Dante Adventure – A Fine Day In

running-dog-4413620_640 This was a very nice meeting we were having. Indeed it was, and we seldom get to do this, but today was a good day to do it. So we were all gathered up on the sofa, just woofing about the things we’d done, we wanted to do and what smells we’d found behind the cabinet. Just random stuff, and a lot of it.

I laid in my very sprawled and expanded position, attempting to take up as much space as possible. This effort was done to hinder Skipper from hogging it all to himself. Gracie was sitting in our midst, taking turns rubbing and inspecting each of us. A couple of times she asked us for some “tickets, please,” but that phrase really didn’t make much sense. Maybe she meant something else, but other parts of our conversation were like this too.

There were more comments made by Gracie, most of which sounded very calm and soothing, but very confusing. It seemed like she wanted to know more about the spaghetti incident, to which both Skipper and I denied any knowledge. That whole ordeal was supposed to have remained top secret, so we couldn’t figure out how she found out about it. Some birdy must have told.

We moved on from there, mostly describing to her some of the things we’d done yesterday and what toys seemed to have the best playability. This was a very important discussion, because we pups do take our playtime seriously. It’s more than just a hobby.

“Well, I really like the ones with the squeakers in them,” Skipper commented.

“But you’ll just make the ruckus all night long,” I argued. “You need to stick with the extra fluff so you don’t make as much noise.”

“Well then I’ll just make a mess like you do then,” Skipper retorted.

“No, you don’t make the mess, that’s my job!” I snipped back.

“Fine, then I get the squeakers…that’s my job,” Skipper ruffed and went back to enjoying his chin tickling.

Gracie started in with some more of her things, some of which happened to be about the park and tomorrow and the plans regarding the thing about something in the place outside the water bowls where the wild things play. Okay, so we don’t really know what she meant, but it’s nice to have a chat about such things.

Though we couldn’t understand what Gracie was telling us, she’d begun to rub my left ear and I couldn’t listen anyway and the rest of the conversation tapered off. I leaned in to force her to get that annoying itchy spot.

“Naw,” Skipper ruffed and got in the way, “he’s had enough…tug my ears now.”

And she stopped paying attention to me and started tickling Skipper. I was jealous. Immediately I began attempts to regain control of her attention, which involved begging and swatting Skipper’s big ears so he’d scoot out of reach.

There was eventually a truce and we each got half our friend’s attention. Everyone was happy and Gracie proceeded to tell us more things about some things we didn’t really know about.

It’s nice to sit with friends, especially best ones. We can’t really speak to her, even though we are best friends, but such occasions are a nice way to spend an afternoon. And that’s just what we did. We’ll probably do it again too, just so long as nobody brings up the spaghetti thing again.

Author:

Jason Duron is a short story writer and author of several fiction stories. Curious and lovable as dogs can be, the Adventures of Rocky, Nixi, and Dante give you a chance to see daily life from a “dog’s eye view” and share in their thoughts. Please enjoy, and we hope that you’ll feel free to comment and give us insight into your dog’s very own adventures.

Dog Journal – Entry 204: Public Restroom

dog-1082096_640 I was so excited! My friend always takes me outside to investigate the downstairs place every day. And that’s where they keep the bushes and the grass and the neat stuff to sniff. Well, usually it’s pretty boring, sometimes a squirrel is hanging around or some birds fly by, but for the most part, there isn’t really much to do.

Then this afternoon, there was a new friend playing in the bushes. He had a tail and everything, even a friend of his own that was standing off to the side talking to someone else we couldn’t see. But that was okay, because now I had a playmate.

Being a small pupper, and with this rather large dog was so excite to see me, I had to freeze and put all other things on hold while I was sniffed and inspected. Courteous enough to allow me to do the same, we introduced ourselves and began dancing around super excite.

There was a problem with this though. While much fun was had, something was forgotten along the way. We played and ran around and sniffed things and pretty much had some serious fun. And when it was time to go back inside, I suddenly remembered exactly why we’d come out here in the first place.

I had to go potty. And with time so short, I was going to have to hurry along according to my pal’s persistent requests. But another problem soon arose. My new friend won’t leave me alone long enough to find a comfy spot. At first it started with the questioning, like “whatcha doin?” and “Wanna race?” But then came the nudges and the tackling. At that point, it became apparent to me that I was going to have to do this on the move.

I tried hiding in the bushes, but his big nose poked through the branches and nuzzled my face right before his tongue smacked me with slobber. It all turned out to be a very uncomfortable situation, and even though my pal tried to block for me, the big loaf would not give up and his friend wasn’t paying any attention either.

