The Dog Days of Summer: Log Entry #1

For those who don’t know already—which is probably no one reading this blog by now—I have been given the task of housing sitting for a very nice ex-Grinnellian family with two dogs. Chip and Reina.

I have not had time to really get to know these two fine dogs yet, though I definitely will get that opportunity over the next month. So for now I’ll give you a little run down of my two charges.

Reina

Like her non-official brother Reina is a Spanish Water Dog. She was a rescue. Apparently born in a litter that was a little loopy in the brain in general, she was originally paired with an abusive owner. He probably had a low voice and inappropriately used a shock collar on her. As a result of her troubled genealogy and lived-past she is a little/a lot neurotic. For example, on walks, she is very distrustful of other people. I’m sure I’ll find out more quirks soon. She is also the alpha dog of the two.

Chip

Originally from Spain, transported to America as a puppy. A rambunctious fellow. His favorite pastime is playing with his tennis ball. Seriously, if he could play with that thing 24/7 he would be the happiest puppy. However, if Reina decides she wants the ball (not because she likes to play fetch, but because she likes to taunt chip) he won’t take it from her b/c of her alpha status. He is on several medications for a semi-mysterious allergy that comes every summer time apparently. I just hope I can keep up with his boundless energy.

My First Day (July 3^rd)

As I walked in the door for my first day (well night anyway) in my new, temporary digs, I was immediately confronted by my first dog-sitting challenge: Make the dogs not completely terrified of my presence and/or want to bite me. Reina refused to come downstairs and Chip stood a few feet away from me barking menacingly. After a few minutes of hopeless “it’s okay Chip”, “you know me Chip, it’s okay” “here please sniff my hand without biting it off, Chip”, I resorted to what I hope will be my only desperate phone call to the masters of the house. Sara, the wife, answered my pleas of ‘what to do?’ with a somewhat obvious suggestion: give them a treat. And so I did, to Chip anyway. That pretty much won him over. Alas, Reina refused to even go downstairs with me so I could give them a calming, get-to-know-you, walk. And so I let her stay up there, and eventually come downstairs, ‘theoretically’. Sara confirmed by text that’s what I should do. So I did, and Reina warmed up to me soon enough. I was a little nervous, but I agreed to go to dinner with my Mom, Dad, and Sister a little while later. Unfortunately, I forgot to warn my family that the dogs do not like the door bell, or I guess anyone coming up to the door. So my dad rang it and they went crazy. I managed to slip out and was happily surprised that when I returned from dinner they were relatively unfazed about me coming in. I think it’ll take a while to learn how to read their moods and decode what they want from me (treat, backyard, walk), but I’m optimistic. And before I sign out on my first day I will wonder aloud why Reina seems to like to hide under my bed (in the guest bed room) and if this is a bad or good thing, as this was something I was not primed for by Sara’s detailed instructions. We’ll see.