Mini-Walky!

Yeah, Ghost is weekending with S&L because I wanted a couple of days without having to deal with the Walky Issue. But the puppy has done so well, and he slept most of the morning and afternoon and he was getting restless, and it was an hour from Snacky Time anyway. So I figgered; why not a little walky, just to see how he does?

Sweartaya, those folks must have treated him very kindly. There's no way he's bonded to me yet, but he certainly behaved as if he was. He had a very good time down the driveway, but was clearly aware of just how uncharted the water was and figured his best chance was to stay close to me. Even when he got ahead, he kept looking back. If I was still plodding along, he was cool.

We only went to the end of the driveway and then circled back up the foot of the ridge. Magnus has been telling me for some time of a rat nest under a tumbled pile of irrigation pipe that has needed moving for a long time, so we went to work re-stacking it in a better place. Puppy alternated between helping Magnus watch for rats, me carry pipe, and Fritz grouse under a shady tree. For the record, Fritz wishes the puppy would go away. Not get hurt or anything, you know, just go. Away.

He'll come around.

As much as Magnus approves of the little guy, he just about clobbered him at Snacky Time. This only being his second time, the puppy is not aware that there are rules. Very important rules. He proceeded to attempt a violation of The Prime Directive, which of course is that Magnus can eat from anybody's plate unless I stop him, but NOBODY eats from Magnus' plate but Magnus. He hadn't gotten it that everybody gets a plate, and while he recognizes dry kibble as food he very much prefers canned food. He's gonna have to learn to get over that, but in the meantime I pulled him out from under a fiercely-snarling Magnus before things got ugly, and stuck his face in his own plate. He fits under Magnus very neatly, and normally Magnus would appreciate the compliment but there are social places he will never, ever be persuaded to go. Sharing his food, even with the puppy, would be right toward the top of that list of things that won't ever happen.