I really like playing with my friend, it would just be nice to have a moment alone to do my thing without getting pounced on or knocked over. My friend eventually found a good spot where no one else could go, my own private area, and the only way in was to be put in there. I sniffed some of the old flowers and plants and enjoyed the moments of peace.

I guess the lesson here is that when you gotta go, you gotta go, and there’s no place to go than a place where no one else can go.

Nixi Adventure – Dog at Work

dog-3202010_640 There were so many tunnels now, Nixi was struggling to remember where the toys were being stashed. It didn’t help that the covers and pillows kept collapsing around them as they moved through the maze, but perhaps it did prove to be advantageous for security purposes. No one was going to invade their den and make off with the loot…no one.

And that was the name of the game. The pups were floundering about the bed, making the extra covers that Brandon had tossed on top into a fort. And since their friend had forgotten to make the bed before he left, they’d seen it as a grand opportunity to play today.

From somewhere beyond the wall, the neighbor threw his own fit, upset that he’d been disturbed from his sleep. Probably a poor choice of timing to take some time off, but it is what it is. And now the pups were far more determined to entertain their audience.

They romped around, searching every nook and cranny to find all the goodies to be found. This was urged on by the neighbor’s grouchy demands to cut it out. There was no time for that right now though, the pups had to compete their mission.

With the toys piling up, the pups searched for more spots to stash treasures. They expanded onto the floor where some of the pillows and covers had begun to overflow. Shuffles even brought the sofa cushions back, just to ensure there would be enough tunnels to hide all the treasure.

Eventually, they ran out of toys to stash. All the tugging ropes and balls and stuffed squeakers had been gathered up and stored away in the fluffy tunnels, which left the pups searching for new ways to expand their goals.

Now they needed to find new things to put in the treasure cove. Luckily there were plenty of loose items just hanging around, waiting to be scooped up. The rooms were still messy enough, the sneakers had been left out, and the laundry had yet to be put away. Perhaps Brandon will take this as a hint in the future.

“Let’s go for the socks,” Shuffles whipped some covers back to reveal the exit.

“I’m gonna fetch the bowls, just in case we need some snacks,” Nixi ruffed before darting toward the kitchen.

The missions were successful, however there was much spillage of water and food tracking through the rooms. But at least the bowls were in the stash as well now. Shuffles munched on a few pebbles, wondering what to he should find next. Nixi tunneled back to another chamber where she grabbed a squeaker to make sure the neighbor wasn’t trying to go back to sleep anytime soon.

By the time Brandon made it home, a good long day at work had left him exhausted, the rooms had been ransacked, but at least clear of any debris. Well, most of the rooms anyway. The bedroom was a confounding system of tunnels, blankets sprawled out and pillows strewn about everywhere. And to add to the lumps on the floor, amidst all the toys and other strange items including his running shoes, were two snoring pups. It would appear that today was a very tiring, yet productive day well spent.

Author:

Dog Journal – Entry 203: Clue Dog

track-432104_640 There was something amiss this morning, but I couldn’t quite put my paw on it. I woke up as usual, fetched a drink of water, and we went out to the yard for early morning inspection and business as such. But when we got back inside, I knew something was not supposed to be as it was, and someone had done a thing that should not have been done.

I noticed right away that my ball was missing. Normally it would be rolling around the sofa room floor, but it was nowhere to be found. I searched around, a few sniffs here and there, checked under the sofa and behind the cushions, but I found no trace of it. The only thing I did notice was that the rug had been moved to a new spot…a clue?

The rug offered little more than some tufts of fur that stuck to the fluffiness. But finding nothing was something to think about because I distinctly remember chewing a treat on this rug yesterday. And of course, there should be some leftovers. There was no trace of such thing, which means that someone had cleaned up recently.

Further investigation led to the room of the whomping and thumping boxes that cleaned things, or so it was claimed to do such. The piles of smelly clothes were investigated, but nothing turned up. When I checked the boxes, something peculiar popped out at me though. I noticed that there was a large ball of lint and fur tossed next to the box, fresh and still warm. Nosing around, I picked up the distinct scent of the cat. She’d obviously been here poking around as well.

After searching the bathroom and the sleeping room, including under the bed, and also the window’s ledge where the cat often naps, I found the culprit in the kitchen. My ball was being bounced back and forth between the cat’s paws while she did flips and other odd tricks.

