A walk in the park with Jack

So getting the harness and leash on him took major work.
He was pretty unimpressed until I parked at the park.
Then he perked right up.

 In preparation for Jack's upcoming education, I decided he needed a bit of polish. I'd hate for him to be the slowest kid in the class. He's getting better on a leash but he could use a bit of practice. I got up early Saturday so that we could make it to the park early in order to avoid incineration. It's hot. Jack is unbothered by that. And he did pretty well.

My only complaint was that he passed on the left and fell behind on the right so I was always twirling the leash over my head to keep from becoming a skinned-knee statistic.



I don't know what critter is here, but I think there must be one.

Darcy was all about progress in the park and her brisk pace reflected that. She took hills as a personal challenge. She didn't pull but she always led.

Jack is all about joy in the journey.

He sniffed and marked, mauled bugs, greeted pretty ladies, smiled at the friendly silver sneaker crowd, nosed and tailed a few new furry friends, investigated a turtle that I didn't even see until his nose was on top of it, and chased a squirrel after yanking the leash out of my distracted hands while I answered email.

I paid more attention after that. And he came back when I called him so maybe he's readier than I thought. It wasn't much of an aerobic workout and took about twice as long as I thought it would, but Jack did very well anyway.



And it took a lot out of the boy. This is on the ride home.
If you don't have a dog, look at what you're missing.
Seriously, he's dang cute. Right?



My writing partner

So one more picture of sweet Jack. When I sit at my desk and ponder the impossibility of writing anything that other people might want to read, Jack demands his due. That might mean jumping up onto the keyboard or whatever is stacked on the desk, but more often that means jumping up behind me in the desk chair. That's an experience. But as long as I scoot forward so that he can wedge himself next to the back, he's happy. Me, not so much, but I can live with that over an unhappy Jack.

And then sometimes I take his chair and he does this. I mailed off his application for finishing school today, eight weeks of learning how to operate in polite society. I'm hoping we'll have a chance to learn some new tricks in basic obedience before we graduate, maybe to use his leaping ability for good instead of evil or at least entertainment (maybe it's not agility but rally that he needs...will have to find out more). I think we'll have some fun...if he can make it through obedience after I've already done my best to spoil him.

Unposed

So Jack has two speeds:
go, go, Go, GO, GOOOOO! (seen in video format yesterday)
and
Snoooooze

Darcy used to sleep in this chair too, but nothing like Jack does.
I was thinking this weekend about how much I miss her, her absolute perfect fit for my life. And also this chair. She was the anti-lap dog but we were never separated by much space. I really, really miss her.

Jack is the ultimate lap dog. Look up "lap dog" in the dictionary and you will see his funny face. In fact, he's more a "chest dog" or even a "stand on your shoulders or lay across your neck" dog. Sigh. Jack is happily, adorably imperfect. Somedays I really have to concentrate on the adorable part, but he is always pretty funny.

This is completely unposed. I have a series of shots showing how he came to be sleeping peacefully while dangling off the chair.

Jack is so...active

This one's for Mary who said it was time for another Jack video.
So, here's Jack. And that used to be a shirt.
Please ignore the grass. It's been a hard summer what with the heat, the no rain, the digging dog, and the...me.

Famous Jack!

Jack made his debut over at Everyday Life at Leisure. Go and see him there. I didn't include his celebrity lookalike: it's Dobby!

(Since I sit next to a large concentration of Muggles, Dobby's the heroic house elf who saves Harry Potter and his friends.)

And...ACTION!

Future story idea

So I told this story earlier and someone told me I need to write it down. This is where I do that.

Picture the picture from yesterday, same basic spot, only now the grass is mowed...mown...shorter and it was dark. It was around 10 p.m. Just before, I watched Jack disappear through the dog door and decided to just trundle on to bed. He'd make his own way back in.

And he didn't come in. And he didn't come in. This is where the barking normally commences but it was quiet. I went out to check, unlocking locks and flipping on the lights outside to see this crazy dog, nearly hidden down by the fence in a frozen pose...

With an empty potato chip bag over his head.
The same bag I'd put on the counter to throw out with the overflowing bag ready to go out as soon as the sun came up this morning. Let's not get hung up on why I hadn't already taken out the trash and started a new bag. It was hot and then it was dark and I am lazy. That part's not important. It's what he did with the bag.

It was over his head. Pointing straight up in the air but over his head.

I called him. He didn't move. I walked over and pulled the bag off and he shot me this, "Geesh, thanks, man!" look but he didn't move until I called him.

He looked a little traumatized last night so I tried not to laugh too much.
He was better this morning so I've been laughing about it since.

