Early Warning System

I'm impressed by Coda's ability to figure out the "good guys" from the "bad guys". Or at least the "be-wary-of-me guys". Today on a walk we passed 4 different gentlemen. All physically different in every way conceivable. All were greeted with a wagging tail and an attempt to lick them silly. It's nice to know my dog's not prejudiced.

But the happy greeting isn't always the case, which, honestly, makes me feel safer. Every so often we will come upon someone and the hair slowly rises. The collar starts to pull. And I feel a slight vibration through the leash telling me that while I might not be able to to hear it yet, she's starting to growl. She stands between me and the other person, who by this point is usually across the street or taking a different route considering the size and look of my dog. And I'm a-o-kay with that. I think the only time she really had me worried was when we never saw anyone. We went out for our nightly walk and before we'd gone 100 feet her hair was up, she was growling audibly, and she was pulling me back to the gate to get back into the complex, and then inside our home. For the next 15 minutes she walked between our back window and the front door, sniffing, growling, and watching like a hawk. She refused to go back out, even after she'd calmed down.

Several people have asked if I carry pepper spray or own a weapon that goes with us on our jaunts. I don't feel like I need one. With Coda, I feel like I get an early warning. And that she'll protect me. She doesn't search out trouble. She only makes me aware of possibly "iffy" situations. And will even lead me away, to keep me safe. She's my most trusted line of defense.

Those of you that hang out with me are probably tired of hearing it. However, I really do have a good dog.

Bathaphobia

Afraid of the bath. Or the water. Or just doesn't like the process. Or all of the above. And once she's in the tub, it's not so much a chore to keep her there, but to get her in a position where the water won't end up all over the floor with suds of flea and tick preventative shampoo making everything smell like wet dog.

I have to get my half laying down dog off the floor and put her in the tub. Coda weighs 86 pounds. Granted, no woman likes her weight to be displayed, but I doubt Coda will ever read this.

86 lbs. And as she creeps towards the edge of the tub in order to evade the oncoming stream of water from the removable showerhead (whoever invented that was a genius) I end up using my entire body's weight to realign her so she can be thoroughly washed and rinsed while causing the least spillover onto the floor.

And then she's done! The bath really isn't that long of a process, it's just, well, a process. I'm so glad when it's over though. She smells clean. She feels soft. Her hair kind of frizzes up in a couple of places to where that section looks like a crewcut on a dog. And the whites of her paws are WHITE. It's like bleaching an old white undershirt and realizing just how dirty it was.

Until next time. When maybe she won't weigh 86 lbs. and I won't feel like I'm throwing out my back getting her into the tub.

Sleeper Cell

She lies in her bed, seemingly deep in sleep. Dreaming. Her big paws twitching and her lips moving as small bursts of air escape in a simulated bark while she chases a squirrel or cat. She's restful. Lazy. And then 1:40pm rolls around and I can't get her out of my face until I take her out on a walk so she can see that the weather has only deteriorated throughout the day to become even hotter and more unbearable. So it's back inside to the cool tile floor. Not 30 minutes later, she's in my face again.

To think she's so cute...

The Perfect Blade

Most dogs I know are rather particular about their whereabouts. Mine seems to have taken that and run with it. We walk. In the heat. Out front. In the alley. Around the block. Across the busy street to another sidewalk. To the empty lot. To the other empty lot. Seemingly everywhere. To find the perfect blade. It must be placed correctly. Smell just so. And if it's in view of another animal at the time, that automatically raises its status.

Are all dogs like this? I know from neighbors and friends who have walked Coda for me before that she can be quick. Even surprisingly so. Go out, squat, go back in. As soon as I take the leash though, we are out for an adventure! Especially when I am running late for school.

Maybe that's okay though. Like when we were kids. My parents knew that while we would push boundaries and cause early gray hairs, we were always polite and respectful in society. Maybe I should welcome the fact that even though my ends are fried by the 5th time we circled the same spot, others, when in charge, have a simple and direct outing.

So search for it, Coda. Sniff it out. Find that one blade that needs you the most. And claim it for your own. So long as you're with me.