Posts from the ‘Karl’ category

Toy Story

I initially bought a few toys for Emmett: the fleecy bone (now we have 3), a rope to chew and tug, 2 squeaky skins (no stuffing), some tennis balls and some nylabone chew things. All were fun for a bit. Well, the fleecy bone is still THE favorite but mostly as a pillow! But the other toys lost their luster after a bit of play.

Then there was the issue with the antique bear being SO desirable. Thankfully that Bear is tough! But, I had the idea that maybe other stuffed toys would be good and also a Kong and that rotating toys would keep things fresh.

Friday, the order from Chewy.com arrived:

Ok, now we have variety and I thought enough variety that I could cycle toys as the latest is always the best. And I got Auggie some treats which thankfully he loves, so he can participate in the click-treat game.

The stuffed toys went on the rocker.

Antique Bear was put out of Emmett’s reach and yes, I do know that tv is an antique itself. It plays DVDs and hooks up to Roku so does all I need :)

Back to toys.

The out of favor toys live in a basket out of Emmett’s reach and will make appearances as needed. Note the plastic water bottle … it is favorite toy which should give you a clue which way this story is headed.

It took a while, but Emmett finally saw the new stuffies in the rocker.

The moose (brown) won out over the alligator (green) and monkey (brown but with handles).

Yea for the moose!

Kong was a big hit. I watched several videos about how to introduce Kong to a puppy with no Kong experience. I’m not sure Emmett needed instruction. He emptied that little Kong in about 10 seconds.

Yes, well. The overall favorite “toy” ??? Any shoe.

Almost 17 years ago – May 18, 2001 – I brought home Karl, my last puppy. (Bear I got as a 6.5 year old).

Hmmm.

My cat Gus, was about 4.

Same, same.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree or something like that.

Meanwhile…

Follow me, follow you…

Relaxing in the front yard.

Lights out for a morning nap.

Week 4. It had a rocky start and my timetable fell apart. Some training fell apart. I gave myself a time out. For me, when things all seem to fall apart and it doesn’t seem like I have time to do anything but HURRY UP … I find that is exactly when I need to slow down. So, I put Emmett in his play pen, made myself a cup of tea and went into the far room to sit quietly and regroup. That did the trick, all got back on track and the remainder of the week went well.

Everything we’ve learned so far, we keep doing. Pooping has been happening outside. Piddling is mostly outside, but when not, it is on the piddle pads and I’ve reduced the number of pads around. Emmett is growing. Auggie and I love him more every day. Good times!

We started working on Leave It. Different from Drop, Leave it is “don’t touch, don’t take it, don’t even think about it” :). It will be a good thing to know. It will take awhile.

Here is the video that shows how I’m teaching it:

***I’m going to be doing some classes with Emmett primarily to train with distractions, but also so that an experienced trainer can assist with how I’m doing as far as timing, etc. That trainer recommended the site that is the video source: Smart Dog University (Laurie Luck, trainer) . Both the website and the youtube channel have great information and all is easily searchable. I really like Laurie Luck’s calm approach to everything.

***Toys, etc. I’ve been buying all things pet from Chewy.com . Prices and quality are good and they ship fast with free shipping for over $49 order. The stuffed toys are Kong brand and seem very well made. The stuffed toys can be expensive ($12-20) and these were not ($7-9).

Moon and Memory

I have a long time love affair with the moon.

My mother tells of me asking “Did you see the moon last night ?” And this was when I was 3 or 4 and knew where the hands of the clock were, but could not “say” the time. She recounts that I said the little hand was on the 2 and the big hand on the 3, i.e. 2:15 a.m. – or in that neighborhood of middle of the night. I apparently got up and looked at the sky.

I still do.

Often, my dog gets up with me and so we do a walk down the driveway in the wee hours of the morning.

Last night.

It was early evening, not the wee hours.

Still.

I love the moon and the stars and the dark, dark sky of the rural area where I live.

I especially love the winter sky and the moonlight and moonshadows when there is moonlight and snow.

