Ceremonial greetings
January 20th 2010 04:04
Greyhounds have long necks and they love to have them scratched. It instantly stops their excited jiggling, and in its place comes a balletic movement of the head from side to side. This is alternated with a stretching of the neck, both to change the point of contact and to maximise it.
With two dogs, moving on to the ear scratch calls for rationing, rather than maximisation, of efficiency. Take one ear from each dog and knead firmly at the base thereof. Crossing their heads brings the action closer, and is easy in my case as Scratchy is considerably taller than Daisy.
Now the paths of attention diverge according to preference. For Daisy, it's time for a tummy rub, which she adores. Scratchy re-presents his neck — he sees little value in tummy rubs.
The final movement is the back massage, with fingers pincering gently in the soft tissue along either side of the spine, moving slowly down to the tail bone. A quick massage there — the secret spot through which you can befriend any dog — and that's it for today.
Coming home to a house without dogs must be dull.
With two dogs, moving on to the ear scratch calls for rationing, rather than maximisation, of efficiency. Take one ear from each dog and knead firmly at the base thereof. Crossing their heads brings the action closer, and is easy in my case as Scratchy is considerably taller than Daisy.
Now the paths of attention diverge according to preference. For Daisy, it's time for a tummy rub, which she adores. Scratchy re-presents his neck — he sees little value in tummy rubs.
The final movement is the back massage, with fingers pincering gently in the soft tissue along either side of the spine, moving slowly down to the tail bone. A quick massage there — the secret spot through which you can befriend any dog — and that's it for today.
Coming home to a house without dogs must be dull.
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Comment by Anonymous
I feel incredibly sorry for people who don't share their life without at least one dog. We have four dogs now, having lost two with health issues middle to late last year. But the four remaining give us so much love and joy!
Comment by Chris Champion
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One fails to understand Orble. A one-man, set-and-forget enterprise is what it feels like.
Love and joy, as you say, is what dogs are all about. And the devastation of losing them occasionally. Like life, really.
I hear SA is having a scorcher again tomorrow. Stay cool!
Comment by Heidi/Clyde
Yer right abaht ther scorcher. Ther Missus refuses ter let me go fer rides in ther 'ute on days like this. Bugga.
Thanks fer tellin her how ter do ther back whatsit proper, sometimes she's er bit hard ter train, but she's got ut real goodoh now.
Clyde.
Comment by Chris Champion
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I learned the correct technique for a back massage from Daisy, who offers precise and readable responses to everything. Like the Queen.
I'd never have learned it from Scratchy, whose responses are freeform rather than controlled. Like a school of flying fish feeling frisky.
So it's up to you to show the Missus the way.
Hope the toe procedure recovery is going well,
Chris
Comment by Heidi/Clyde
Dun yer read ther comments on yer old stuff?
Ther toe's up shit creek an I'm back on plurry tablets till I rattles an I've still got ther bloody stitches in an I've got er sock on me foot! I'm goin berko with ut!
Half ther time yer leaves me brain knackered with yer fancy talk, Heidi ses I'm not ther full bottle in ther brain department, but ther Missus ses there's nothin wrong with me brain, I'm just er bit uv er bushy. Buckley's chance uv gettin Heidi ter aggree ter thut, she's so full uv it. Anyway, whut's ther queen? An I dun get ther bit abaht responses, all I know us thut whut yer sed abaht ther back massage was extra grouse, So thanks a million Mate, gorblimey, there's gotta be some good stuff goin on.
Clyde.