Zoey's World
Zoey joined our household when she was seven months old. She wasn't housebroken and at first seemed to learn a little slowly. Gradually she became a wonderful part of our household. One month from today she will be two years old.
I enjoy taking Zoey out four or five times each day. At least twice a day we generally go on Loyola Universities' campus, which is largely free of students due to the Covid19 Virus. Zoey runs along with her leash trailing behind her.
Zoey invites herself to join others we go by. She nuzzles up to people. A few look uncomfortable and I urge her to leave them alone. Most people smile and a lot of them pet her. She basks in the attention she gets. If she feels reach comfortable she will jump up - putting her paws on the front of someone or will jump up and join people on the elevated section along our path.
When I take Zoey's leash off the closet handle, she usually begins jumping up and down in excitement. As we get by the freight elevator, she begins seeking attention from me, pushing her body against mine or jumping up with her front paws on my chest. On the elevator she nuzzles up against me or jumps up onto me again. Sometimes I pick her up and begin rubbing her belly. Zoey basks in this.
Zoey also has various things she is afraid of! The most fearsome thing is a loose, plastic garbage bag. She will push away from one, as it is very threatening. Also dangerous are things like: shopping bags, shopping carts, wheelchairs, and strollers. Occasionally a vehicle on the sidewalk is also a threat. Zoey will draw the leash and resist going near such things. Occasionally the noise from a construction site will bother her a lot. Aggressive dogs are also a threat, but generally not as much of a threat.
Zoey is wonderful when she meets a puppy who wants to or is open to playing. She reads the level the puppy is at and plays with them exuberantly. She sometimes tires the poor pup out, but generally the puppy excitedly plans with her until they are forced to stop by one of us leaving.
Zoey's ritual when doing her business is fairly regular. If she poses, sniffing something, she won't be going for awhile and certainly not there. It is very, very rare when Zoey goes almost immediately that she gets outside or to her spot to go. Generally we walk along the area, and she often resists going forward, and we head back on the strip of grass. She will cruise towards going and sometimes run out of space to go on the grass. Sometimes she will back off and sometimes she will go on the sidewalk near the grass. When she tries to con me, she will pose like she is peeing, and will come out relatively quickly, having done nothing (hoping for praise and her treat from faking it).
Zoey with her Gay Friend - some time ago
Comments
Post a Comment