In the rainy afternoon Tilly began exhibiting behaviors I’ve never seen in a dog, attempting, with no production, to pee and poop once a minute. Whining, walking rapidly, circling, assuming the position. When she vomited I loaded her in the car for a vet visit.
In the movie, Tender Mercies, Robert Duval’s character said “I don’t trust happiness.”
When Sophie was little, I bumped into the insufficiency of a puppy’s immune system when she had the fever of unknown origin, walked the edge of death for three days.
In Tilly’s case, seemingly the presenting problem is a raging urinary tract infection. On Amoxicillin now, feeling better.
Tilly started puppy class at All Things PawssibleStarted private Cat tutorials with Pepe.Chris Hlad is teaching her to write poetry.Till continued inspecting utility work on Franklin StreetLearned finer points of ball handling from Pearldid a “run through the flowers” scene in an independent filmTilly’s human is too damn old..Goes to the doctor a lot.The relationship with water continues to develop.One of the 300? She is lapping the water but still looking around. Judges 7:4-7 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. 7The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. Exhausted. Asleep in the foodbowl. Classic Labrador move.
In between naps, trying to immunize the little dog against fear. Walking on bricks…Puppies get their primary socialization from their siblings and momma. Secondary socialization is the human’s job. Live musicians, panhandlers, back-up beepersFound a comfortable perch on Market to watch pedestrians, bicycles, garbage trucks, busesIt takes a village. Fire engine #5 arrived on east Market when an unmarked gas line was cut by excavators. People in uniforms, flashing lights, meet them now, no fear later.During the temporary cessation of work, Scott’s Back Hoe’s dog whisperer taught Tilly to retrieve.I had tried to teach this unsuccessfully, the DW got 5 out of 5 returns.Puppy inspector.Undaunted.
Labradors love to eat, strong motivation where food is concerned. I left Tilly with a 32oz empty yogurt container. Came back a minute later to find her stumbling around the room, like wearing a hat that was too large. In the yogurt container up to her ears bumping into furniture. She wasn’t in distress, there was still yogurt to be had.
Thinking about venturing out.How does a house dog become Waterdog?Investigating this thing called water.Yes or no?Knee deep.Stress relief. Learning about water, panel vans, fire engines, front end loaders, bicycles, live musicians, meetings, strollers, babies, trains uniforms. Sometime the little dog lets off steam with a game of tug.
Town is a great place. 4700 people per square mile. Lots to see and do. But threats abound. Vigilance is necessary.Packed the puppy for a Slabtown visit.Bigger horizon, 67 people per square mile.Room to rompRoom to roamI keep an eye on the sky, don’t want the puppy to be a bald eagle snack but the chances of that are slim. A relief not worrying about cars.
Walked in the rain this morning. There is something about getting wet that appeals to Labradors.wet puppyOur interests don’t always coincide.When Sophia misbehaved she’d seek the refuge with St. Francis. Tilly opts for Buddha.Puppies rest a lot.Cruising the periwinkle.
Tilly has the incredibly tolerant Eva as a guide.Eva is continuing with the lessons started in her Tilly’s natal family about the proper type of mouth use, the gentle bite.
There is so much going on for the young dog, forcibly removed from siblings and mother, dealing with new everything, food, surroundings, people, words, rules, order, life and death everywhere.visited Georgetown Vet on day 2. Been going there since 1974.get weighed, evaluated, osculated, prodded, checked out up and down.made lots of new friends, exhausting.Back at home, mistakes to be made. Neonate with teeth, curious about everything, the curiosity can be deadly, so the little dog has to be taught, chaperoned, watched, socialized. Fortunately, she was very cool about getting her head stuck, she waited, calmly.New challenges at every turn, stairs…Learning new means of conveyance, puppy as camera…going to meetings and attending quietly.Introduction to other (fully immunized) members of the packCars, walking on a leash. The limitations and dangers of the new world.