Yes, it was all clear to me now, obviously the cat must have convinced my friend to wash the rug where my ball had been. And of course, the ball was taken as well so instead of rolling off to the side, it went into the wash and through the dryer. Then, when no one was looking, the culprit swapped the lint ball for my ball to make it appear as though nothing was missing. Her plan might have worked, but she made one fatal mistake…lint balls don’t bounce and aren’t often found in the washing room. Ha! I am the most clever dog ever!

Rocky Adventure – The Doctor Is In

vet-4185908_640 It hurt so bad! Oh, the pain was all over my leg, pinching it’s way past my tail and made my fur stand on end. I’d done the thing, the thing that has never been a good idea. I was just racing through the house, minding my own business when I tracked across the sofa room, when all of a sudden it happened. I caught my paw on something when I was making my sweet turn, and I felt the pop. And that’s why it hurts.

The old man had come to my rescue, arriving to the scene and demanding to know what had happened. I told him all the things and showed him my paws. After taking some time to examine them, he helped me up and took me to the sofa. Rather than the normal playful flop, I was set down gently and told he’d be right back.

I instantly began licking my paw, trying to make it feel better. It did, but only a little bit. It felt like it was pulsing, beating, as if to ensure that it had my complete attention. I licked with increasing fury, but the ouch did not subside in the least.

“It hurts so much!” I whined to the old man. He’d arrived with things, a whole lot of stuff of which I recognized none. I expected maybe a bone or something to take my mind off my paw, but that apparently was not the plan.

I was flopped back onto my back and my paw was nabbed away from my still smacking tongue. The old man’s fingers moved around until they found whatever it was that was hurting me and he poked it.

“OUCH!” I yelped, trying to take my paw back. “Don’t do that!”

But the old man held fast to my paw and began putting something on it. It was cold, and that seemed to just make things worse. I struggled and squirmed, however the old man had a serious case of determination and I was not going anywhere soon.

After the stinging cold had soaked in, there was another wrestling match and then the wrapper opened. I sat still. Very still. Perhaps it was time for a treat. I looked at the old man as he opened up a wrapper and removed a very fluffy looking thingy, sort of like a marshmallow or something. Sniffing provided no information, even when I was allowed to inspect it. A flavorless treat?

Nope. The old man took it away before I could even so much as lick it and began unrolling it around my paw. The throbbing was still there, but at least the sharp pinching pains had gone away now. The roll continued to work around my paw until it had completely covered everything. In fact, it was now a very nice little ball of fluff sticking off my leg instead of my paw.

Then we were done. At least that’s what I was told before being set back down on all four to continue on with the day.

Not so fast though. It felt weird to walk. My paw still ached, but the step was super fluffy. I hobbled and wobbled around, trying to find a decent way to walk. There wasn’t really any good way to go about this, so I got back on the sofa and got comfy instead.

The old man sat next to me, resting his hand on my head and scratching beneath my collar. He’s a pretty good doc, the operation was a little ruff…but at least the recovery room has a very nice upside to it.

Author:

Dog Journal – Entry 202: It’s OURS

snout-4364127_640 Everyone wants my treat. This is the worst part about getting a treat, especially if you have some very sneaky friends. On this particular day, getting a treat turned out to be easy, but keeping it was going to be hard.

Rather than enjoy a few delicious nibbles, I ended up spending most of my time trying to avoid the others. This isn’t as easy as it might seem. After a few rounds through the sofa room and once over the bed, I was able to make it to my pal, and she quickly came to my defense, running the others out of the kitchen so they’d leave me alone.

At this point, the others resorted to more subtle techniques. At first it started out as charming and otherwise just trying to puff me up, but then came the begging and the whining. Eventually they resorted to the trickery, like: Look over there! The one that almost got me to take my eyes off the treat was the one about the knocking on the door. They knew that would d

Unfortunately, my friend does not stay still for long as usual, and she was off into another room to do the things she does. This left me all alone and vulnerable to the incoming thievery. The others slinked into the room and circled around me, trying to woof my attention away from the treat in paw.

Then when the negotiations didn’t work out, the sneaky snaps and daring dashes began. It’s tough when your fellow friends suddenly start trying to snag your goodies, and the hardest part is realizing you’re outnumbered. Now that my protector had gone off to do her own thing, I was left with only one choice…run!

Finding a safe place isn’t as easy as you might think, especially when the others are hot on your tail. I tried a few good hiding places, but they only work if no one knows where you are to begin with. In fact, I almost got cornered when I discovered that the blankets had piled up on the exit side of the bed. It was a close one, but I managed to lose the others in the fluff.

