the doglog archives #8

excerpts from my notes when i walked dogs at the local pound

Someone had Charlie out when I got in, so I did kennel enrichment with other dogs until he got back. We spent some time hanging out in the couchless break room until he realized we weren't going out again and laid down. Then I took him back to his kennel and met other dogs for a little more time.

Once most of the dogs on the floor were asleep, I took Charlie out on a long loop around one of the side streets, not allowing him to be more than one dog-length away from me at any time. He got distracted and tried to wander off many times, but never worried at his leash. Once we got back inside, we went and sat in the couch room to let him wind down before I put him back in the kennel.

february 9, 2012

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21 June 2018 22:01

the doglog archives #7

excerpts from my notes when i walked dogs at the local pound

I don't think I've ever been defeated by a dog before. I don't remember ever feeling like I've lost the respect of a dog, and I feel like the crummiest human alive.

I took Charlie up to the long run and let him get all worked up, then tried to bring him in before he was ready. No amount of redirection could get him to stop pulling at his leash, and I put him in the small run and decided to go get someone more capable of wrestling to bring him in. Before I got to the alleyway, though, he called to me, and I felt wrong leaving him alone, so I went back for him. He was worse this time, though, and when he finally put his teeth over the elbow of my jacket, I went off to get Joe.

Once Charlie was back in his kennel, I took Amelie, a greyish pittie with a badly docked tail, on a longer walk up to Penn, then spent some time with her in the side run.

Charlie was meek and quiet by Kong time.

february 7, 2012

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10 June 2018 23:02

dogs

the shep hung out the cab windows of the truck in front of us. sometimes, he'd turn and eye us, front legs dangling over the side of the door like a teenager riding along in his big brother's sweet rig, tongue lolling out like he's the king of his universe. other times, he'd pace excitedly from one side window to the other, snapping his jaws in the air to catch blowing milkweed.

sometimes, the farm parents would load all us kids into their station wagon and drive into town for ice cream. we fought over who got to have the rear-facing bench seat. one time, i got it, and sat quietly in the back reading one of the picture books scattered against the floorboards. 'i hate reading,' said one of the other farm boys. 'i dunno how you can read back there.'

they had a dog, too; he was a big golden retriever whose name i may never recall, because the first time i set foot on the farm, he ran over and knocked me into the mud to lick my face, and i didn't like it. the dog was told to leave me alone forever, and we never had a relationship. that was before i met the great dane that would teach me that dogs are good.

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09 June 2018 20:42

dogs

dogs i saw today:

• while a woman pushed a baby carriage, a small grey moppy dog curled up in the lower basket. i peeked in, and there was a very young baby in the upper carriage. the dog looked up at me as i ran by.
• a small puppy stumbled along the trail, still uncertain about the size of its feet and the floppiness of its ears, ignorant of the cable tied to its neck, more interested in exploring every rock than listening to its incredibly patient human.
• a panting black lab, passing me closely in a narrow part of the sidewalk, giving me a brief lick on the hand while its human tried to ignore me
• a yappy little dog in the yard rushing towards me as i clear the hedge, while i turn and kneel to greet it; it stops short at the edge of the grass, and i don't know if it's because it respected the boundary or if it was just one more dog in my neighborhood with an electric fence

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03 June 2018 22:13

the doglog archives #6

excerpts from my notes when i walked dogs at the local pound

First to go out was Lady, a tan pitty. We went to the small pen in the back, where she seemed perfectly happy to more or less ignore me and play on her own. Her manners weren't particularly great, and she grazed my chin with her teeth when I was putting on her leash.

Charlie is still there, and not doing that well. He was marked for leash-biting, but left the lead along while I took him out; he also pooped in his kennel even though he seemed more or less housebroken when I started to walk him weeks ago. He seemed easily confused and agitated by things like bushes and poles, and peed in short spurts here and there rather than one long stream. On return to his kennel, he stole the leash right out of my hand and then tried to pull my coat burrons through.

I took out ollie next, a blue pittie who I'm sure has some Weimeraner mix in him. He refused to stray far from me and helled regardless of whether or not the leash was on him. After a short stroll through the main room, we went on a longer walk down the block.

Morgan, a brindle pittie, came out with me to the long run. She apparently needs chill-out time before going out, an she is quite a nut job. One of the other walkers claimed that Morgan was her favorite, and while I couldn't understand why, Morgan seemed so happy to see her that I had to believe it. I suppose some people don't get why I connect with some dogs, too.

Boss Lady was renamed Melinda, and was in both a cone and a shirt, though marked okay for walks, so I took her for a short one just to stretch her legs. I have never walked a dog with a cone until today, and it is the most hilarious thing.

Talbot went home already.

january 31, 2012

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02 June 2018 23:02