Author: Elaine

Lightning, the Sheltie, has snarled at Orion when he felt his personal space has been invaded, but otherwise ignored the puppy.  Now Lightning has found a more subtle way to torment Orion. He takes one of the puppy’s toys, and lays down with it where the puppy can see him.  Occasionally, he will mouth it, but he has no real interest in the toy, just in Orion’s reaction.  Orion, when he observes that Lightning has his toy, flings himself down about two feet away and starts vocalizing.  He makes a sound that combines the worst parts of a bark, whine, and yelp.  It is a very loud sound.  Lightning acts oblivious.  Orion will continue fussing until I call him away and put him in his exer-pen.  At that point, Lightning abandons the toy.

I’d feel sorrier for Orion except he torments Lody, the Collie, more than Lightning torments Orion.  Occasionally, she will play with Orion, but when she doesn’t want to play, he grabs hold of one of her hind legs and starts trying to remove it.  She gets a somewhat befuddled look on her face, and tries to shake him loose.  Since she is old and frail and looks totally pathetic, I call Orion off and put him in his exer-pen. 

The exer-pen also comes in hand when I am doing housework.  It is even harder to make a bed when a schnauzer puppy is helping than when a kitten is helping. 

With the return of afternoon thunderstorms, Lody’s storm anxiety has returned.  She paces when we get a thunderstorm, and also tries to occupy the same space as I do.  Although I appreciate that she views me as a refuge, a sixty pound Collie doesn’t fit. During storms, I gate her out of the room I am so she can’t suffocate me.  

We’re all about the dog gates and pens here these days.  I think my balance has improved with all the stepping over them that I have been doing.