One Wild Canine Week!

I continue to be amazed at animals and their unique personalities and their quirks.

The last 7 days revealed that my current situation is "stressing out the puppies".

Current situation=living in a 3 bedroom condo with no yard, residing in the 4-Runner 3 workdays per week and dealing with my 50-60 hour work weeks...

Here are the events that got me to my AHA moment of something has got to give!

Day 1-I went to the chiropractor's office (with dogs in the 4 runner). The appointment went a little long, I was on my lunch hour and the dogs needed a little "relief". I opted to go against my better judgement and not harness them, I thought "leash+collar is OK, it will be quick". What I was not anticipating was the impending squirrel sighting. Dogs simultaneously saw the squirrel (I was blissfully ignorant). All 110 pounds of them surged forward in one fluid motion. My forward motion...not so fluid. I did a forward flip followed by landing on shoulder/neck area finally settling in a "slide into base" conformation. The momentum stopped once I was prone, on the wet grass. Fortunately for me, my chiropractor and her assistant watched the whole scenario unfold. Just a little humiliating, but she fixed me back up post trauma :)

Day 3-I had the opportunity to meet a representative of the Redmond Police Department...in my work cubicle. Let me rewind. It was another beautiful sunny day in Seattle (a must enjoy when they happen). I had opted to park the 4-Runner in the shade and on the street instead of my normal work parking lot. I was not aware that my yellow lab had escaped from her crate and was "bouncing" free in the car. My black lab mix is mellow and has no need to be crated. Due to the fact I parked on the street many concerned Redmond dog lovers took note of the spastic, likely foaming at the mouth labrador appearing attention starved and neglected. Since there was no visible water in my vehicle, there was concern (I get this). Anyway, had a discussion with the officer (who confided that she also takes her dog to work...). I explained that I go out to the car multiple times per day and water and walk the dogs. She didn't give me a citation or even ask for my name. Very grateful for that!

Day 3 (6 hours later)- I embarked on my drive home, but decided to "explore Redmond" in search of some special dog food. I was driving for 40 minutes or so. I did not crate Electra because she has started this annoying thing of high pitched barking for the entire drive (30 minutes minimum to and from work). When she isn't crated, she "bounces" around all over the place, not optimal but there is NO NOISE! She started drooling during her excitement (which she never does...like the barking). This should have given me a clue something was up. I then see her hunched over in the back of the 4-Runner, emptying her bladder as I drive 65 miles an hour down a very congested I-405(again, this dog doesn't have these problems..what is up?). What happened next made it impossible for me to be irritated. She wanted so desperately to escape the mess that she draped her body over the top of her dog crate and was on her back tip toes. She stayed on top of the crate for at least 5 miles....

Day 7-Paid an auto detailing place to "un-dog" my vehicle

Day 8-Took dogs back to "Doggie Disneyland" as to not contaminate the newly "un-dogged" vehicle. I purchased a new harness system, to hopefully calm Electra and put an end to the barking and the over excited bouncing around for my safety and ultimately that of my fellow drivers. We embarked on the 30 minute drive to country dog nirvana. I had the dogs in their harnesses and decided to roll down the windows for their enjoyment, they were well anchored on very short tether. I arrive at the long driveway of our destination, look in the back seat and there is no Storm. She was just there like 5 seconds ago...I stopped the car, only to find her dangling from her sheep skin harness out the back passenger window. She was fine, thankfully it happened at a very slow speed.

This my friends is one week in the life of this dog owner, hopefully never to be repeated!