A Daisy Dog Update
Posted on November 11, 2010 Posted by John Scalzi 37 Comments
We’re closing in on the one-month mark of our ownership of Daisy, so I thought I’d catch you all up on her status. Basically, it’s gone very well, and she’s become pretty fully integrated into the Scalzi clan. In particular, the cat/dog issue seems to have been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction: The cats seem to understand Daisy is here for the long haul, and Daisy gets that the cats are family, and everyone gets along. They don’t cuddle up like the cats (well, Zeus and Ghlaghghee) did with Kodi, but it’s still early days.
Daisy definitely has her own personality. For one thing, she’s an attention hog: if one the cats is being petted she will headbutt her way into the pet session, because apparently no reason she shouldn’t get pets if someone else is. For another thing, she knows what’s allowed and what’s not but subscribes to the “if you didn’t see it, it didn’t happen” theory of morality, which allows her to get premium nap time on beds, which she knows she’s not allowed on but will get up on anyway. When I get up from my desk the first sound I usually hear is a soft thump as the dog quietly jumps down from whatever piece of furniture she knows she’s not supposed to be on, followed by the dog head popping out into the hallway to find out where I am. She’s a sneaky one.
Also, she’s a very excitable dog. Having an older dog for the last few years dimmed the memory that a favorite mode for dogs is run! everywhere! really fast! Well, I’ve gotten well-acquainted with that dog mode once again, and I have cause to observe that it’s actually a good thing I have 5 acres of lawn, because Daisy has made herself informed about every single square inch of it. This is not a bad thing for me, since what she enjoys most of the world is running around the yard with someone running after her, arms flailing, howling like the Cookie Monster set on fire, and guess who, as the work-at-home person, gets to do that. As a result, I’m getting a whole lot of exercise and looking entirely foolish as I do so.
And there we are. This is the end of “what’s up with our new dog” posts, I think; from here on out, when I post about Daisy, she’ll just be referred to as “the dog.” She’s one of us now, and she seems to be as happy about it as we are. And that’s a good thing for everyone.
One of us! One of us!
“When I get up from my desk the first sound I usually hear is a soft thump as the dog quietly jumps down from whatever piece of furniture she knows she’s not supposed to be on, followed by the dog head popping out into the hallway to find out where I am. She’s a sneaky one.”
This is hilarious, and rather precocious for a two-year-old. (Also cute.) Usually they don’t learn to be that sneaky until they are around four. My dogs are just hitting that milestone, and food is starting to disappear from countertops and abandoned plates at the table when we are not looking! Glad she’s making friends with the kittehs. We’ve had the new cohort of dogs for almost four years, and the interspecies snuggling is only *just* starting to happen, even though both cats were dog friendly already.
“howling like the Cookie Monster set on fire” LOL
That ‘soft thump’ is often heard around my house, but more from the cats, getting off the kitchen counter. Usually followed by a “Cats! What did you get into?”
“the Cookie Monster set on fire”
May I offer you a wide-awake nightmare?
How do you keep ‘the dog’ from leaving property. Am interested as we have three dogs, one a jumper/climber (6′ fences don’t stop her), the other a digger (3 seconds to dig out through hard pack NM clay) and a slow, lazy dog who’s content to stay in yard unless front gate is open.
For the most part, the dogs will stay in the yard if we’re paying direct attention to them but once one of the two escape artists notices we’re involved with something, they’ll be over/under the fence. Luckily, our 2 acres is on 40 acres of family land so they aren’t in danger of getting run over or anything, just chasing off coyotes. But sometimes when they get out, they do annoy the neighbors (over the ridge). Not cool!
My dogs are the same way. They’re smart enough to know they’re in trouble that they’ll hunker down and try to hide when they’ve knocked over the trash.
I believe the party line is currently that “Fire is only a sometimes toy.”
what she enjoys most of the world is running around the yard with someone running after her, arms flailing, howling like the Cookie Monster set on fire, and guess who, as the work-at-home person, gets to do that.
Glad I’m not the only one who has to look that silly to amuse the dog.
gilmoure:
“How do you keep ‘the dog’ from leaving property.”
At the moment, one of us walks along with her on the perimeter and when she steps out of the property we bring her back in. We’ll do this for a few months until it sinks in, although to be fair to Daisy she seems to understand where the boundaries are already.
Daisy is one lucky dog! I wish more people took the time to train their dogs about perimeters, the way you are, instead of using those gawd-awful invisible electric fences.
It’s nice to see pictures of her.
Beautiful doggy!! Vespa, my 2 year old Doberman, is the same with the sneakiness and the attention jealousy with the kitties. I liken her to a 14 year old girl with the sneakiness; plays innocent until she knows she is busted, then she pulls the “I’m so sorry, I’ll never do it again” look. Since she’s very well trained and mostly well behaved the sneakiness is more cute than annoying though. She is allowed on our bed, but knows that she is only allowed on top of the duvet and not under the covers. But being a very short haired dog who gets cold easily, under the covers is her FAVORITE place to be and she will unmake the bed to crawl in if she thinks she can get away with it.
Animals are just the best!!
“…getting a whole lot of exercise and looking entirely foolish as I do so…”
To be fair, I get a whole lot of exercise biking, running, lifting weights, and practicing karate, and I’m certain I look entirely foolish doing most of it, too. Whenever I practice karate at home my wife (who also studies sanchin-ryu) says, “You sure look silly doing that.”
someone running after her, arms flailing, howling like the Cookie Monster set on fire, and guess who, as the work-at-home person, gets to do that. As a result, I’m getting a whole lot of exercise and looking entirely foolish as I do so.
Someone ought to get a picture (or video) of this.
I really hope someone gets a picture of what you look like chasing Daisy because I really need the visual to go along with the description. Nothing less will satisfy.