Finally I was able to enjoy my treat in peace. It wasn’t easy finding this spot. But patience payed off. All I had to do was wait for our friend to find a snug spot on the sofa and relax. And it turns out that if you snuggle up real close, you get a neck rub while you enjoy your treat. Safest place around these parts…so long as she doesn’t try to take my treat too…

Dante Adventure – Attention Grabber

border-collie-2184706_640 Skipper backed through the room, dragging his big fluffy bear he’d been gifted. It seemed dangerous to give such a thing to him, all that thrashing and banging around (had it not been soft and fluffy things would truly have been devastating.) The bear flopped against the wall again and finally slumped to a stop for a few quiet moments.

This was a break to relax, at least for Gracie and me. We were spending our time being calm and comfy and warm on the sofa. I was enjoying a nice brushing. All the bristles tickled me, tingling right down to the tail.

“Stop being the lazy,” Skipper barked. “You always being lazy.”

I ignored him and continued to enjoy the brushing. Every now and then, I felt a few tugs, but upon inspection of the brush, I found that only a little fur had been removed. And that was the thing, I had to inspect the brush when this happened. And Gracie lets me too, just so I won’t be worried about running around without my fur on I guess.

Suddenly my ear was nabbed, but not like it’s supposed to be. Skipper had gotten a hold on it and was trying to drag me onto the floor. I kept my position while Gracie started brushing him too. This was good, it was very good. An excellent tactic on the part of my friend. Skipper hates the brush, so it’s a good way to keep him away.

The brushing continued and I rolled to the side to allow Gracie to get my paws and legs. It was a great stretch followed by the calming flow of the brush through my freshly washed fur. Very relaxing, a must if I may suggest.

But one paw was not kept safe. I’d likely stretched way too far and now it was in the jaws of peril. I could feel Skipper’s warm huffs and puffs as he tried to drag me down to the ground again. He muttered something, but it was muffled by my furry paws lodged in his mouth. After some kicks and the intimidating flash of the brush, he backed off again.

All four paws and my tail tucked safely on the sofa with my friend, I regained the relaxing mood and closed my eyes. Perhaps I’ll dream of something nice, a romp around the park or eating the snowy stuffs that were falling outside.

There would be no rest for me though. Once again Skipper was on the attack. This was a big attack. I mean a big one. The bear slapped me and bounced onto Gracie, causing great confusion. I tumbled off onto the floor as Gracie fumbled to get the fluffy bear off and regain her bearings. This unfortunately left me right where Skipper wanted me to be. He’d won. And he was smuggly grinning about it too.

“So…” Skipper looked up at me, “You guys gonna play with me now or what?”

Author:

Dog Journal – Entry 201: Fur Me?

dog-4335948_640 I knew that something was out of the norm. My friend was trying to sleep in late, which is totally unacceptable. Pulling out all the pounces, I did manage to finally get him up and back on schedule. However, the regular routine was to be put on hold.

Things were a little different today, even the cat knew something was up and was presently awaiting my arrival from her hiding spot in the shiny tree. I was batted on the ear as I passed by on my way to the door.

By the time we got back inside (the snow was far too cold this early in the morn but I had to romp through it all at least once), everyone was already waiting for us in the sofa room. The breakfast was more of a snack thing, a biscuit and some sweet smelling drinks to be sipped and slurped. This seemed a little absurd at first, but I went with the new plan. Perhaps it involved some fun new game.

There was an odd game going on this morning. It was a different one, completely out of the norm. Everyone was gathered around, piled up on the sofa while the young ones were dancing around and making their happy sounds. I gave it a few woops and woofs, not really knowing what I was supposed to be doing, but it was fun.

The boxes that I was never ever supposed to touch (don’t even sniff at them) were now being passed around, everyone gathering something for themselves amidst the giggling and the young ones dancing around. But when I realized I didn’t have anything, I had to ask. I mean, there’s gotta be at least one thing for me.

After getting my friend’s attention, I explained the situation to her and asked about any goodies assigned to me. And as it turns out, there is one. A nice big one. It even had the paper stuffs wrapped all around it with a big bow on top. The bow was not for eating, but I was allowed to rip the paper. It sounded so wonderful, just like back in my puppy days.

And guess what I got! Yes, they hadn’t forgotten to get me a thing. My friend tossed the ripped paper and handed me the bone. I sniff, I taste, and then I take. So while the rest of my friends inspected their new goodies, I enjoyed mine. It was a very happy day indeed.

