10 things I love about Doggle (& his 2012 budget)
January 8, 2013
10. His fearsome visage still gives some strangers pause but his calm (stoic) personality has won over more than a few dog-phobics. One person who used to run away from him on sight thinks he’s actually pretty cool, now.
9. Since surgery, and Christmas, he’s been super bouncy. As in, his hind end swivels up and gets air time when he’s excited about something. When we’re going for a walk, and when his papa gets home.
8. Dad is still his NUMBER ONE but he’s been slightly more affectionate and attentive to me and I’m loving it. ie: He’ll come to “say hi” to me after one walk a day, and touch noses with me. But I only get 3 seconds to react and touch noses with him.
7. He’s got this hilarious fascination with babies in strollers. Covered strollers pique his curiosity more than a Thanksgiving turkey leg in reach. Literally.
6. He hasn’t any mental connection with his hind end. His tail smacks into walls, he’s perturbed. His tail knocks over things, he jumps like he’s been attacked. His rear *ahem* toots too loudly and he runs away in fear of his own bum! The last is most insulting when you’re sharing an office with him and he leaves you with the gift of Silent and Deadly gas bombs. “What was that? Ew. It’s smelly in here, bye!”
5. One time only: He’s signaled that he really wanted to go out, seriously guys, let’s go. Normally, he just waits til he’s told we’re going out, then he dances in place as we prep for the walk. One day, he went into doggy dance mode, stalked us, danced some more, stalked his dense humans from room to room until he couldn’t take it anymore, then reached out and whacked his da with his paw.
6. One time only: A few weeks after surgery, he was so excited about a walk that he reached down and grabbed his sling. He’s never done that before or since.
5. Social interaction: He has a small collection of toys that he will carefully select from, one at a time, to carry out for the afternoon and show off when it’s his self designated play time. We’re allowed to play catch for about five minutes at most, and then he takes the toy and settles down with it and a “please leave now” air.
4. Strange talents: He can hear me putting on pants from any room in the house.
3. Vocalizing: He used to match PiC snore for snore.
2. Innocence: He nearly bit me (accidentally) once when we were playing and immediately turned it into the biggest ohhh-what’s-over-theerrrree YAWN.
1. He lets me lay on top of him for a full squishy hug.
I wish I could share so many pictures of him but he’d out us in a flapjack second. I’d love to see and share photos of your little and large darlings, though!
So all of this is to say, Doggle is wonderful and in 2012, he cost about $8500. We love you, Doggle. We love you.
I will admit – I’ve been dying to see pictures of Doggle. Sure there aren’t any that wouldn’t blow your anonymity? 😀
Hehe the problem is HIM. He’s so distinctive, I can’t risk people I don’t want knowing about this blog seeing his photo here.
I have a solution so we can see Doggle!
Go to Pet Store. Buy a Batman outfit. Put Batman outfit on Doggle. Take Picture of Masked Hero. Post online. Anonymous yet we get to see him. 😀
I LOVE THIS. I nearly bought him a Robin costume last year but it was too small. Plus people said making him Robin was mean.
“6. He hasn’t any mental connection with his hind end. His tail smacks into walls, he’s perturbed. His tail knocks over things, he jumps like he’s been attacked. His rear *ahem* toots too loudly and he runs away in fear of his own bum! The last is most insulting when you’re sharing an office with him and he leaves you with the gift of Silent and Deadly gas bombs. “What was that? Ew. It’s smelly in here, bye!””
Oh god. HILARIOUS.
He has a few more “tricks” like that. *eyeroll* None of the standard stuff though. 🙂
Yay Doggle! Glad he’s doing well. Dogs are so awesome.
Thanks! They really are super awesome.
Haha awww 🙂 I’m glad that the surgery has helped so much!
Number 10 describes Pod too, although I really don’t think he even looks fearsome (he’s so pretty!), I suppose he is large and that scares people (plus some people seem to think that greyhounds are aggressive), but he is SO DOCILE. He’s won a few scared neighbors over with his sweetness.
Pod seems to be completely unbothered by his tail smacking into things (which it does A LOT)…unless they fall over and make a loud noise. Then he thinks something is attacking and runs away.
When Pod really, really wants to go out, he “yodels” – sort of an AH-ROO-ROO-rrrOOOO sort of thing. Now we’re trying to get him to yodel for his dinner and ring a bell on the door to go out. So far, he mostly just stares at the bells like he might be able to get them to make that noise if he just.looks.hard.enough. (Or maybe he thinks the door opens if he looks at it long enough, I’m not sure!)
I personally think he’s just gorgeous and not at all fearsome but I don’t find most dogs scary. And he’s so passive even in being friendly that it’s hard for me to remember that he can look “scary” to anyone who is scared of dogs.
I’d LOVE to hear Pod yodeling, that sounds ridiculously cute. Good luck with teaching him to use the bell! I used to watch dogs trick other dogs with the bell trick but I’m pretty sure Doggle would be the one getting tricked. He’s not big on using tools. 🙂
I need to try to be prepared to record the yodeling some evening… it usually occurs shortly after I get home and I haven’t thought about it. It’s pretty funny.
So far, the bell is NOT working. He just does not get the idea. He’ll go stick his nose by the door now, but no bell ringing. I don’t think he likes tools either 🙂
I had to look back in the archives to figure out exactly what procedure would have cost that much. It’s great that the operation was a success and he’s doing so well!
My dog also has the same strange talent around pants. She gets super excited when I put on pants, I’m assuming because she thinks we may be going for a walk.
The yawning thing is actually pretty fascinating behavior. Because my dog has some big anxiety and fear issues I’ve done *a lot* of reading on dog behavior. A Norwegian dog trainer called Turid Rugaas wrote a great pamphlet called Calming Signals and a yawn is one of the classic signals. It essentially says “I mean no harm to you.” So, essentially Doggle accidentally bit you, and then his immediate instinct is to make it up to you through a calming signal, in this case yawning. Dogs are so smart, and are awesome communicators, even thought we don’t realize it half the time!
I should have linked you to all the fun. 🙂
Definitely he thinks pants= walk. Also, socks!
That’s really neat, he so infrequently does “doggish” things that I didn’t think anything of his yawn.
heeee! I’m glad he survived the surgery in fine fettle.
#6 is hilarious!
You know, Walt the Greyhound used to clear the building with the gas he could emanate. Turns out he was sensitive to corn, one of the commonest ingredients in commercial dog foods. As soon as he started eating cornmeal-free food, his odoriferous problem went away.
That’s interesting, a corn thing? He’s always had a little gas but not like this until recently.
It’s amazing when an issue comes up and you are shelling out ridiculous amounts of money. My Shai-Ming cuts me about $5000 in 2012 and I don’t regret it. Would like him to get a job but…am cool with cuddles!
Glad the surgery helped Doggles!
“Would like him to get a job but…am cool with cuddles!”
I have frequently told Doggle to go earn his keep but he’s still not doing it! That face is adorable, though.