Category: dogs

Posted in dogs

“I think I’ll have a cheeseburger.”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

My across-the-street neighbor was having a garage sale yesterday morning. Sadly, he’s selling his home and moving to be closer to family. He’s been a good friend and trusted neighbor for twenty years.

His daughter had come to help him and I knew she was a lover of dogs. She used to foster Labrador retrievers, but has downsized to French bulldogs as of late. I leashed up our six month old Great Dane puppy to go over and say hi.

Our eighty-pound puppy got a warm reception, but she found all the items out on the driveway very interesting. Especially a box with some old dog toys in it. She sniffed around for a bit and finally came out with this stuffed cheeseburger in her mouth.

God choice. It included all the fixings, was in pretty good shape, and the squeaker still worked! As they say, one dog’s trash is another dog’s treasure.

With her new toy in mouth, she was ready to go. We stayed a few more minutes as her wagging tail betrayed her joy, and then headed home.

As humans, we think that one dog toy is as good as the next. Not true. Dogs have their favorites. The cheeseburger arrived at just the right time. Our daughter’s dog, who came for a two-week visit, had chewed the stuffing out of a popular hedgehog and a two-foot long grinning dog. We needed something new, and we needed it now. Enter the cheeseburger.

As good as that cheeseburger looks, it hasn’t satisfied all our chewing needs. Our puppy has developed an appetite vinyl wicker chairs. A few minutes ago, as I was writing this, I caught her chewing on the extension cord I was using to charge the computer. I could have let her learn a shocking lesson, but decided to save her.

“Here. Chew your cheeseburger guy!”

Posted in dogs

That’s not a chew toy? I didn’t get the memo

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I had to put out my sprinklers yesterday for the first time in a long time. It’s been two or three years since I last unwound the blue hose that connects three sprinklers together.

The front yard has been looking great. The back yard not so much. It’s usually the other way around. We haven’t had much rain this spring. Plus we now have two dogs regularly chasing each other around, digging holes, and killing patches of grass with pee.

I don’t have in-ground sprinklers, so I stretch hoses around the yard with oscillating sprinkler heads. These were made of the plastic that gets brittle in the Florida sun. Lizards like to make their homes in my hoses. I wasn’t confident they would work at all, but decided to give it a shot.

To my surprise, they all worked fairly well. I had to adjust the distance on each one, but other than that, the grass got the water it needed. I felt pretty good about. One dog (the Westie) thought the streams of water were great fun. The other (the Great Dane) wasn’t sure this was a good idea.

When I turned my sprinkler system on today, each shot out a narrow stream rather than a broad spray of water. No problem. I know how to adjust them. Unfortunately, each was missing a piece. Someone, who either didn’t like or really liked the sprinklers, chewed off the little tab that regulated the spray. Rather than eating the evidence, the guilty canine left chewed up plastic pieces in front of each. Thanks a lot, guys.

On to plan B. I’ve got a few metal oscillating sprinklers in the garage. They should thwart any overzealous chewers. They don’t do as well in series, so I’ll probably have to run two hoses to cover the thirstiest stretches of lawn.

I’m impressed that dogs always find new ways to get into trouble. In fact, as I’ve been writing this, the big one garped up some blue and red strings from a tug-o-war rope she’s been working on today. Lovely. Time to retire that toy. And then while they were outside regurgitating, they chased Mrs. Cardinal out of a bush where she was hiding. She was not happy. The dogs thought it was great fun.

Posted in dogs

No, you’re not getting a ride

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Japheth Revelo on Unsplash

We take our dogs for a lot of walks, typically once in the morning and then again in the evening. Rather than letting them wrestle on the sofa, we’re willing to put in the miles so that the Great Dane and the Westie can burn off some energy.

Yesterday we passed a woman and her chihuahua we’ve seen many times. This time, though, she was carrying the dog. He couldn’t have weighed more than three pounds, so she could manage. I’m sure there are good reasons why you would carry rather than walk your dog. Like hip problems or hot asphalt. After she turned the corner, our big dog’s eyes seemed to say, “How come you never carry me?”

I knew what she was thinking and said, “Forget it. You weigh sixty pounds and you’re only five months old!”

Another person we often see on our walks pushed her small dog in a stroller. The look on his face said, “Suckers!” Once again, I got a glance from the Great Dane.

“Forget it. Even if they did make a stroller that big, I’m not sure I could push you very far.”

Towards the end of a walk, we came up on a woman pushing a fussy toddler in a stroller. Once the little girl caught a glimpse of our dogs, she stopped screaming and pointed. However as we got closer her eyes got bigger when she saw just how big the doggie was. I told my wife, it’s just a matter of time before the question, “Can we pet your dog?” become, “Can we ride your dog?”

