Tuesday, January 15

Zipping about.

This new 'learning curve' for Leo & his doting parents is not so much a curve, as a complete perpendicular cliff face!

I don't know how we are all going to survive. It is only day one, & already there have been tears, & tantrums, & that is only the humans!

Last night began the New Life. Leo has become too bossy & dominating by half. He is sure he is the Leader Of The Pack. Gom aiding & abetting him, assured him he was right. The difficult part now will be teaching him he is not the top dog, he is just a lowly mutt on the bottom of the ladder.

Here he is sulking in his new designated corner of the lounge. We are not to look at him. I tried to call him to get him to look up for the camera, but,... well, he was going to teach ME about ignore!He is to be tied, to his corner, until he learns his place. No more choosing on his part.

It is breaking Gom's heart. He just dotes on that dog, & he is going to be the hardest to convince we really really need to do this, or Leo is going to bite someone. Then what would we do. The thought of him being put down is unthinkable.. if you see what I mean!



Sherry, at Q's Corner, has the most delightful photos of birds on her blog, & she asked me if I could show some of ours. I did get a great photo of a Cockatoo which I posted here, but other birds are too quick for me to capture. We have a Grevillea growing in our back garden, & the native Shrikes love this ratty old shrub. They spend a great deal of time getting the nectar from the flowers,
& they have become very bold when we are sitting out under the pergola. They will fly under the pergola, over our heads to access the shrub.

I did my best to get a shot of either of the two that were there this morning, but they seemed to know I wanted them to be still, & they just kept darting away. They are not showy at all, & blend right into the shrubbery. This picture has one bird in the centre, & there is a little green on it's wings. Sorry it is such poor quality.

We do get a lot of beautiful butterflies in our garden, but I can never seem to get a photo of any. They just don't settle, & I dont know enough about them, to know what would be likely to attract them to settle. There is a lovely black & white large variety that visits, & it has bright red spots at the base of it's wings. I would love to get a photo of one.


I have been taxi service for our Daughter J, over the weekend, & yesterday. She has been stranded with no car, & what a tale of woe that is. I have nothing but contempt for the absolute turd swine of a man who caused a lot of the misery, & delay on repairs.

Back to yesterday's experience. We went to the local Supermarket, whose manager needs a good kicking shaking to awaken the slothful shelf stackers, & staff. Memo to me ;Never go there for something I really want, or need!!

There was a large display stand close to the entrance with Christmas stockings, & ornaments, & trees- all the leftovers from the Season of Goodwill. There were some hyenas women grabbing & grasping these items, determined not to let another soul near them. The fact that most of the items were going out at 5c 10c & 20c was an added attraction.

The ugly face of naked greed on their part took our breath away! They had armloads of things. They appeared terrified lest some other person got a share, or even the chance to touch, any of the items. I was on a mission for some item, which of course, they didnt have currently in stock- they never do have anything useful, or any of the advertised 'specials'. And sod the 'raincheck policy'. I want it NOW. Not in a week or so. I don't want to have to make another trip to get the wretched item. GRRRRR.

I had intended returning to see if the Hyenas had left any scraps, but forgot in the anger of the moment. Daughter J had returned, -she said another larger Hyena had bulged her way into the fray, & so the whole stand was swamped with heaving Hyenas.

We decided we definitely didn't want anything that badly & went off to attend to other matters.

******


After I took DJ home, I noticed a bus from one of the Retirement Villages, pulling away at the lights. I watched as the white haired occupants stared out the windows, resembling so many iced currant buns, with coconut sprinkles. I wondered if one day I will be one of the currant buns, sitting in the bus waiting to taken 'home'.

This area is often referred to as "God's Waiting Room" or, in farming terms, the "Holding Paddock".

It is big on retirees. It is one of my fears, having to live in a "Home for the Aged" I suppose there may come a time when I would be happy to go.



However, right now, sorting out the 'monster' dog we have created is more pressing. I am hopeful we can achieve a good result, but it is not going to be painless- for any of us!



John Denver, Some Days Are Diamonds.

23 comments:

Marja said...

Hi I am just back from holiday. Your dog just looks so cute Can't believe that he bites. But dogs also need to know their place.
Here the christmas stuff is already gone a while and they might be soon getting ready for Easter. Hope everything is fine.

Jellyhead said...

Meggie I can so relate to your dog 'woes'. Our beagle is getting increasingly snarly... in fact she growled at ME the other day when I reached down to pat her while she was chewing a bone.

It's awful that we have to be mean to make dogs realise they can't 'boss' us around with snarls and growls and snapping. But as you say, better that than have them bite someone.

Love your story about the hyenas!

Best of luck with taming the wild beast (little Leo!)

Mary said...

Oh those hyenas - that made me laugh.

Persistence will work with little Leo - you might regret it otherwise.

The photo of him is a cracker!

Jess said...

Poor Meggie! I hope Leo takes his medicine soon like a good little doggie!

What does Honey think of this?

ancient one said...

I know it is going to be so hard to be boss with Leo. My daughter, Little Penpen has a story on her blogspot today about her dogs. She's sick and so are they.

I still see a little bit of Christmas things still in the stores, but Valentines are everywhere. I did get two cloth Christmas Table Cloths today 75% off. The store I was in was very quite.. no hyenas there. Loved your story...

CONNIE W said...

