I haven't seen the bear...

I am once more babysitting the big dogs and the fish and the cat and I am learning more everyday. Eben, an Australian blue heeler was an only child. She predates all the other dogs and the baby. She is smart, but she is also very sensitive. She keeps me on my toes playing mind games with her to get her outside when I want her to go out instead of when she chooses to go out. I tried sitting down with her and having a talk, telling her that I live downstairs and therefore cannot be relied upon to come when she needs to go out. She turned around and walked away. She knows where the treats are and would help herself if she were just a bit taller. She also knows that I am using random reinforcement to get her to go out without a treat every time. We pretend she doesn't. We also pretend that I am smarter than her, but sometimes I think she is just bored and tired of playing games. I know I am afraid not to rub her belly before I leave every time, because if I insult her too much she will retaliate and pee on something.

Duke the old male who was so badly abused is some sort of very large, very big boned, English Spaniel. He's either very elderly and very wise, or just a duffus. Either way, he is sweet and lovable and soooooo eager to please. He's been here a pretty long while and he knows what treats are and how to snap them out of the air. He can also, almost, sit down and take them gently from my fingers, if I am very brave and he isn't dancing too much when I offer it. He is just so pathetically grateful that I usually give him a scratch on his back just above where his tail starts. He almost groans with joy. How can I not appreciate that?

Joplin, some sort of short haired, large hunting dog is the tallest and newest of all three. She was dumped on the highway after having puppies somewhere. It took her a while after she moved in, but she has finally assumed her place as the dominant female. She is thrilled to see me when I arrive, jumping up on me, almost knocking me down in her excitement, but she does not really understand dog treats. She must recognize human food, because if I have cheese, or peanut butter, or something like that she will scramble to get hers. Unlike the other dogs she cannot seem to catch anything in the air and if it turns out to be a dog cookie, I actually have to watch out to be sure the other two don't take hers before she figures out what it is. Don't get me wrong. She is sly. When I enter the house, Joplin is the one sitting with Duke, licking his nose, or cuddled up next to him. She tolerates Eben, but only on her own terms and out in the yard, wherever Eben pees, Joplin pees right over it. No doubt who the alpha female is in this family.

Pumpkin the cat is now ensconced upstairs for the winter. She has her food and water on the steps and comes down after I put the food in her bowl. I think she is just glad that there is a place to go now that I am living in her apartment.

The fish? The fish are not doing so good. I had to scoop one out yesterday night and it was a mess. He died under a huge rock formation in a fifty gallon aquarium and I finally had to use one arm almost up to the shoulder to move it, so I could get a net around him. I wrapped him in two plastic shrouds, said a few kind words and dumped him into the tallest trash can outside that had a tight fitting lid. He's way too big to flush and the garbage man doesn't come until Monday and the dogs ripped the back out of the last can that smelled good.

I haven't seen the bear that several others have seen around here, but it gives me pause when I go up at night. I doubt he would hang around when the dogs are out, but they aren't out until I get there.

Life goes on and right now I am really enjoying it again.