Jaci Dawn

Another boring post on dogs – sorry. I had another topic in mind, but the photos didn’t turn out. So I am going to bore you to death with the antics of my new friend, Harvey.

The first two weeks of Harvey’s new life, I was taking him for a mile-long walk two times a day.  That isn’t much, really, but I was also walking two miles a day during breaks at work, so I was feeling pretty good about fitting in four miles a day. However, I haven’t been feeling up to snuff the past few days and I’m barely managing one mile-long walk with him in the early morning and my two leisurely “strolls” at work (they are leisurely compared to the pace Harvey walks, coupled with the level terrain. At home, we’re going up and down hills). I suspect allergies play a part in the lethargy I am feeling, but I am just plain worn out.

Harvey, on the other hand, is experiencing energy to spare.

What to do? What to do? I need him to get enough exercise to be a tired dog (tired dogs are good dogs), but I haven’t got the energy to make that second hike in the afternoons. I’m sure it will come back, but my get-up-and-go got up and left.

Last night I discovered Harvey does know how to play. I think in the world of doggie adoptions, there’s a period where the new dog just is not certain of his new surroundings, so he doesn’t play, he doesn’t bark, he doesn’t exhibit a lot of his normal personality all in the name of figuring out what the rules are and if he will like his new home.

When my mother adopted her Schnauzer, he didn’t bark or howl for the first few weeks. Then one day, he started barking. And howling. It was the day he decided he lived with us and he knew my mom loved him. (Unfortunately, his favorite time to howl was at 3:00AM and the neighbors did not love him… or my mom.)

Harvey has been hiding his wonderful sense of humor from us. There have been hints, but he just has not felt free to be himself around us until these past few days.

In his “care package” from the pound, he was given several toys, all of which Murphy stole from him. Murphy ate the stuffed lamb. The rope toy has survived only because Murphy only plays with it in passing.

I stole it from Murphy last night & took it outside with Harvey, alone. And he was like a puppy, bouncing in the air and barking, wagging his fool tail and chewing on the rope toy until I took it and tossed it, again.

Tonight, I let Murphy in on the fun.

And fun it was. Don and I sat in the lawn chairs and just laughed at the antics as Harvey stole the rope toy time and again from Murphy. Tug of war? Harvey wins. Momentary lapse of attention? Harvey steals. Murphy stood over Harvey and barked and begged and feinted – but Harvey kept winning. When Murphy did get the toy, he trotted out of rope range and chewed on it. But he always took it back to tease Harvey, and Harvey would steal it away.

They’re good doggie friends. While some of the photos look like they are fighting, there were only play growls and play feints being made. Happy dogs.

And now Harvey is a tired dog.

Now, if only I could find my energy.