And then, on our way to walking out and back over a bridge, we wondered, “Do you think they make car seats big enough for a Great Dane?” We’ve seen some nice ones that keep smaller dogs from scrambling from the back seat to the front.

I said, “I don’t think they make a big enough car!” Good thing the van has a sun roof. And it’s good to be in Florida where it’s easy to get out walking year round.

Posted in dogs, Travel

Dogs are welcome at the Hampton Inn

Posted on by William Douthwaite

When we drive to Dallas to visit my son and his family, we typically spend the night at the Hampton Inn in Richland, Mississippi, a few minutes south of Jackson. It’s about two-thirds of the way there, so it’s a long first day. But day two is a pretty easy drive across Louisiana and east Texas.

On our last trip at the end of March, we stayed in a first-floor room all the way at the end of the hall. Walking back to get things from the car, I did a double take as I passed by the elevator alcove. I saw what looked like a bowl full of dog bones. When I went over to get a closer look, I found a dish filled with Milk-bone dog biscuits in a dish on a small table. They were the good ones, too, the big five-inch large breed variety. A sign on the table announced they couldn’t wait for your dog to spend the night there.

How the world has changed! I vividly remember driving from Iowa to Florida to start my new job there. Michael our chocolate Labrador Retriever rode in the back seat, tranquilized for the long ride. I don’t remember how far I got the first day, but I remember sneaking him up the back stairs after dark to a second-floor motel room. I didn’t ask, so I don’t know if dogs were permitted or not. We left before sunrise the next day so no one would see him. However, I’m sure that he left plenty of dark brown hair on the bed for someone to find.  

Back to the Hampton Inn. I didn’t see any details about extra charges for a dog. I saw no size limitations, either. I would just love to check in with my Great Dane. King room? That should work. Breakfast at 6? I hope you’re serving bacon tomorrow morning! I can imagine her catching a whiff of the bone bowl, knocking over the table, and scattering bones across the lobby before eating them. How would you like to ride the elevator with us?

Chihuahuas and poodles stroll the aisles of Home Depot. People lined up in Walmart to take a picture of a guy with a mastiff in the meat section. They enjoy sitting under outdoor tables at restaurants. Pet stores have always welcomed them. I know our dog would enjoy a night at the Hampton Inn.

Posted in dogs, Great Dane

Everyone has a (Great Dane) story to tell

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Everytime we take a walk around the block, our five-month-old Great Dane puppy, Willow, is a little bit bigger. The puppy food is doing it’s job; she gains about a half a pound per day. She gets a lot of attention from young and old who want to pet her. Once they confirm her breed, many have a Great Dane story to tell.

The latest tale came from Kevin who lives just up the street. He told me that he worked for a telephone company before he retired. He was working on a cable into a home and had to go into the back yard. As he came through the gate, two full grown, frantically barking Great Danes threw themselves against the sliding glass doors in an attempt to either greet him or eat him. He said, “I jumped about three feet back, praying that those two didn’t break through!”

When I take Willow to the veterinarian for a monthly weigh-in and heart worm pill, one of the vet techs always comes out for a cuddle. She’s small, no more than ninety pounds, but has two Great Danes of her own at home. She owns a 130 pound fawn female and a 170 pound black and white male. They aren’t little for very long, so our visits gives her a much needed puppy fix.

While we were watching runners finish a race Jacksonville, we stood next to a young man with a black and white Great Dane. This dog had to have been at least 150 pounds. He told us, “I had to train her to only jump up on me. She can easily knock someone over.” Note to self: work on training her to not jump up at all.

At a rest stop on a drive home from Texas, we met a truck driver with a black and white Great Dane named Chloe. She was gentle and friendly, with just a little gray around her snout. The driver told us he’s always had a Great Dane with him in the cab. He took out the passenger seat and installed a bed for the dogs, who just loved to travel with him.

After meeting Chloe, we began to toss around the idea of getting a Great Dane one day. That day has arrived, and now we are accumulating our own catalog of stories.

Posted in dogs

“Where’s Willow?”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It seems like only yesterday that Where’s Waldo? was a popular book in our home. We play a new game now: “Where’s Willow?”

I didn’t think it would be hard to keep track of a four-month-old fifty-five pound Great Dane puppy. But around our house, we ask, “Where’s Willow?” several times a day. She’s both quiet and curious, so she could be anywhere.

