By this time in the day, it should be sunny.
I mean, it is supposed to be the Sunshine State.
But heck, it is also the Rainy Season.
Oh and the dog is missing. Figuratively.
You see it just turned to "night" again. The yellow blob floated over me, my neighbors, and all the way to the park. It got difficult to see across the street. The house got dark, the security lights came up full, briefly.
Meh. I don't have a problem with that, although I really was hoping to get to skate today.
Nah!
As for the dog, he's an interesting beast. You see, Rack the SuperDog (TM) is an incredibly
expressive and incredibly intelligent dog. With Great Intelligence comes Great ... Quirks.
He's been a fearful boy since he was a puppy. Absolutely hates noise, which is to say a loud noise will send him scurrying off.
I've noticed that his reactions have gotten less severe. Of course they have, he's being worn down.
Like the Grand Canyon. Constant noises. Two months worth of fireworks leading into the Rainy Season setting up.
Fireworks? What the heck are you people celebrating, knock it off!
We do have a routine here to deal with some of the noise, to take the edge off.
The Rain Cookie.
Rain Cookies are a ritual. They look like chocolate fudge, and have some weird holistic herbal things in them that should calm him down.
I think it's partly the act of getting the cookie. I won't walk it over to him and give it to him. He likes the things and he has to come out of hiding to get them.
Rattle the bag, announce "Do you want a Rain Cookie (TM)?".
He looks.
"Well?"
Stand up, stretch, slink over.
I cup his face under the muzzle.
"Rack, you are a good boy! Remember that, Good Boy!"
Stroke his head.
He seemed to relax a wee bit as I hand him the little fudge ball looking thing.
Back in his corner.
You have to meet them half way. It seems to help.
I did a similar thing with Lettie. She had fear of thunder and a very strong play/prey drive. I
can work with that.
You see "Make Rain Time Play Time" was the theory and it worked well. I had tennis balls all over the house. I'd hear a boom, she'd hear it first actually, and would bark at the sky.
That was my cue to have a tennis ball bounce indoors. She eventually worked through it. She never actually brought the ball to me for it but she did expect the play.
But she got to the point where she'd just handle it while trotting all over the house yipping at the thunder and the sky.
So since I just had a lightning strike on my block, that's it for today.
Seriously. When you hear a quiet "snick" before the lightning flash and then the house
shakes from the storm, it's time to boogie.
I mean Seriously. This house is built to withstand a hurricane, and I have seen it go through one but that's a story for another day.
When you feel the percussion of the thunder in your socks while you are sitting...
I mean, it is supposed to be the Sunshine State.
But heck, it is also the Rainy Season.
Oh and the dog is missing. Figuratively.
You see it just turned to "night" again. The yellow blob floated over me, my neighbors, and all the way to the park. It got difficult to see across the street. The house got dark, the security lights came up full, briefly.
Meh. I don't have a problem with that, although I really was hoping to get to skate today.
Nah!
As for the dog, he's an interesting beast. You see, Rack the SuperDog (TM) is an incredibly
He's been a fearful boy since he was a puppy. Absolutely hates noise, which is to say a loud noise will send him scurrying off.
I've noticed that his reactions have gotten less severe. Of course they have, he's being worn down.
Like the Grand Canyon. Constant noises. Two months worth of fireworks leading into the Rainy Season setting up.
Fireworks? What the heck are you people celebrating, knock it off!
We do have a routine here to deal with some of the noise, to take the edge off.
The Rain Cookie.
Rain Cookies are a ritual. They look like chocolate fudge, and have some weird holistic herbal things in them that should calm him down.
I think it's partly the act of getting the cookie. I won't walk it over to him and give it to him. He likes the things and he has to come out of hiding to get them.
Rattle the bag, announce "Do you want a Rain Cookie (TM)?".
He looks.
"Well?"
Stand up, stretch, slink over.
I cup his face under the muzzle.
"Rack, you are a good boy! Remember that, Good Boy!"
Stroke his head.
He seemed to relax a wee bit as I hand him the little fudge ball looking thing.
Back in his corner.
You have to meet them half way. It seems to help.
I did a similar thing with Lettie. She had fear of thunder and a very strong play/prey drive. I
You see "Make Rain Time Play Time" was the theory and it worked well. I had tennis balls all over the house. I'd hear a boom, she'd hear it first actually, and would bark at the sky.
That was my cue to have a tennis ball bounce indoors. She eventually worked through it. She never actually brought the ball to me for it but she did expect the play.
But she got to the point where she'd just handle it while trotting all over the house yipping at the thunder and the sky.
So since I just had a lightning strike on my block, that's it for today.
Seriously. When you hear a quiet "snick" before the lightning flash and then the house
I mean Seriously. This house is built to withstand a hurricane, and I have seen it go through one but that's a story for another day.
When you feel the percussion of the thunder in your socks while you are sitting...
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