Take Your Pet to Work Week

I'd threaten you all with a solid week of Jack pictures in honor of Take Your Pet to Work week. Unfortunately, you wouldn't know the difference as it's All Jack, All the Time around here. Instead, I will tell you that it's Pet Week over at Everyday Life at Leisure and there's a giveaway to celebrate. Head over there, make a comment and maybe you'll win. Today is not Jack's day there (in fact, it's Cat Monday over there), but he's going to be dang cute when he shows up.

His newest trick: fetching. Over and over and over and over...throw the (fill in the blank for airborne object) and he brings it back. He's even dropping it for me now. We've had a lot of practice.

I still throw like a girl.

Here's a photo. Please to ignore grassy weeds. It's so hard to find good help these days.

Oh, the difference a real camera makes

I was taking photos of Jack to try to get something so that he can make his debut on the LA blog. Yes, I'm a stage mother. I got out the real deal, super duper, deluxe edition, almost a real camera camera instead of relying on iPhone. What a difference. It's almost like I have mad skills or something. Really, it's just good light and a better camera. I have some seriously good and laugh-out-loud funny of this dog to post next week.

I also have these:
This one is a calm Jack. Let's all take a moment to commit this to memory. I call it "Recharging"

Jack says, "Did someone say 'weekend?'" I call this one "One Wild and Cra-zay Guy!"

Not a big reader

Since the shoe post, people are asking me if Jack has chewed up any more shoes. I don't want anyone to judge him too harshly or get the wrong opinion.

He's definitely not a picky eater.

He's also destroyed a Christmas bag from under the bed and two books. Apparently, he doesn't read romance, mystery or whatever the Dresden files are. At least this one's still readable. For now.

The Beast

When I got home yesterday, I found evidence. It looked like this:

At first glance, it appears to be a pair of shoes in different states of destruction but it is really two left shoes. That means that I'm down not one but TWO pairs of black shoes, the shoes that I frequently wear to work.

Were they on the floor? No. Were they where they should be? No. They were on top of a chest of drawers, between 4 and 5 feet off the the floor. This dog has some serious vertical ability. Now they are dead.

Is Jack still breathing? Yes. This is not my first round of shoe loss. The World's Best Dog once destroyed left shoes like this but managed to grow out of it. I have hopes that Jack will as well.

But I miss Darcy.

And I need some new shoes.

All boy

So Cindy asked if Jack was taking his frustration out on the bed or did he want to be closer to the tv?
After I laughed out loud at that, I thought about it for a minute.

1. He does have an unhealthy interest in the remote control, mainly chewing it.
2. I think he was an Idol fan and he did sit and watch House Hunters with me.
3. He hates books of all sorts.

It could really be about the television, after all.

Nurse Wretched

It has been a long, long, long weekend and not in a good way. Jack had his special boy surgery Friday and we've been battling since. Sure, it's good for him but it's been what you might call a strain on the relationship.

I'm tired of giving pills to dogs, people. And he is clearly fed up with taking them.

Things I can let go: jumping on the counter and knocking down the curtains, dragging my clothes out into the living room, chewing on my shoes, red paw prints all over my light carpet, holes dug in my back yard which lead to red paw prints on my light carpet, and barking all night long at a threat I cannot see. The pills were the straw, the final one.

Other than one terrible moment where I nearly pulled his tiny head from his skinny neck and instead, locked myself away for a little timeout including some angry tears and gnashing of teeth, he's been a fairly happy boy, even in the collar.

I'm sorta glad to be back at work today. Apparently it is possible to have too much togetherness even with a funny dog with a sweet face.

Both the photo and the video were taken yesterday after the Terrible Moment. Thought you might need some proof of life.

The Jack News Network

I know you have better things to do. I know you'd like to see a craft thing or two. It seems like they should be here. But all I have right now is all Jack, all the time. Surely he'll calm down soon....
I have this video. It wasn't the one I intended because I was trying to get him barking at the curio cabinet. Instead, he dragged the things I had covering it up off and then brought in a few other things too (looks like a t-shirt and a pillow case that I've been trying to wash for weeks now). Ignore that. Also ignore the snorting laugh at the end. I can't help it: week two of the mucus attack continues. TMI? Maybe.

And then, when he's all done with that, he does this:

Seemed like a good idea at the time

On Saturday I got home and tried to get a picture of crazy Jack and me together. I wanted to post it on this other blog I'm editing/writing for with the ministry I work with. Jack doesn't cooperate. I have a very cute picture of the World's Best Dog and me. But she could be still. Jack cannot. Unless he's absolutely 100% still (because he's asleep, snoozing soundly on my pillow).

Here's what I got. I'm going to use the first one anyway. Clearly I need to get a better photographer (not my own hand and my iPhone, you have to shoot way to close for my face when you are limited by the reach of your own arm) and a stylist too. They need to get to know me as well as you guys do. When it goes up this week, I may post a link but it's my story of Darcy and Jack and you guys have lived it with me!

