Animals In Our Lives

[delalluvia]

Sorry to hear about Bracken, Kelda.  Always heartbreaking when they die in the street.  I, too, hope he didn't suffer and at least, he's home now, to stay.   

Ember turned six months old on March 1st.

She's losing her puppy look.

GORGEOUS animal.

[Shasta542]

Shasta, it seems to me that Ember has a split personality.  She is a totally different dog inside the house than she is outside.

Inside, she is a little bat out of hell who isn't afraid of anything.  We had just had her a couple of days, when she came bounding down the stairs and, in a simple, effortless leap, jumped right up on a console table we have near the front door.  I was amazed, because Madison had never jumped up on anything -- well, except a sofa or a bed.  At the time, I was looking into getting a pet gate to keep her contained, but, once I saw her jumping ability, I nixed that idea, figuring that with a running start, she could easily clear most gates.  She loves to run upstairs to the bedrooms and plop herself down.  Pity the poor soul who just happens to be lying there.  She's scared my husband half to death on too many occasions to count.  Now we're keeping the bedroom doors closed.  She's also a counter and table surfer and, as previously noted, has a taste for computer cables (as well as phone chargers, wristwatches, and cell phones).  She loves Flossies and Bully Sticks.  She has the ability to stretch her body to its fullest and reach deep down into the tallest of waste baskets to retrieve whatever has been deposited there, especially used Kleenex.  Sweet Madison only chewed up two things that I remember while a puppy:  a pencil and a Berenstein Bears book -- and believe you me, my girls were very young at the time, and there were toys and books everywhere.  

Outside, Ember is a little scaredy cat who can't wait to get back inside.  Her trainer says that the breeder did her no favors keeping her as long as she did -- I believe it was because whippets develop slowly and the breeder couldn't decide which puppy she wanted to keep as a show dog -- because living in a quiet suburb, she was not exposed to the sounds of the city or given as much socialization as she should have received.  Ember is gradually getting used to the sounds of traffic, but the elevated trains scare the you-know-what out of her (and I mean this literally).  She is a cautious dog, hesitant to meet other dogs unless I approach them first, but, strangely, she is friends with the meanest dog who lives in our townhouse complex. (This is a dog that is so intimidating that he has to be put outside or locked in a bedroom when workmen arrive, yet Ember will approach him without a second thought.)  She has made considerable progress in getting used to the sounds of cars, etc., but she still has a way to go.  Of couse, she LOVES to run.  My sister has a huge backyard, and I have taken her running there a couple of times now as well as on a tennis court close to our house.  She is amazingly fast.  

We've got her enrolled in a Puppy Kindergarten class -- six dogs total -- which is taught by her trainer.  The trainer is pleased with the progress Ember's made socially in class because each week she's letting a little bit more of her personality show.

All in all, she's a sweet puppy, a real cuddler.  She loves her stuffies, and she's having lots of fun with the toys that Madison never played with.  She's totally different than Madison, but that's a good thing because Madison had lots of "issues."

Sounds like Ember is a handful!

My cousin got a dog from the country and now I have her (she was too rowdy for their smaller dog). She wasn't used to hearing town sounds, so she was wary about that too when we went outside. She is okay with them now tho.

How many breakfasts have been stolen by Ember---before you all remembered to push them away from the cabinet edge!?

I can just imagine that she runs fast with those long legs. I have 2 with legs like that and they zoom past the others. The running is good for her--gets a lot of that energy out.

Seems like Ember can be a clown--lots of fun and entertainment  for everybody. (As long as you hide the trash cans).

[Fran]

GORGEOUS animal.

Thanks, del.

[CellarDweller]

Ok, why does this happen?

I came to the basement to get on the computer.....Blaze is on the computer chair, asleep.

I didn't have the heart to move him, so I gently pushed the chair to the side, and I'm sitting on a hard wood chair, while the cat is resting on the cushioned computer chair.

[Brokeback_Dev]

Ok, why does this happen?

I came to the basement to get on the computer.....Blaze is on the computer chair, asleep.

I didn't have the heart to move him, so I gently pushed the chair to the side, and I'm sitting on a hard wood chair, while the cat is resting on the cushioned computer chair.

   

Chuck, thats cute

[Fran]

Ok, why does this happen?

Because you are a softie and Blaze is one lucky cat. 

[Fran]

Ember in her new pita bed.  Yes, it looks just like an oversized pita pocket.

[Shasta542]

It looks so cozy---I think I might want one. 

[Fran]

I'm proud to announce that Ember has successfully completed her Puppy I class.  Today was Graduation Day.

[David In Indy]

I'm proud to announce that Ember has successfully completed her Puppy I class.  Today was Graduation Day.

Oh GOD how cute!!! And fun!!!

Yay for Ember!!!! And congratulations to both Ember and Fran!!!