Friday, November 30, 2012

Gracie takes me for a walk


It's been six weeks since Gracie came to live with us. She is just a couple of days shy of three months old. She makes me laugh, a lot. She's making great progress on housebreaking, but she still hasn't figured out a way to tell us when she needs to go out. Or, perhaps, we haven't figured out when she's telling us she needs to go out.

I've been outside more in the last six weeks than I was all last summer. (It was hot, super hot, and I mostly hid out in the ac.) And, surprise, surprise, it is good for me, just like the doctors have been telling me.

 
We have this land, not quite fifteen acres, that has lain fallow for decades. From the very first summer we moved here, Kent has cut walking paths in the field. It's lovely to watch the seasons change, savor the wildflower blooms, enjoy the rustle of the tall grasses. But I'm a big scaredy chicken, there are snakes in the field. Okay, so they are just garter snakes, and mostly no longer than my forearm, they are snakes. I'm with Indiana Jones, anything but snakes!
 
But now that I have Gracie, the wonder dog, (and the snakes are all hibernating), we have been enjoying our daily walks through the field.
 
 
 
These trees weren't even here when we moved in, almost twenty years ago. Slowly what used to be a fallow field is becoming, once again, a forest.  While Gracie is busy playing food/not food, I am also busy enjoying the sunshine, and studying the way shadows give dimension to a monochromatic landscape.
 
 
Gracie has changed my life. She makes me so happy, even when she is being her destructive puppy self. But how on earth do you look at that face and stay angry for long? Sure, some days I suffer from puppy fatigue, but she's learning so fast, and wants to please. We'll get there, Gracie, we'll get there together.


 

5 comments:

  1. Puppies and dogs ( mine are 8 and 9) are the best. They are good company. and do keep us more active. I am so happy for you

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  2. I lost 15lbs thus past year with our puppy. Beth.. and we taught hercy to ring a bell to go out. Hang a bell on the door knob so it almost touchs the floor. Every time U take her out touch her paw to the bell & ring it. Kalee now rings the bell even when she wants something. It' a hoot

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  3. Hi Beth!
    Our son's family has a dog that doesn't bark at the door to let you know - they put a jingle bell hanging from the knob and trained her to move the bell to let you know...of course when she was still a puppy "visiting" at my house, the smarty did it just so she could be outside! Maybe it will help in the training...love to babysit my granddogs! Wishing you and yours an early Merry Christmas! Savor the season!

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  4. Beth..I tired to post via FB but looks like it didn't go through! I lost 15lbs since we got out little Kalee last Sept.! We taught her to ring the bell to go outside...she was crate traied too so if she didn't go when I took her out, she went into her crate for 10 min. then back out until she would pee...BUT...I tied a bell on the door knob and everytime we took her outside to pee I would ring the bell with her paw. She now rings the bell to go outside every time! In fact, she knows we'll get up & come to her so she even rings the bell when she wants fresh water or a treat! It's a hoot! I couldn't wait for nighttime to go to bed..the puppy fatigue can get you but the puppy love reward is worth it!

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  5. Stephanie6:48 PM

    Reading the line "Gracie has changed my life. She makes me so happy..." brought a huge smile to my face. I think that the older we get, the more we appreciate the simple joys a puppy can bring.
    Our pets are truly little blessings. I'm so happy for you and Gracie, who is absolutely adorable.

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