Spring Time!

We had a rare day that was both dry AND had blue skies. The dogs and I took advantage of that and while I did a bit of clean up in the yard, they explored and sniffed.

Gorky and the daffodils

The daffodils overcame the fact that Chima occasionally likes to poop right in the middle of them and are looking great. Not long now...

Gorky sniffing the fuchsia 

Tilly was over all this green fun before the rest of us and was not happy about the other girls sniffing her so much. She wanted to be picked up and taken inside! She had rolled in the mud already so was ready to go back to sleep.

Tilly had enough of the big girls sniffing her

Queen Tilly is ready to be carried back inside

While it may be awhile until we get our next day with blue skies, it's great to see the birds coming back and the shrubs and trees starting to bud.

Gorky's Beloved Squirrel

We have these Hugglehound brand plush squirrel toys that the dogs enjoy. Plush toys tend to only come out for short lengths of time here since Frodo, Tilly and Salinas immediately shred them. Gorky and Chima LOVE to play with them though. Chima likes to roll around on her back while she holds the toy in her mouth and Gorky, well Gorky likes the squeak. Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak... On and on it goes with the occasional shake thrown in.

During one of those play sessions he had the squirrel and he squeaked it for a good 10 minutes while Chima followed him around, waiting her turn. Once he let his guard down she had it in a flash and he begrudgingly watched her roll around for a few minutes before she got bored and he had his chance to squeak again.

I'll be sending Gorky to his forever home with lots of plush toys since they tend to accumulate here and he actually plays with them. And of course he will get to take his squirrel home.

Gorky tells Chima, "Don't even think of it, lady"

But Chima did think of it and eventually her patience as she stalked him won her a turn with the squirrel

Gorky's Adopted!

I'm super excited to announce that foster boy Gorky has found a new home! Our field trip to Seattle was to visit his new mom and see how the Gorkster handled city life.

Gorky was picked up as a stray in a rural farming community in Central CA. Here's a street view of the area he was found as a stray.

After that Gorky adjusted to suburban life while with us in foster care but now he's going to be a city boy, living in a highrise apartment and walking downtown. Lots of change but he's a very resilient boy who tends to go with the flow after a little adjustment time. His new mom loves to hike so he will get to spend some times on the trails as well, which he will love.

Congratulations to Gorky and his new mom. We can't wait to hear updates about how he's doing. He'll be with us for a few more days and then will head to his new home. Stay tuned for our next foster dog, the first new foster of 2015, to be introduced soon.

Field Trip

Gorky had an adventure in the city on Sunday and did great! While he was definitely a little nervous by all the new sights and sounds, he's a resilient little guy and before long his tail was up and his butt was wagging. Thanks to my fully loaded treat bag he decided this city stuff wasn't so bad.

Looking towards Seattle Center from the edge of downtown

We didn't overwhelm him too much. Just a little walk with lots of sniffing (and peeing on) street trees. A streetcar drove by, as well as a bicycle, a skateboard and a bus and he took it all in stride - watching them carefully and then regularly checking in with me to make sure this was all safe.

Checking out all the street trees

The only thing he found really scary was riding in an elevator, but who can blame him! I mean how weird is a room that moves?!

Making sure nothing tries to sneak up behind him

On our way back to the car we stopped so he could admire the landscaping and we could avoid a Shiba Inu that was walking past. While Gorky isn't really reactive to other dogs when he's on leash, he does get hyper-alert and intense so we kept more of a distance to help him learn another dog on a leash isn't a big deal. That will be important for his continued acclimation to leash walking - no face to face or up close greetings while he learns to relax. Then he can slowly work up to closer distances to the other leashed dogs. Unleashed, he is totally relaxed around other dogs but on a leash he's still working on feeling safe.

It was a great experience for him though. It's always good to expose dogs to a variety of environments, just making sure the exposure level isn't overwhelming and the overall experience is a positive one for the dog.

Couch Time

The couch is a favorite spot for the dogs to nap, no matter how many soft, cushy dog beds are lying about.So when we put a new, small sectional downstairs I should have known the dogs would quickly take it over.

Chima, Sal and Frodo, hanging out

The lower floor of our home is the rec room. Our television and computers are down there, books, games, and a whole walk-in closet full of dog stuff. We spend a lot of time in this comfortable, cozy room.

Gorky joins the mix and they all take a nap together

Recently we replaced the couch down there with a small sectional and I love reading or working on my laptop on the chaise section of the couch. Unfortunately the dogs have decided this is also THEIR favorite section and typically by the time I want to sit there it's covered in a mound of terriers.

Sleepy Gorky

The only way I get to sit on the chaise - with dogs lounging on my lap

I actually think I'm going to purchase a small ottoman for the other end of the couch so I still get to put my feet up when the dogs are hogging the chaise end. Of course, I could be the mean guy and kick them off, but who could really disturb such cuteness?

The Art of Thievery

Chima has long been known as the expert toy thief in our house. She does it without growling or intimidation, Instead she just moves closer and closer, waiting for the perfect moment to steal without confrontation. Well Chima had better watch out because there's another expert thief in town.

Last night after Chima and I got home from Nose Work class she was rolling around on the floor, happily playing with a bone. Slowly and with great strategy Gorky made his move. First nosing one end of the bone. Then slowing moving his paw down the bone to the end closest to Chima and then scooting the bone carefully towards him. Chima watched the whole thing and while she was a little too still for my liking during the bone coup, Gorky managed to get the bone without a single snark from Chima.

Chima, enjoying her bone

Of course once he had it he decided it wasn't nearly as interesting as Chima was making it seem and he let her have it and went off to look for something more interesting, like a Nylabone or squeakie toy.

Gorky, starting to make his move

Moving his paw down the bone carefully - the most dangerous part since his paw is close to her mouth

Starting to get some distance between Chima and the bone. Watch out Gorky, Chima is awfully still. Not a good sign.

Short Boys Get More Toys

Gorky is short. I mean, really, really short. It doesn't slow him down any though and his bowed little legs can run like the wind.

He's long known that if he tucks his head he can run right underneath Chima but recently he learned a new skill - scooting under the couch. Why is this such a great skill? Well, it's twofold.

First, he can hide under there when he's wrestling with Chima. This gives him a break from the action but also allows for a strategic position where he can poke his head out and chew on her legs. It frustrates her to no end since only her head fits under there.

Coming out from under the couch after successfully chewing on Chima's legs and finding Frodo's favorite ball.

But secondly, and the reason he developed the "under the couch scoot" skill in the first place, is the toys. Anyone who has dogs knows that a couch holds some magnetic force that sucks dog toys beneath it. Once under there they tend to be forgotten for ages. Well Gorky discovered this treasure trove and when I don't see him, typically he is under the couch, chewing on a choice nlyabone or squeaky ball that he has found under there.

So while he can't climb a gate or jump up on a dining room table to steal treats like the other dogs in the house, he can hoard toys they lose under the couch which in his opinion is a talent worth having.