting do so.  Even little Journey, who actually learned this without any training, just by copying the big guys.  When I open the door it turns into a mad scramble, so I close it and wait for the "sit" again.  Eventually they stay (except for Journey) and I am able to call out who can go out first.  I am working on this with Journey.  My goal is to be able to allow Spirit to exit first, but right now that is a little risky for him and even he is not sure he wants this honor with the attending risks of being trampled.  

Last night I looked at my glasses, which were laying on the coffee table.  I only use them for watching TV. The thought crossed my mind that I should probably get in a habit of putting them in a less convenient place for Journey.   I didn't do it then, when I thought about it.  This morning I found them on the floor partially munched.   My fault, again, but I did want some new ones.  I just did not plan to get them before Christmas.  

Kindergarten is so much fun!  Journey gets to stay in the class for at least two more classes before we will start obedience.  We will be doing Companion Obedience.  It is a little more relaxed than the Competition Obedience class.  It works well for our needs.  

Journey's kindergarten class now has another Shepherd, two Labradors, a Leonburger, an Australian Shepherd, and a King Charles spaniel.  Journey likes everyone and he seems to be pretty popular too. He loves the equipment and is not afraid of anything.   His big brothers wait in the car for him.  When we go outside for a potty break they watch with such concern as he passes the car.  

Journey knows "sit", "stand" and "down".  He knows "touch" where he touches my hand.  He knows "eyes" where he meets my eyes and gives me his full attention.  We are working on the recall.  We will be working on "stay" in the next week.  He learns very fast, as Pirate did also.  I am such a fan of positive training.  I wonder how much better that would have worked with Quest if they had used it when he was a puppy.  I would never use any other method for my guys.  Neither of my other guys really liked obedience class.  Spirit was good at it and took numerous 1st place awards in his classes, but he was bored.  Quest just did not like it and considered it a social event with too many restrictions.  Pirate could not get enough of it, and he still enjoys an occasional refresher course.  Journey seems to feel the same way about it.   

Well we need to do some grocery shopping.  So I will be loading everyone in the car for the trip.  They don't care where they go, just so they get to go for a ride when I go.anywhere.  I could not want better company, so it works out for all of us.   Spirit has decided that he has earned the right to request a car ride whenever he is inclined.   There have been times when he has gone into the garage late in the evening and sat by the car door, demanding a car ride.  I have been known to change my plans and take him for a little ride.  I guess that is the grand-parent coming out.  

So goes a day in life at Highland Myst with this happy pack.