You always bring me a laugh or two...this time with the 'hyenas'. Poor little Leo, learning new habits isn't his cup of tea it seems. Hang in there!

Mike said...

We often watch that TV show on National Geographic Channel called "The Dog Whisperer." My wife is always telling me that we need to use some of those methods on my spoiled rotten little dog. I simply don't have the heart to do it.

meggie said...

Hi Everyone,
Leo is going to need major work. Gom is the one who is suffering the most & this morning he had tears in his eyes. He does so love that dog, & I do too, but we cant have him biting people, or being a 'promiscuous pisser', as my brother likes to say.

I had forgotten his father was a bad tempered dog... should have steered clear of him, but of course, by then, was hopelessly in love with him! Leo's brother is our daughter's dog, & he has a different temperament.

Tanya Brown said...

Re-training Leo sounds vexing and heartbreaking. However, I'm sure you're doing the right thing. Just as with human children, our "fur children" can't know the dangers or risks of certain actions, such as unprovoked (from a human point of view) biting.

Your tale of the human hyenas made me laugh. Oh, lord. What would we all do without our sale-priced seasonal crap to be hauled to our homes, which are already bulging with other crap?

Katie said...

Sorting out a dog is hard work but you are doing the right thing. It's well worth it for both you and the dog. Ngaire is such a big girl we have to have complete control of her. Not for even a minute is she allowed to be dominant and it seems she loves us all the more for it! I'm sure once Leo gets the pecking order figured out he will too. :-)

On the subject of birds, I've been watching a flock of turkey vultures swoop around in the sky for the last 3 days. Some of them were even hanging out in the trees behind our property. There must be something dead back there by the creek. A deer I suppose. They are amazing to watch.

Anonymous said...

I am imagining you in an outfit like that girl on "me or the dog"...

I'm sure it will be ok after the hard work is done

meggie said...

Tanya, 'our houses bulging with other crap'!! how true!
Katie, I see Ngaire is a big girl, but sometimes the bigger they are the better natured.
O no Tracey, an outfit like that on me, would be like several cushions where the stuffing was misplaced!!

Ali Honey said...

Yes I can see how tying Leo up will restrain him from biting , but not how it will stop his little accidents?

Are you quite sure he is well?Often snappy behaviour and wee accidents are an indication of something wrong or ill health or something hurts?

Can't you change supermarkets.....I would!

Catalyst said...

Meggie - Carry your camera with you and the next time you are confronted with "hyenas", take their picture . . preferably with a flash and quite obvious to them.

I have grown so tired of people talking on cell phones in public and in loud voices that whenever I'm feeling "spunky", I just walk up to them and stare at them.

May not do any good but it makes me feel better.

Best of luck with the sulking Leo and the sad GOM.

meggie said...

Ali, I would like to assure you Leo is very well, has just had a vet check, & is a very healthy dog. His behaviour is purely about domination, to be the leader of the household. His biting has just begun, & we dont want to risk him getting worse. The Dog/Tech man is very good, & came to our house to assess Leo, & can see what he is all about. I must say, though this day has been quite hard, he is a different dog already!

Cat, yes, Gom is very sad. He thinks Leo will never be the same-- well, he won't but that is a good thing! We never had a problem like this with any of our other dogs, but perhaps we never spoilt any of them as much as we do these 2.

Haha, I like the idea of snapping random photos of people behaving badly!!
I love the thought of getting old & eccentric. Perhaps I could carry a water pistol, & squirt bad behaviour!! Harmless, but shocking!!

Anonymous said...

Meggie , What do you mean ' the thought ' of getting old and eccentric -- surely we're half way there already ?? Remember the " I'll just wear these slippers on my ears " episode ??
Good Luck with Leo , and with GOM !!

The Sagittarian said...

"OOOH< Leo's brother is our daughters dog...." um, am I being very naught and Waimate here???? He might be is own granpaw.............

Lucy said...

What is it with these over-indulgent men and their pets?

Molly's Ok but we once had this really dangerous monster cockerel that Tom absolutely adored... it was very nearly me or the cockerel, fortunately the latter died before push came to shove.

The hyena scene is really depressing isn't it, and what do they want with a load of tacky old baubles after Christmas anyway?

Q said...

Dear Meggie,
Thank you very much for your link!
Seeing your birds is delightful. I also hope you get a photo of the butterfly, she sounds beautiful!
I once had two dogs and a few cats.
They did vie for who was "top dog". It is lots of work for you but worth it. Having well behaved animals about makes for pleasant living for everyone.
The hyenas did make me laugh. I bet they were ugly. Seeing greed in action is horrible. Yikes!
Thanks again for links.
Sherry

Joni said...

Meggie,
I feel for you and Leo. I know that must be so hard. I am planning a post next week that might interest you (or might not) I hope others will get some good out of it as well.

Linda G. said...

Goodie, I like that you're taking photos of your interesting and colorful birds!
Poor Leo, but sulking is probably one of his controlling tricks, and when he finds it doesn't work he may shape up a bit.

Thimbleanna said...

Awww. Poor, poor Leo. I suppose this means that kissing on the lips is out??? LOL!

Jeanette said...

Hi Meggie im back, Poor Leo sulking, Well he will soon learn who is boss if you keep putting him in his corner when he is naughty.there like children and have to learn who is Boss.