Nixi Adventure – Countdown

time-3573849_640 There wasn’t anything Nixi could do now, she was trapped. Trapped in a most comfy place at least, but there was no escape to be found. Perhaps if things had not been so perfectly arranged she would not have been tempted to be in the one spot that sprung the trap.

Yes, there was indeed a trap set, but it wasn’t meant to be a trap. The decorations for the evening were up and shiny, ready to bring in a brand new year, and Brandon hadn’t considered the nosy pups being so nosy.

Nixi wiggled in the laundry basket, squirming to get up the side. But the basket wasn’t falling over like it normally would. She’d been in this predicament before, but today there was something keeping it held fast to the ground. So the pup was stuck and everyone else was busy at the moment.

Brandon was getting some of the snacks ready while a few friends were hanging out around the sofa room, watching some exciting pictures on the television box. Shuffles watched as well, mesmerized by the flickering lights and shadows that darted around the screen. He couldn’t quite make them out, but he knew one of them was a cat. It had to be the cat. It was always the cat.

“Hey!” Shuffles barked, trying to climb up on the stand. “I see you…Come here!”

Very quickly, the battle ready pup was quickly escorted away from the television and into the kitchen. At least he was now with his pal, and just in time to put in a request for some snack favorites. He was not entreated though, but continued to beg with many skillful techniques.

The time was nearing, and the group was gathering, ready to celebrate a moment in time. Brandon waited with his friends, Shuffles still patiently waiting nearby for someone to make another mistake and spill their snacks again.

The comotion grew in anticipation. Brandon stared intently at his clock, counting to himself while others counted aloud. Shuffles counted the crumbs and Nixi was somewhere off on her own, all alone.

Nixi howled from her trapped location in the bedroom. She could hear the excitement out beyond the confines of her space, and she wanted so badly to be a part of it. “Awooo!” Another howl was issued, a request for help.

Finally Brandon realized that he was missing someone from the party. With speed and quickness, he darted from one room to the other, ready to the rescue. With an eagle eye, he spotted his missing friend and snatched up the captive puppy, cradled her under his arm and made a mad dash to join the others.

There were shouts of excitement, the whole group whistling and jumping around in joy and good cheer. Nixi was super excite herself, taking in everything, pleased with the apparent extreme approval that she’d finally been found. Today was definitely a good day to have friends like this.

Author:

Dog Journal – Entry 200: Shave and a Furcut

dog-salon-4096457_640 I really like being all furry and fuzzy. I’m warm in the winter and it keeps me cool in the summer. And of course, it makes me look really handsome, at least that’s what my pal tells me. Normally, such a wonderful coat as mine would have no downside to it, but somehow it does. Not only does my fine attire cause this problem, but it ends up being the very thing that ends up getting chopped up.

Yes…it definitely feels like it’s getting the chop when it comes time to get “groomed.” Pupsonally, I think my coat looks good all the time, but my friend has her own ideas it seems. The result is a terrible idea if you ask me, but no one ever does.

Getting my fur cut is totally annoying. I spend most of the time just running away and finding a good place to hide in hopes that she’ll forget about the whole thing. This has the possibility of consuming at least an hour, and on a good day I can get the whole afternoon. But that’s when I’m on a roll.

The sound of the clippers is super scary and definitely spurs the race in me. The first time I ever saw them, I thought it was a cool toy we were going to play with or something to chew. Well, it was something that did chew. And it ate up a whole lot of my fine fluffy coat. I felt naked.

I tried negotiating my way out of this the first couple of times I ended up in this situation. But nothing I tried seemed to work. I even tried my perfect cuteness at the maximum level and still it didn’t work. If anything, it seemed to get me into more

My friend has been quick to corner me in the bathing room, so even evasion has little success rates. And that’s when the clipping begins. It started with the snipping off of the tangles in my fur and a whole lot of tugging. I can feel the snips, every click that makes some more of my luscious coat fall to the ground. But no amount of whining will compel her to stop until it’s done.

The brushing is probably the best part though. Definitely a relaxing time after such a rough episode. Right away, I can tell that I’m missing a whole lot of me. Tufts here and there on the floor tell me what I’m missing. But at least there’s no more tangles to tug and pinch.

One thing I’ve dreaded, and it’s not always come to pass, is the bath to be had afterwards. Luckily, this particular grooming session did not come with one. So I get to finally relax on my favorite rug and enjoy the fresh warm air flowing through the vent to tickle my fresh new fur-do.