Category: Annie

annie

whbeebe
On the alert for squirrels

Annie has been with us since late June of last year. She turned a year old on Valentine’s day. She’s still a long, lean dog, and she stands taller than Ruby. She’s grown into her big paws and legs, and looks more like an adult than a big puppy.

She’s still behaving like a puppy, especially her jumping. But we seem to be getting a handle on that, and it’s as much about training us, her owners, as training her to respond to our “no don’t jump” command. So we’re working on the finer points of doodle-human communications, and it’s beginning to work. I carry a bag of treats around in my pocket to reward her when she’s good, and I’m now beginning to hold off rewarding her every time.

There’s nothing wrong with Annie. She’s a good, sweet creature who wants more than anything to please us. When she jumps it’s out of enthusiasm and a love for us, not out of meanness. She just doesn’t understand. To be truthful I love the full out enthusiasm she displays. When she starts running, for example, her first move is a little leap into the year, followed by full-out running. And that energy and drive has re-invigorated Ruby. They play together for long and intense periods, and they are now truly bonded as a pair. Annie has given Ruby a second lease on life, and I’m truly grateful for that.

You walk a delicate line when you complain about a dog. You need to consider all of a dog’s aspects, not just the one that might annoy you. And when you do complain about a dog, remember that while a dog might be intelligent, it’s a doggish intelligence. You, the person, have he necessary brain processing to figure out what’s wrong and then fix it.

Annie has been a love as well as a challenge, with the love winning out overwhelmingly over the challenge. Annie makes life with her interesting and enjoyable.

critter status

whbeebe

The Florida Gingersnaps

The Gingersnaps are now 20 weeks old. They were neutered at our vets on 1 March, the day after this was taken of the two of them. While they are still known collectively as The Florida Gingersnaps, their individual names have changed. They’ve been renamed after the Dukes of Hazzard, Bo Duke and Luke Duke; Greebo is now Bo, and Ponder is now Luke. The names are shorter to make it easier for everyone to remember, and both cats have now learned their names and respond to them. I decided to rename them after the Dukes after watching them go leaping through the air, one after the other, like the General Lee from that TV show.

The Doodle

Annie, the Labradoodle, turned one year old this past Valentine’s Day. I would have said something back then, but Valentine’s Day this year was two days after my total right knee replacement surgery, and as a consequence I had other issues on my mind, like pain. What you’re looking at is Annie after her coat trim at a local dog shop that provides such services. With her trimed all over she looks about 20 pounds lighter. Her face and head in particular look a lot cleaner. I love the little curls around the top of her head. I would have taken a whole body photo but Annie still hasn’t calmed down enough to stay still long enough for me to do a proper pose and photograph. I was lucky to get a decent head shot.

Overall, the newest entries in the household are doing quite well. Although Annie still wants to jump up on me, and the Gingersnaps seem determined to turn the house into a cat version of the Daytona 500 track, their presence has brought me a lot of joy and happiness, especially as I recover. They are like four-footed little nurses, especially when they come up and lay next to me (Annie) or on top of me (the Gingersnaps). I’m so glad they’re here.