Life Goes On

 

Nana and her favorite toy

 

Nana and I are learning to travel light, though she does a better job than I do. Her needs are simple, food, someone to throw her toy and then play tug a war with her, a hissy toy or two (the second favorite toy) and someone to watch over.  I could do without the hissy toys however.

 

Me on the other hand am having a tougher time of it.  I have definitely learned one does not need a lot of things.  It is amazing how few clothes one actually needs.  Caring for my father has taught me a few things - like what I really need to make me happy.

 

I learned I don't need cats.

They bring gophers in the house and then devour them on the floor only to puke it back up later.

They leave bits and pieces of intestine of mice, gophers, moles, etc out the back door which become covered in ants.

They can't manage to hit the cat box, or maybe they can and just want to make me nuts. They decide that 5am is a wonderful time to get up and smack you upside the head to make sure you get up.

Cat boxes reek, and yes I clean them regularly. 

 They vomit hair balls just because they can. 

 

I need my Staub cast iron pots.

 

I have discovered you can cook, bake, grill and boil in these things.  I have never cooked with better.  Pricey yes, but worth every penny.  Buy them if you can, they truly are a joy.  You can also buy whimsical knobs: pig, rooster, snail and I am currently on the hunt for the rabbit.  Yes, caregiving can make you crazy. 

 

I need to garden.

I need to work with fiber, whether that is to knit, spin, or weave

I need books to read

I need dreams and friends.

 

And most of all I need Nana; funny, silly, loyal and such a clumsy dufus.

 

The Briard

Nana at five and a half months of age

The Briard is commonly described as a "heart wrapped in fur".  This is apparently a quote from an actress that owned one.  I agree, they are an extremely intellegent old working breed that is naturally protective and very affectionate. 

The AKC Standard states that the Briard is " a dog of heart, with spirit and initiative, wise and fearless with no trace of timidity. Intelligent, easily trained, faithful, gentle, and obedient, the Briard possesses an excellent memory and an ardent desire to please his master. He retains a high degree of his ancestral instinct to guard home and master. Although he is reserved with strangers, he is loving and loyal to those he knows. Some will display a certain independence." 

It should also be added that they have a huge enthusiasm about life.  They are not a hyper dog - just very, very busy.  They are also velcro dogs, wanting to be near those they care for.  They are also a touchy-feely kind of dog and I don't mean "oh let me lay my head on your lap and gaze with adoration at you".  They are touchy-feely the way a defensive line backer is.  Go to the bathroom and shut the door for three minutes and you will be greeted with a full body tackle of affection when you come out.  "OMG...there you are!".  At three months Nana had mastered: sit, down, go potty, and shake, but is completely oblivious to the command "Off" meaning stop launching yourself at me as a sign of affection.  Because we walk in a large regional park and it is winter with all the muddy red dirt of the Sierra Nevada's I generally look like a homeless person with the dirt I have acquired from our walks and all the full body signs of affection that are directed my way by Nana.  I have a vague memory of what good clothes look like and have great hopes of wearing them again in the future.

They are also a breed that requires a lot of socialization to dampen the guarding instinct.  I apparently have done a good job since she has yet to meet anyone she doesn't think is just wonderful and a "fuss over me fest" about to happen.  I have decided to postpone formal obedience classes for a while.  I think she needs to just be a dog and grow up.  Oh, she is getting some schooling.  She is being socialized, overcoming her fear of cows, has good recall when off leash, long distance traveling and how to behave when in a store, plus which things she can play with in the house and which she should not touch. 

The Briard is a wonderful dog, but I can see why they might not be for everyone.  I love mine and would not trade her for the world, even if people stop me and direct me to the nearest homeless shelter based on how I look after a day hiking with the tawny tornado. 

Doggie Orthodontia part 2

Well it is Tuesday and the retainer is (as of this moment) still in her mouth. I have become her favorite chew toy in the process.  I am doing the best I can to keep her tired.  We walk and we walk and we walk on leash.  But I choose where we walk - no sticks, nothing that she might decide to bite. This entails doing laps around the local regional park which has a large population of geese.  Most of our walk is an attempt to make some kind of forward progression while not jumping on me, making wild grabs at my vest, or eating goose poop. I was shocked at how large a goose poop can be,  it is the size of a small dinner plate.  I, in desperation, bought a muzzle so that I can let her run on the back pasture at the barn. Put the muzzle on, let her run, take it off and hopefully have a tired puppy.  Yes, I am very conflicted at having bought a muzzle for a very sweet puppy.  Besides, it pushes all her hair up and I'm not sure she can see anything.  She is so desperate to chew on something that she has taken to whirling like a dervish in pursuit of her tail.  She hasn't mastered the art of not getting dizzy yet and falls over - but is up again to chase it in the other direction.  Briards are comical dogs and need things to do, she is a very busy girl and I am working hard to find things for her that don't entail biting me or anything else.  This is a very short term problem and I will know if this retainer is working on Friday - hopefully we will both survive until then.  Oh, and just as a side note most of my friends are laughing at me for having a dog with a retainer.