Scratch work tilt
June 17th 2009 09:13
I wanted some peace and quiet and so I sat down in my favourite reading corner. Peace and quiet with a book, in my opinion, makes the world go round. In greyhound language, however, it translates as, "Time for a pat." Daisy ambled over for a quietly peaceful ear rub, and Scratchy soon followed.
When I am tucked in my reading alcove, it's crowded even with one greyhound. When they both arrive, as they did today, it's decidedly squeezy. But I put my book aside and grabbed one black ear and one brindle ear and kneaded, and all was bliss-filled stillness until Scratchy, as usual, decided the agenda needed updating.
He decided he needed a stretch. Down he went in that long, languorous, luxurious way that greyhounds have, right in front of me.
This blocked out Daisy, interrupting her ear scratch, and she was not happy. She decided that getting back into position could not wait for the big fella to finish stretching, and she stepped over his lowered front half.
Then Scratchy stood up.
It is not often that greyhounds are inelegant, but the ensuing efforts to disentangle involved uncharacteristic clumsiness.
Daisy looked daggers at Scratchy. Scratchy looked confused. I laughed out loud at the comedy of the situation.
Scratchy understands laughing — it means that the boss is happy. And if the boss is happy, Scratchy is happy, so he started the teeth rattle thing he usually reserves for walk time and dinner time.
I laughed and Scratchy rattled and Daisy sighed. How, she seemed to be thinking, did we get from ear scratching to here?
image: www.alibannister.com/
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Comment by Wilson Pon
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Comment by Heidi/Clyde
You do the teeth chatter thing? I do too but Clyde doesn't, he can't. The Missus says it's a Greyhound thing but only exclusive Greyhounds do it. We have fostered about 25 hounds by now and only about 8 of them did it (though the Missus says some may start it in their forever homes once they've really relaxed into being pet dogs). The best of them all were me and my litter sister Amber. When I get going they can hear me right across the obedience arena! I always chatter when I'm pleased with myself. Do tell Daisy you can't be such a bad sort after all if you are a chatterer, we should get together and see how loud we can make it.
your friend,
Heidi.
Comment by Roux
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It does look a little like the extinct Tasmanian Tiger, although that was more closely related to kangaroos and than to dogs (or tigers). It was hunted into extinction, and that fact is a shocking shame which modern Australia has to live with.
Hi Heidi,
You make the teeth chattering sound like a good thing. I don't think Daisy thinks of it that way, although I always had the teensiest suspicion she is jealous when it happens rather than annoyed.
Hi Roux,
I hope things are settling down without the lovely boy. I'd happily help you learn teeth chattering, but I wouldn't know how to teach it. Just think happy thoughts. But you don't need it, really, any more than Daisy needs curls.
Comment by Heidi/Clyde
It's a funny thing isn't it, we girls run down our boys all the time but you miss Zeus more than you can say and I worry about Clyde all the time. He poor boy has so many health issues but he never complains much. He has a stupid eye thing the hoomans call pannus and he can't see out of one eye, last year he ran into something and punctured the other eye and it cost the Boss and the Missus oodles to fix it and now that eye is beginning to go wrong, The silly old coot has got all anxious although the vet says he can still see most things alright. They've put him on some stuff to stop him fretting. I'm going to have to make sure the Missus always remembers his eye medicines, I don't want him to go blind and be unhappy.
Tell your Mom I'll send her some chatters by thought mail.
Heidi.