Daisy's Diary: Guide to space
June 8th 2010 06:33
Big Boss has a problem with the concept of space. For example, when we are together in his dressing room, a morning ritual which I have written about earlier, the aim is to get as close as possible to him.
When we are out walking on the lead, however, the aim is sniff every wall, tree, plant and moving molecule, darting here and there to do so.
Up close and cosy in the dressing room; freedom to roam when walking.
Big Boss, for some inexplicable hooman reason, sees it the other way round.
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Comment by heidiclyde
I pine to hear from you, are you really cross with me because we got a heated mat and you didn't?
Let me assure you I get almost no mat time, between Clyde, who does seem to benefit from the warmth in the early mornings and Rosco our new cheeky young foster hound there is rarely a moment when it is vacated for me.
Actually dear Daisy, I believe you have many benefits we do not, as illustrated by your two latest Diary entries. Our Boss and Missus don't have an up close room but we aren't allowed into their sleeping quarters before they've put on those cloth things they wear, we have to wait patiently in our sleeping quarters for them to appear ready to start the day.
And your description of how you proceed on a walk! I do understand it is a lot of fun sniffing everything in sight but really my dear, where is your dignity?
We walk out on the left side of the Missus, first Clyde on the inside, then the foster hound, then me on the outside. We proceed in an orderly fashion, standing still when the Missus stops, walking on when she says "Heel". We elicit admiring glances wherever we go and we often have to stop for people to stroke us as the Missus explains about the GAP programme. This is a lot of fun too.
Even when we get to the oval where we are allowed to dawdle and sniff stuff we have to be careful not to get under each other's feet. When one of us stops to attend to nature we all have to stop, and if one of us finds a particularly interesting smell we sort of have to sniff it in order so we don't get our leads too tangled. We go once round the oval checking everything and doing our business and waiting for the Missus with her little plastic bags (Why do you think Hoomans leave those bin things for our doings? Do you think they collect them for the interesting smells?) then we set off again showing everyone how well disciplined Greyhounds proceed. You ought to try it sometime Daisy, get the Little Boss to take you to a Rewards Based Obedience Club. We have lots of fun there, we meet lots of friends and we do classes and now we are doing Agility too, even Clyde now he's got his new boots, he's better at the Sea-Saw than me, but I'm better at weaving.
Your good friend,
Heidi.
P.S. How is Scratchy doing now? Will his leg be all right soon?
Licks,
H.
Comment by Chris Champion
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Firstly, let me apologise that Daisy can't answer you in person but she is otherwise occupied sleeping. I'm sure you understand.
Secondly, let me thank you for a lovely and amusing comment, which was enjoyed by all here.
Thirdly, let me congratulate you and Clyde and Rosco (hi Rosco from D and S) for your on-lead decorum. I admit that the level of your discipline reminds of another time - another life - when my primary interest in dogs was German shepherds.
I know, I know. We all grow and learn.
However, during this period, I did some pretty serious canine obedience training, and my German shepherd learned a few things to.
The description of your capabilities reminds me of those times. But I've never tried to teach Daisy and Scratchy more than basic on-lead manners. I'm not sure why. Somehow, I think, Scratchy doesn't need it, loping companionably along by my left ankle, and Daisy doesn't deserve it, given the non-stop activity, interest and alertness she displays as we walk.
In summary, I've never associated greyhounds with obedience.
Love and tickles,
Chris
PS Please don't show this comment to your Missus. She obviously has a greyhound obedience philosophy, not to mention strategic implementation capabilities, far removed from my own.
PPS Well, if you must, I'd also like to make it a matter of record that, on walks, we too are regularly stopped by strangers to whom we extol the saintly virtues of the GAP.
Comment by heidiclyde
Are you sure Daisy is just sleeping? Are you sure she isn't still cross with me about the heated mat? I do consider her to be my best friend and I'd hate to think a little thing like a mat that I almost never get to lie upon should come between us.
I think the Missus agrees with you more than you'd think, the obedience club we go to isn't about strict control, just about leadership. It is a good way for the foster hounds to gain some understanding of other dogs and to learn a few basic manners. Lots of them are like Clyde, who is perfectly calm on the lead and happy to lope companionably along beside the Missus just like Scratchy and you (those two disasters really are too much alike!) which is why he always walks on the inside next to her. The trouble is that we've also had hounds through that pull like trains when they first join us and some that spin in circles and leap about at every new sight. I'm like Daisy, I love to veer off to sniff things which is why I always walk on the outside because I do forget my manners sometimes but most of the time I do try to be calm and helpful because it is our job to help train these silly new hounds.
The problem, according to the Missus is that adding a third hound to the equation more than trebles the risk of things going wrong on a walk. It is incredible how quickly we can get our leads hopelessly tangled if we forget ourselves, and the Missus is always concerned about the possibility of accidentally dropping a tangled lead and a new foster hound getting away and lost. This is why we are expected to behave on a walk, to help the foster hounds learn the ropes and become a complete pleasure to walk, some of them go on being excited at the start of the walk but nearly all of them learn to walk calmly on a loose lead most of the time before they leave us to go to their forever homes.
Of course the Missus is proud of us when we all walk along with perfect manners and she does enjoy not having to pull on our leads for us to stop and turn and that sort of stuff, but it's not all madly disciplined, it's just sensible walking. I expect Daisy is more sensible than she makes out in her diary.
We are really glad that you always extol the virtues of GAP when people stop to talk to you, please remember to mention that Gap is financed by Greyhound Racing Australia, it is important that people understand that our industry cares about us, the Big Big Bosses might decide it's not worth doing it if people continue to say bad stuff about them. The Missus doesn't think they will but she says they deserve credit for what they do.
You didn't say how Scratchy is doing. I worry about him. Clyde is having a bit of trouble with his boots rubbing on his ankles and he's having to do without them whilst his skin gets better but he is much happier when he wears them. We can go for really long walks now and we don't have to look for soft stuff for him to walk on.
Thank you for the tickles,
Give Daisy my love,
Heidi.
Comment by Chris Champion
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Thank you for a lovely long comment. I'd like to post a lovely long reply, but I'm cross-eyed with tiredness and ready for bed.
So here's a quick message: Scratchy was given, as of 48 hours ago, a complete clean bill of broken-leg-recovery health.
He has already had one sprint in the park, including a slip and almost-tumble on some wet grass, and I am happy to announce that his leg didn't break again.
But you can't blame me for watching with an extreme sense of concern.
Ear rubs,
Chris