Last night, as Bear and I took a before bedtime walk down the driveway, with the moon and the snow … it reminded me of a time when Karl and I chased the moon in winter.

Before there were neighbors to my East.

When Karl and I walked the “loop”.

One night, late Winter, full Moon: Karl waited patiently while I captured the moon over the mountains at twilight.

It is one of those times when memory is so distinct. I was new to manual photography and was working with a “point and shoot” and trying so hard to capture the beauty of that moon and the mountains. All the while, I was conscious of where Karl was and that he was waiting for me to continue our evening walk.

It was nearly 10 years ago.

The moon and the memory of Karl with me.

Exquisite.

***the photo of Karl was taken on 3/2/2007, about three months before I started this blog.

Today

Today, March 28…it is Karl’s birth day. It was some 7 weeks from his birth day that he came to be with me and his cat brother, Gus, but we always celebrated the day he was born as well as the day he came home.

It is also 16 weeks exactly since Bear’s first TPLO – his right leg surgery.

So today we celebrate Karl’s birth and Bear’s 16 week post op – right leg – a GOOD day!

AND…FedEx brought a gift to help in all…

Last week, I ordered 2 prints “on wood” from Simply Color Lab. Simply Color Lab is my go to lab for prints, gallery canvas prints and now prints on wood.

I am so very pleased with the prints on wood.

They made me cry, but with joy and with pleasure.

I’m not sure this is the best place for these…I think they need a space that allows a little more space…

I’ve found, that for me, sometimes I need to live with things for a bit before I know where they belong.

For now, these dear reminders of my dear Karl – they are in a good place.

Sixteen weeks for the right leg and Two and a half weeks for the left leg.

We had a good day of walks.

And time outside with Bob.

Today.

Karl

“What the heart has once known, it never forgets” author unknown

Dear Karl. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of this good dog. I am grateful for every moment we shared together. I feel his presence often and am sure that he whispers in Bear’s ear now and again. Always in my heart and mind, until we meet again dear Karl.

Beardog Point: aka Beardog sweet spot v1.2

Mid-October, Bear found the Beardog sweet spot.

Lately, as the weather has turned warmer, I’ve been letting him be and find who he is in this place with me.

Bear has found the Beardog sweet spot… the overlook to the game trail and the road. It is the spot that was Karl’s favorite to keep watch.

Today, after a busy morning in town which included a favorite walk behind Costco, we came home to a sunny and warm afternoon. Bear secured the property perimeter and then enjoyed an hour keeping watch…

…from Beardog Point.

**I have decided that I will scatter Karl’s ashes just below Beardog Point. When, I don’t know. There will be a day and time that is right for that. Bear will be part of it as Karl was part of the scattering of Zack’s ashes on the overlook on Big Mountain Road.

All the colors of the rainbow

Yesterday (Thursday) morning…looking down the driveway…beautiful, colorful sky.

I turned around to see the gold larch against a sky turning blue.

It made me think: rainbow! The colors of a rainbow all around me.

From the frost on the ground, to the green and gold of the pines…to the blue and white of the snow covered mountains.

As I wrote last night, the day was quintessential Fall: crisp, cool, clear air, the low light from the southern moving sun that casts a gold light over everything. Everything about the day bespoke Fall.

Last night was the full moon. The moon was to rise just after sunset. Bear and I went out to the loop overlook to wait…to wait for the full moon rise.

There was quite a show of color…

…all the colors of the rainbow spread across the valley between the foothill we live on and the steps of the Swan Range.

Venus showed first, giving a clue to where the moon would rise.

Dusk fell. It got darker.

The moon lit a small cloud just over the mountain top.

It was getting too dark to be where we were. Bear was such company. He usually wants to be on the property more than where I was waiting, but he stayed and watched with me. It made me cry as it brought up a memory of Karl waiting with me in the snow the first Winter in this place. But it also made me smile and laugh in joy with how far Bear and I have come and what a good life I’ve had with my good dogs.

All the colors of the rainbow… shared…in the love and company of my good dog.