Big plans?

Today I'm leaving a smidge early to take Jumping Jack in for his booster shots. That means his address has been my address for three full weeks. To celebrate, I'm posting my pictures of my dog!! Sorry. I hope your patience hasn't run out just yet (because he's still stinkin cute and I feel another video coming next week).

Tomorrow I'm going to a small writer's conference just around the corner and over the river and hop and a skip and a jump. I'm looking forward to it. They're having Chick-fil-a for lunch. It really doesn't take more than that for me.

What about you? Big plans?

I call this one: Jack, Resting.
It was after I picked him up on Sunday (in a Chick-fil-a parking lot, no less, to complete the handoff).
He was pooped from his sojourn in the country.

I call this one: Jack, Resting...Again
And it shows the strength (color's good) and the weakness (too far away) of the iPhone camera. Plus, he's cuddling his toy while he just hangs out in the backyard.

And I call this one: Jack, Resting ON MY PILLOW
Yeah, it's cute until it's 4:03 a.m. and you find a warm nose in your ear. Technically, it's still cute but slightly less entertaining then.

Hope you're all planning fun weekends!

A very good jumper

At least 1000 words

Sometimes you go beyond the photo. Sometimes you get video. Here is Jumping Jack, enjoying his dinner. Seriously, people, it's what is happening at my house. Tomorrow I'll do something else. Promise.

Jumping Jack enjoys his dinner.

Would I do that?

So...Jack was home alone all day yesterday. I walked in from the garage, braced for the worst. I had puppy proofed as well as I could but if you've ever done that, you know how it goes.

And he did pretty well. Except...the curtains over my kitchen sink were down in the sink and about half of what was on the windowsill had joined them. Now, if I hadn't already seen what he did to my bathroom mirror, possibly attacking the dog that appears in it occasionally, I might have thought that the curtains in the window just fell. It could happen. One of the toys that I bought him and left on the counter because he has very little interest in toys right now was also in the floor. I think he might be guilty.

As I think it's hilarious, I don't really care. I am concerned about what it means that a dog is on the counter and how you correct that. Still, right now it's funny.

(And the picture is old...by 3 whole days, but man, it's cute. Jack's now a blue-collar dog and it fits and everything.)

Cindy-the back of the couch is one of his favorite spots. Also, the back of the loveseat, the loveseat itself, the back of the chair, the bed and the rug in the kitchen...he relaxes a lot and at every chance he gets.

Regina-the vet says 8 months because he has his adult teeth (thank goodness because I remember my horror at finding Darcy's puppy teeth here and there many years ago). And his feet are actually pretty delicate. He's delicate, compared to others I've known. He weighs 25 pounds and needs to gain about 5 more according to the vet. Luckily, he's an excellent eater. He's well on his way!

Pat-he is pretty sweet, bad habits and all!

10 things

So I hope you aren't surprised by another dog post. After a trip to PetSmart where my dog's manlihood was besmirched more than once by being called a girl (and I've done it a couple of times too but I have my excuses), I'm sticking with Jack. It's a good, strong name.

Here are 10 things I've learned this weekend:
1. Jack is unfazed by rain, hail, thunder, or lightning.
2. Jack is freaked  by every mirror. He saw a glimpse of himself in a tiny slice of mirror on the curio cabinet and really let himself have it. I laughed.

3. Jack knows how to work a dog door.
4. Jack is very, very close to house trained.
5. Jack has very little sense of personal space, particularly when there is food involved. I don't know what his past life was like but I suspect it involved people food. Not a lot of people food, since he's underweight, but enough to form bad habits. It's okay. He pouts when he's disappointed but he is getting the hang of treats quickly.
6. Jack is very patient. I knew this from the de-ticking but I've seen it also in the the pill taking that has commenced. This is good.
7. Jack is also freaked out by the ceiling fan, not when it's running but when the electricity goes out and it stops, he's concerned. Then, when it comes back on, he heads for the dog door, barking and growling. I laughed. It was funny.
8. Jack doesn't do well on a leash, but he got a little better at PetSmart. If I could have beaten away the salesman who kept hounding me (get it?) with so much "help" we might have done better. I do think he'll get the hang of it. Note to PetSmart: Seriously, you can see I am having trouble coaxing this dog along. Leave me alone with the sales pitch. And for reals...three times is three times too many, dude.
9. Jack is staying home today. All by himself. I am worried. This is just the tip of the iceberg about why I didn't want a dog right now. I'm already exposed nerves, trying to figure out what to do about my trip to Quilt Market next week.
10. Jack is very, very sweet. I've done the best I could not to compare him to Darcy who I miss. A lot. I could give you a long list of how he's not her, but he is sweet. He's warm. He's happy to see me. He's 50% tail that wags when he wakes up. He's a good dog. I might have gotten lucky again.