Beaten by Rob by a minute. ARRRhhgghghhh
I thought someone was going to beat me to it.
Nope. You won.
We are agreed in this household that this must be the best exercise program ever.
Doggy!!! She sounds genius. Pet sessions ought to be evenly distributed. It is only fair. Has she got a fan club yet?
I was thinking on the ride in to work this morning, that I’d enjoy hearing about the dog. And then I open my feed reader for lunch and, Oh, Hey, Dog Update! ^_^
Pretty much all exercise looks foolish, so you might as well have fun.
I want to write a thoughtful and intelligent post on how to get cats and dogs to live together, but the only thought going through my head right now is “PUPPY!!!!”
” . . . if one the cats is being petted she will headbutt her way into the pet session, because apparently no reason she shouldn’t get pets if someone else is.”
My cat is the same way – – – but he apparently thinks that I am “petting” my computer mouse. He’ll try to head-butt his way between my hand and the mouse, which causes some occasional unintended results on screen. Occasionally he’ll just sit right on top of the mouse and dare me to try to use it.
If she’s getting you moving around, she’s definitely worth her salt.
In a totally irrelevant aside, because of the name, and because obviously nobody has EVER told you this yet,
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/auto-news/renault-gets-green-light-to-call-its-car-zoe/article1795349/
Apparently being named Zoe and having a car named the same thing is an unbearable emotional trauma.
Who’da thunk?
Yay, puppy!
We had originally decided not to allow our dog on the furniture. It ended up not working out that way. It’s just too nice to have him snuggle up with me when I lie down for a bit in the afternoon. Today, he decided that the cats were inconveniently positioned for nap time, so he sat on one til he moved over.
A nap with two cats and a dog is the best thing in the world.
That there sounds like the happiest dog in the world.
Heh, I know someone who has an extremely smart dog, knows all sorts of tricks. Has an awesome personality. And will bark if any physical abuse is occurring. Some kids were roughhousing and the dog barked at them. Kids stopped dog stopped. Some experiments later we learned that if you punch.someone in the arm the dog will bark. Any kind of action that looks like physical violence and he barks his disapproval. Wagging his tail but with a look in his eyes that says can’t we all just get along?
A very smart pooch and one of the most awesome dogs i’ve met.
As for the coment against invisible fences, well, my problem is they only work for some dogs. Some dogs, when they see a squirrel will cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. And no collar zappy thing is going to stop them.
The main problem with shock collars is that people don’t know how to use them, and how to manage using them with their dog.
But the biggest problem with dogs is owners who don’t know squat about dogs.
Glad daisy has found her place in the family.
Ummmm….don’t you mean about a month since Daisy took ownership of the Scalzi household? :)
I still hear that soft “thump” from our Rottie. She at least maintains the charade that she doesn’t do what she knows she shouldn’t when we’re out of eyeshot. The Great Dane just looks sorrowful and apologetic as she climbs down, right in front of us.
Daisy’s a smart one. Oh, they’re fun. When they aren’t being too smart by half.
Five acres? ::envy:: My two would have crazy fun with that much space.
Dogs get boundaries. They are very territorial. Our family dog would always go up to the property line and mark his territory over the line. He always looked guilty, and never stopped until he became too old to do that anymore. And he understood the boundaries at new houses very quickly.
Also, Dexter HATED physical fights among the family. Would begin barking anytime kids were wrestling. This was the pack, danger, and we need to stay together!
Intensely loyal, Dexter. Always trying to expand our territory for us, always barking at people walking by the house. Great dog. We miss him.
How to keep the dog/cat off of forbidden furniture/countertops: Lay strips of tape sticky side up on the forbidden surface. It generally takes a two or three times for it to sink in…but it only works if the animal can’t see the surface they’re going to land on before jumping. They never know if the tape’s there or not.
“Having an older dog for the last few years dimmed the memory that a favorite mode for dogs is run! everywhere! really fast!”
I had (and to some extent still have) this issue with my cat.
Last year, just after Christmas my 16 year old cat died. Even when young he was a quite cat with a good disposition; when he was old (essentially the last 10 years of his life) he was not, in any way, a bundle of energy. In early February I got a 7 month old tabby who is a bundle of energy; ooh, did I forget what that was like. I have gotten used to it by now (and with a second cat, some of the energy is directed at him), but sometimes I wish he were less energetic.
He makes up for it however by being the most affectionate cat I have ever had.
Cheers
Andrew
I have had dogs that love to play like that. To avoid getting run to death, I would chase them and then stop and run the other way and get them to chase me for a few seconds. Going back and forth like that meant that my dog ran much farther than I did. A good time for all.
I have a overfed Labrador with a similar ninja attitude off ‘unseen is no crime’. When my wife and I get into bed at night there’s an almost exactly two minute pause before Quinn slowly rises from his usual spot at the end of our bed and pads through to the kitchen, followed by the sound of the cat food bowl sliding along the floor as he licks it clean.
My new recommendation for doggy/owner interaction now that I have Kinect is to play Dance Central. I wish I could save some of the pictures of my dog and I essentially having a co-op dance.
Although with the size of Daisy, all that excitement might end up with you getting flattened. :\
As a fellow born-n-bred Ohioan (Miami and Clark counties no less), I can authoritatively say that the behavior exhibited by Daisy, and my now one year old Fox Red Lab, Callie, is a direct result of their take on their owners, especially the masculine ones. They pick up the cues from the little things, the tidbit “snuck” to them under the table – “Why no dear, I have no idea what she’s chewing on, must be one of her chew toys”. Or, from the complimentary chuckle from the males of the household when the dog farts completely silently and with thermonuclear results. I bring this admission to public notice only because its perfectly obvious the females of the species already know that all shortcomings are, again, still, the fault of the males.