  • She might be in the backyard, behind a shrub chewing on mulch or trying to lick grease off the back of the grill. If she’s lying in the sun up against the side of the house, you can’t see her from the window. Sometimes the wind blows the back door shut and she’s stuck out there.
  • She’s still small enough to curl up in a chair for a nap, so she could be in a bedroom or the living room.
  • But she also likes to stretch out on the Nugget (grandkid’s play sofa) or the bottom bunk in the back bedroom.
  • She has nosed her way into closets and nudged the door shut behind her, trapped until we go around looking for her.
  • She knows how to duck behind the kitchen island if she knows you are looking for her.
  • She will follow me out into the garage unnoticed, and then get stuck out there when I come back in the house.
  • I have even found her in her crate taking a nap on a lazy afternoon.

Willow is growing at a rate of one-half pound a day. Each day it gets harder for her to disappear around the house. But for now, if I don’t have time to check out all her hideouts, all I have to do is open up the Milk-Bone canister in the kitchen. If she isn’t trapped somewhere, both dogs will be sitting at my feet before I have finished lifting the lid. Works every time.

Posted in dogs

A long walk and tiny bones

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This past Saturday, we and the dogs took a walk over the Flagler Beach bridge and back. Going up was warm, but the breeze felt wonderful as we descended towards the ocean. Sun Bros Cafe came into sight and we sat outside with a couple of iced coffees.

As soon as I filled up a collapsable water bowl for the dogs, Willow (the Great Dane) stepped in it, spilling it onto the sidewalk. After a quick refill, both laid down in the shade of our table to watch people walking by.

When we’ve got the dogs with, we attract attention. Passersby can’t help but smile. Some will ask what kind of dog the big one is, and their eyes get bigger when we say, “She’s a four-month-old Great Dane.” Then everyone exclaims, “Wow, look at those big feet!”

After a while, someone from the cafe came out to say hi and had two dog biscuits in his hands. They were the tiniest dog biscuits I’ve ever seen. They were bone-shaped, but only about 1/2 inch long. The dogs eagerly ate them. But the look on their faces said, “Is that it? You call that a bone?” They are all about the bones. If I even say the word bone, they run from wherever they are in the house and sit in front of the kitchen cabinet where we keep our bone canister. By the way, ours is filled with legit bones, at least three inches long.

The concrete barrier provided just enough shade for the dogs on the return walk back to the car. With long tongues and lots of panting, we had to help them jump into the van. Of course, by the time they got home they were ready to chase each other around the back yard. But for now, they were tired and happy dogs.

Posted in dogs

What do you see up there?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Willow the Great Dane
Winston the West Highland White Terrier

So I went outside and caught both dogs looking up in the sky. Typically, their world is limited to the smells on the ground and objects the in front of them. Now, all of a sudden, they’ve discovered some really interesting stuff above them.

The ground is where they find lizards in the backyard and bunnies along the side of the road. They usually lose a squirrel as soon as it scampers up a tree or utility pole.

But lately, their attention has been drawn to the sky. They watch the hawks soar overhead. They bark and chase down squirrels running across the top of the fence. They recognize the sound of a low-flying single engine plane or the hospital helicopter, and watch them over the house. They enjoy watching the tall pine trees wave in the wind.

When I see them do this, I look up, too. They pique my curiosity and I wonder, “What’s up there? What are you guys looking at?” I always think of the guy who just stood on a city sidewalk, looking up at a skyscraper. Before long, others joined him. When someone asked, “What are looking at?” No one knew. But they didn’t want to miss out on whatever it was.

Maybe the two dogs have conspired in this. “Let’s look up and see if we can him to look up, too!” It works.

Posted in dogs

Security system signs: genuine or fake?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

While walking the dogs this morning, I took note of how many homes have a security sign in the front yard. They aren’t new. I’ve seen them before. I’m so used to seeing them that I usually don’t notice them. But today I saw ADT, Guardian, Vivint, SimpliSafe, Ring, Alarm Pro or some other sign in three-quarters of the homes we passed.

Do you think all those homes have installed security systems? If not, what percentage simply purchased a sign to put in the front yard to deter burglars? Does that work? Can a bad guy spot the difference between a fake and the real thing? Will they play it safe and move on to another home? Or does a security system sign tip them off that there is something of value inside?

I also see cameras on many houses. Are they all hooked up and monitored? How many are just props?

Some houses don’t need any of the above. We can’t even walk by the house without snarling dogs in the window warning us to stay away. I know it’s not foolproof, but I kind of like the canine option. In fact, I enjoy it when a door-to-door security system salesperson knocks on our door, invoking a cacophony of barks and growls. And I am looking forward to that day when such a person sees a fully grown Great Dane looking at them through the front door.