Sassy Has a New Friend

 

 Sassy was the ball-catching athlete of the dog park, wowing all the owners and making the other dogs jealous of the magical orange ball.

Ranger Bob rescued a dog shivering and unidentified at the cemetery he visits (his mother and Army Ranger step-father).

I named her Lady Luck, and Bob shortened it to Lady. I will get photos up in a few days.

Sassy is gentle with all dogs and cats, and Lady is very smart, gentle, and obedient. The starving dog routine is now a duet.

Bible Covers

 

Sassy and Ghost - Friendship Through the Fence

Ghost and Sassy have become good friends. This male dog is large, thin, and not eager to bark loudly or growl. He plays doggy tag with Sassy, though on opposite sides of the fence. 

When he was a little puppy, he walked straight into the Rose Garden to become friendly, his family not knowing how to get to him - respect for the garden.

The formerly small dog is full grown and stands on his hind feet to say hello and have some conversation with me. He wants his head stroked and his floppy ears gently tugged.

Sassy's game with me is to give her lovies before she will jump onto the bed. I ask, incredulously, "You want a lovey?!" She grins. Sometimes she fakes the jump to get a second or third lovey. 

An alternative is to pose for the lovey, chest against the bed, and turn 180 degrees and trot down the hallway to go outside - grinning.

Lutheran Librarian Alec Satin says, "Pets teach us to play their games."

Sassy Meets Ghost - Plays Tag

 Sassy has a white mussel now. She normally goes to the front to guard the garden and look for Ranger Bob.

Sassy wanted to go outside in the backyard, so I let her out. Soon I heard a " Wuff! Wuff! Wuff!" It was so gentle that it did not sound quite like a dog. Sassy issues orders with sharp, indignant barks.

I peaked out the backdoor, suspecting it was Ghost (her stage name, to avoid costly lawsuits). She is the beautiful white puppy who invited herself into the Rose Garden when I was sitting on the ground and working with some plants. Ghost seemed to know the coast was clear, the family would not pursue her. We had a little talk and Ghost rewarded me with kisses, licks, and a place on her dance card. The family wanted her back but did not want to trample the garden. After all, I grow real weeds. Ghost went back and everyone was happy.

Ghost is quite large and slender now, with long silky hair. She wanted to play tag with Sassy, and they both jumped around, feigning attacks, and had fun in spite of the fence. I will do some things in the backyard, and Ghost is likely to insist on some talk, petting, and perhaps tennis ball chasing.

Beware! The Tides of March!

Sassy Teaches This Old Dog a New Trick

 Norma A. Boeckler took this photo at the dog park when she visited us.

Sassy had trouble jumping up on the bed as she got older. She could do it most of the time, but she liked being encouraged. I even put my foot near her tail to encourage her. She did her, "Rar, rar, rar!" warning bark but did not mean anything by it. She is known for being gentle but very loud.

She kept making fake attempts at jumping up one night, and I got angry. Then I sat down and petted her, telling her how much we all loved her. She gave me a gentle little lick of affection.

 Sassy jumped, ran, and fetched better than the four-legged dogs.

That - I learned to my sorrow and laughter - was the beginning of the lovey needed for the jump. She no longer jumped for any reason but pushed her chest up against the bed, looked up, and grinned at me for a lovey. That had to be fairly wordy and effusive in language about her many friends, her gentleness, and her love for everyone. 

So that immediately became a requirement. Her fake run turned into parking her chest against the bed. When we took off the legs of the bed - for her - she continued pushing her chest against bed and grinning. I took that as the new expectation, but I was wrong.

Soon Sassy began to park her chest against the corner of the bed. I thought maybe she was saving time. No. After that was done, she pretended to get her fun going, but pushed her chest in the same place again. She began giving me really big grins for this. (I gave her an M.A. - honoris causa - in adult education - for training me so well. The honorary doctorate will come later, I am sure.)

Tonight I tried to get her to jump after the first lovey, at the corner of the bed. She wiggled around and stopped with her chest against the bed again - big grin. She likes a longer bout of petting for the second time, and she wants an elaborate discussion of her merits, friends, and awesome reputation. I get a second gentle lick for being such a good student at her academy.

 People loved seeing Sassy in the back seat, with me as the chauffer, in the Lincoln Town Car. It was a beautiful, smooth, dependable car that went 205,000 miles for us and then provided transportation for a friend's mother.

Sassy Helps Alaska Go Back Home

I was walking Sassy a bit late this morning when a big black dog met me in the middle of the road (no traffic) and began hugging me. "Alaska! Are you out again? Let's go home."

Alaska, full of energy and love, loped in circles around me and came back to hug me some more.

"Come on Sass, Alaska has to go home. Alaska, I will be your advocate, your protector." Sassy was audibly annoyed and barked some displeasure.

We were close to the house, so I rang the bell, and out came one of the staff. He said, "Oh yeah, he took off running this morning."  Alaska went inside. They love Sassy, and I love Alaska and Atlas.

Once we got to the turn-around, Pat and John needed a lift to the bank and auto repair. We went back and got the Voyager and took them both places. I wanted some Walmart vegetables, so I got them the milk they needed.

The errand worked out well, and we came back. Sassy got lots of attention in the car, from petting where she lies down, between the front seats. When we drove onto some new streets for car repair estimates, Sassy spoke up with her special "I don't know where you are going" cracked bark. It is pitiful and sad -- and very handy for getting attention.