Dog Walk

  Getting ready to go out for another walk. This picture was taken yesterday. Not a great one. Binka is in the forefront. The sun was in my eyes, and I was basically pointing and guessing.

The dogs did well together. The day before when Odin arrived, Binka was not pleased. But, they are adjusting to each other. I’m still missing Barney and thinking it was too soon, perhaps the same thing Binka was thinking. However, I’m trying to make it work. My husband kept saying he looks just like Barney. He looks very little like Barney. The only similarity is the size and black color, and even that is different. So, I ask him, “How soon after I die would you move another woman in? A younger one. Would you say she looked just like me?” Okay, I’m joking here, I think.

The whole scene the day before when the dog arrived was like something out of a cartoon. One of the first things we did was take Odin and Binka for a short walk, a half mile around the field, just to show him around. He was on a leash. We don’t normally keep dogs on leashes, but since everything was new we thought it was for the best. He has since broken two leashes. We are now out of leashes.

He dragged my husband around the field, really giving him a workout. He didn’t see the five deer that ran in front, but went after a rabbit, dragging my husband behind him. After the walk, he discovered the cats. Barney, Binka and the cats were always best buds, but this dog does not like cats. They might have thought he was playing at first, but soon found out he meant business from the growls. The chase began. They ran furiously around the fish pond, until the cat took a high dive in from the waterfall. You can only imagine how bad it must have been for a cat to dive into a pond to escape a dog.

We were both astounded and frightened by this whole situation. I say, “Tie him up out near the deck where the cats stay so he can get used to them, maybe grow to love them.” That was when he broke the second leash. That was the leash that we occasionally used on Barney when someone who would visit didn’t like dogs. They were usually scared of Barney and his affectionate ways. Barney broke leashes rather easily, too.

So, anyway, we have a cat in the fish pond. I’m worried about the fish, as the cats are always eyeing them. But, due to the situation, I’m sure the cat was too stressed to think about consuming fish, even if he could have caught them. I asked my husband, “Can he get out on his own.” He said, “Yes.” How he knew this I didn’t know. But he did. The cat was so pathetic looking. Who knew a cat was so skinny under all that fur. He looked like a nervous stick figure drawing. I’m afraid they all might be getting skinnier before this is over. We put their food out, but don’t know exactly who is eating it, since we have seen very little of them since Odin has come on the scene. We are pretty sure they are hiding out in the greenhouse. My husband has been putting cat food in there. I know they must be coming out from time to time. I suspect that every time Odin growls. There have been no more chases that I know of.

And there has been no more climbing over the car. No, I didn’t mention that. My husband went to the car to get something, and the dog must have thought he was going for a ride. He jumped up on the car, trotting right over it like a sidewalk. I was afraid of dents, but I only see paw prints.

There is a herd of deer that usually walk from one field to the other through our front yard every morning. They have stayed away. These same deer have been eating from our garden for the past two years. One morning I woke up to see all the kale gone. And, yes, we tried everything short of an expensive fence. Barney used to keep them out, but quit after he got older. He just didn’t have it in him anymore. I am seeing a bright ray of hope of having a deer free garden this year.

All I can say is that we have made it through two days. I’m sure it will work out. Going for that third walk now.