What is pissing you off this time?

[Carruthers]

My old Dad (94 next week) is not a fan of squirrels.

He takes great delight in watching the birds, esp the Great Spotted Woodpeckers, which visit the feeders but becomes somewhat animated when squirrels turn up in a raiding party.

He shouts so loudly that I'm surprised that we haven't had complaints from the occupants of the nearby church yard.

I also worry about the ability of the ramshackle conservatory to withstand the noise.

Of course they don't take any notice of him... so he shouts a bit louder... and louder ad infinitum.

One day I shall buy him a solar topee and an elephant gun.

[DanaC]

Y'know Grav - for that squirrel to land on you like that means he trusted you. You built enough trust with that animal for it to do that. It wasn't deliberately trying to hurt you, it was doing what a squirrel does, clamber over the person it trusts.

[Clodfobble]

Goddamn fig trees in the backyard are dropping 4-5 figs an hour. Goddamn dog keeps eating them. Goddamn dog's stomach keeps puking them back up. Goddamn dog keeps eating its own vomit.

I try to go out there and pick up the new figs every time the goddamn dog goes out to pee. But the goddamn dog doesn't like this new pattern and is now peeing and pooping in the house all the time instead.

Goddamn fig trees.

[sexobon]

Go figure!

[Glinda]

Stupid dog tricks. They'll eff you up every time.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Goddamn fig trees in the backyard are dropping 4-5 figs an hour. Goddamn dog keeps eating them. Goddamn dog's stomach keeps puking them back up. Goddamn dog keeps eating its own vomit.

...

Goddamn fig trees.

Never has a post looked so much like my own.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Y'know Grav - for that squirrel to land on you like that means he trusted you. You built enough trust with that animal for it to do that. It wasn't deliberately trying to hurt you, it was doing what a squirrel does, clamber over the person it trusts.

I think he was a bit on the excited side. Hew as stripping the bark off the other maple tree racing around and around it w/another squrl. He jumped from pretty high up, about four -five feet, when I knocked on the window.

I think he was still in bark-stripping mode when I came out w/the cookie.

I've warned Momdigr not to feed him from her hand for a while, in case he's started to feel entitled.

My cousin's mother-in-law had a squrl that would climb ya to get the peanut. Her husband wore farmer-type over-alls, that squrl would go into his pockets for the peanut.

I ain't up for all that.

I'll give my squrl some time and try him again. Let him settle his tiny ass down some.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Goddamn fig trees in the backyard are dropping 4-5 figs an hour. Goddamn dog keeps eating them. Goddamn dog's stomach keeps puking them back up. Goddamn dog keeps eating its own vomit.

The Chocolate Labrador who I looked after to the extent that he was (almost) half mine was very fond of plums.

I remember taking him home one evening whereupon he headed straight for the plum tree in the back garden.

As luck would have it, a plum fell from the tree right in front of him which he snapped up, removed the flesh and spat out the stone in short order.

In its own way, the whole performance was quite beautiful.

It would probably have qualified for an Arts Council grant.

The down side to all this was, of course, the effect the plums had on his digestive system.

During high summer I had to be permanently on alert for ominous gurgles from within.

Despite his foibles, he was a lovely dog and I do miss the old chap.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

Despite his foibles, he was a lovely dog and I do miss the old chap.

That begs the question, why don't you get your own?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

That begs the question, why don't you get your own?

Unfortunately, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to give a dog the required exercise as there is a limit to how long I can leave Dad on his own.

His balance is poor and his mobility even worse so he uses a three wheeled walker to get about the house.

My worry would be that he'd have a fall or get himself into some other sort of trouble while I was out with Fido.

It's for that reason that I make an early start to the weekly grocery shop.

If I leave the house at about 0730 I can be back about 0930.

The wedge of newspapers that he has usually keeps him occupied for the couple of hours I'm out, but once he has finished those all bets are off!

[DanaC]

Have you considered taking on a senior dog, or breed that requires less walking?

Greyhounds can manage on very little in terms of daily walks - as long as they get a decent run once a week

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Have you considered taking on a senior dog, or breed that requires less walking?

It has crossed my mind to take on an older dog but I'd quite like to have one that's going to be around for a few years before the problems of (canine) old age set in.

Greyhounds can manage on very little in terms of daily walks - as long as they get a decent run once a week

The trouble is I'd still feel guilty about one being in or around the house most of the day and not getting the attention I feel it should deserve!

[DanaC]

Fair enough. But most greyhounds I've known have been most content to mainly snooze

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

Unfortunately, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to give a dog the required exercise as there is a limit to how long I can leave Dad on his own.

Boing Boing - excuse level weak

My worry would be that he'd have a fall or get himself into some other sort of trouble while I was out with Fido.

What kind of trouble that couldn't wait 20 minutes till you get back, and if by some strange reason he did that, he'd sure as hell learn to not pull that shit until you got back. Respect is a two way street.

It's for that reason that I make an early start to the weekly grocery shop. If I leave the house at about 0730 I can be back about 0930.

Two hours? Your old ass couldn't keep up with a pup for two hours, it doesn't take that long to give them a good workout. You could also sit on the back step and throw a ball for 10 minutes without disrupting the household routine, and still make a pup want to rest.

The wedge of newspapers that he has usually keeps him occupied for the couple of hours I'm out, but once he has finished those all bets are off!

See respect above.



I will admit there is a danger of Dad usurping ownership and telling you to get your own dog.
C'mon Man, you're overthinking this, lead with your heart.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

… What kind of trouble that couldn't wait 20 minutes till you get back, and if by some strange reason he did that, he'd sure as hell learn to not pull that shit until you got back. ...

At that age, a fall resulting in a hip fracture. Complications, like travelling blood clots, from the injury or corrective surgery and the myriad of complications from the resulting immobility can make a hip fracture a death sentence. Statistics set the chance of dying within twelve months of a hip fracture from 1 in 5 to 1 in 3 with about 1 in 4 dying within six months.

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure: it's worth a life. Not to mention that when a person can no longer remember the mistakes they've recently made (short term memory is the first thing to go), they can't learn from them. The deterrence provided by him knowing he's under constant watch is the most effective prevention.

The power of now is strong in Carruthers. There'll be time for a dog in his life later. He doesn't need Dad tripping over one now.