Stuff

Hey everybody. Elroy here. Also known as the fast moving pin cushion. Holy. That Squirmy Shaggy Shark is FAST. I can still beat him when I do an all out stride- but when he does catch me- I’m in for punctures. But he IS getting better. I think. I THINK he may be starting to settle down. Maybe.

Her Highness is learning to manage his all out shark attacks. Like when he gets out of his crate or ex pen. He sits there all sweet looking, waits for her to open the door, and even waits until she says OK. Then he leaps out. And attacks her. I mean it’s a joyful attack, if there is such a thing, but it still hurts. And if she turns away- he bites her butt. So she has a new strategy. When she opens the door and he hops out- she shoves a stuffed toy in his mouth, which he then proceeds to proudly carry around the house. Pretty good strategy I must say.

He IS actually learning to settle down after he’s been walked, or has raced around our prison yard. Her Highness has discovered that BOTH of us like to dig. No – not along the fence line (yet) but along the house or under the deck stairs. The Shark needed to be rinsed off twice in one evening. Her Highness has come to the conclusion that dirt will be a new accessory in the house. It’s going to be a losing battle to stop the digging – so just get over it!

You know that old song “Sounds of Silence?” Well I have to tell you that if there is silence in this house, it usually means someone is doing something he shouldn’t. Whether it’s chewing on the corners of the carpet, chewing the dining room chair rails, or stealing a shirt from the laundry pile when it was momentarily put down. If our house is quiet, and it’s not the middle of the night – look out. The other day when the Boss and I went for our morning walk- and we were returning, Her Highness wondered why the Shark was silent. He usually barks when we go- despite the fact that he has been given a yummy Kong filled with organic yoghurt from yaks in the Himalayas and treats handmade from ancestral grains and free range bison. OK. Maybe it’s not quite that gourmet- but still it’s a yummy stuffed Kong. And he still barks. But the other day, it was silent as she opened the front door. And who was standing at the French door? The guy who figured out how to open his crate. Gotta get a new latching mechanism. With a padlock. And he can’t watch you opening it. Because he’ll remember…..

He got to go to the Pet store the other day – and was reportedly in awe. He couldn’t get past the bone and rawhide aisle. He got treats from another customer and from one of the workers. He was a bit worried- but not so much that he wasn’t very willing to take treats. Good thing he brought some home for us.

He is STARTING to get the whole photo op thing. Her Highness was THRILLED when she got a photo of the three of us. It’s quite the challenge. The Shark doesn’t understand “stay” yet. Yours truly refuses to look at the camera. And the good dog, the Boss, who KNOWS “stay” – frequently refuses to do so. Anyway, you see the result.

Everyday is a new adventure. Yesterday, Her Highness ALMOST got to eat her entire breakfast sitting down. Yup. Things are starting to settle down. Maybe.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe.