Today, the humans were emitting their “someone is coming over” scents and wearing shoes. So, it didn’t come as a surprise when my trainer came back! He talked with my humans, as usual, we put on my harness, and we set of on a walk. Only, today, my girl walked me! I was so glad to have Isabella on the other end of the leash! Nothing much happened. I saw 2 dogs, but they were too far away to get my attention. As we walked home, it was so hot and the grass was so cool…I lay down in the grass until my humans reminded me it wasn’t much longer till home.
Then when we got home, I got a drink and rested while my humans talked about “practicing stay.” Then they had me lay down and stay there while the trainer gave me delicious salmon treats, then released me with the word “ok.”
He talked about lightening up on the treats in the future, but I hope that’s the far, far, FAR, FARRRrrrrrr future! I also hope Isabella continues to walk me!
A week ago, a human showed up. He looked and smelled like the dog walker I’d had as a puppy. Plus, my humans seemed to know him, so he probably was. He talked with my humans about me, which seriously made me uncomfortable.
But he gave me beef-liver treats before he left, so not all bad! Then, today, he came back! He made me lay down before I got one of his yummy treats, but I still got one! Then we went out to walk, and he made me wait before going out the door. But I still got treats! We walked a while, but then a little yapper ran out at us from a driveway, as quiet as an angel shark!
Naturally, I tried to lunge at it, especially since my human Isabella was there and I didn’t want to take a chance with those little-dog-pins-and-needles-teeth! But the trainer held me back. He made me stop, sit, and look at him, and I did because who am I to refuse a trainer with yummy treats!? Then we moved on. We also tried it with another small dog sitting near his owners, who were working on their car. Then we went home, and the trainer left. My humans said I did a good job, so yay! They also said they are keeping some beef liver treats as “high value treats for emergencies,” so double yay!
The other day I heard Isabella mention that her iPod wouldn’t play videos outside due to sudden issues with the Wi-Fi enhancer. So, I decided to help fix it. While Dad toyed with the enhancer, I decided to go for what I thought was the root of the problem–the router. I unplugged the router, then quickly plugged it back in, realizing that this was the opposite of a solution! Dad came to check on it, but I was back in the tank by that time. I think they might suspect me, but they still haven’t found out about my secret door in the waterfall uh, nothing! Anyway, I’m still looking for a solution! I’ll tell you when I find one!
I grew up in a little nest, living a quiet life. My parents got food from the yard we were in, and the most exciting thing that happened was a hawk trying to get into the nest. My parents pulled some of his feathers out, and he never returned.
However, it was soon time to leave the nest. I flew a bit, then stopped to rest near the house. I’d just been sitting there for a little bit, when a huge dog came running around the corner.
Luckily, the humans led her away. Then the younger human, named Isabella, brought me a cup of water. I drank a bit, but mostly I spilled it. The humans blocked off the area so the dog couldn’t get through, but I still could. I ran underneath a little structure called a stand-up garden box. Unfortunately, the dog could get her snout under there. The humans led her away again, and I helped myself to some worms on the ground. Then I heard a call and followed it to my mom in another yard! She gave me a worm, and I followed her off to a better place to practice flying.
The other night, I was playing with some signals on an antenna I set up. I made the doorbell ring once. Then, I accidentally hit the button, and suddenly I heard this awful screeching, followed by a robotic voice saying, “Fire alert, evacuate!” I had set off the smoke alarm! Dad unplugged it, as there was no fire, and we slept. The humans blamed it on dust getting in the sensor, but the tank gang knows better. Well, no harm done, right? I still have some experiments getting ready in my lab, so I’ll tell you how those go…Until then, over and out.
About a week ago, I noticed my humans were putting things in suitcases, and talking about someplace with the same name as my snail sister, Smoky. Smoky Mountain, I think it was called? I didn’t know Smoky had a mountain! Then, one day, Nana arrived. This seemed normal, but my humans were showing her how to take care of me. I assumed this was because I had hurt my foot and had to go to the vet, and we needed all hands on deck. But a few days later, Mom, Dad, and Isabella packed up the car and left! They haven’t come back yet, but Nana says it will only be a few days. She also says they have had some interesting experiences! But I just can’t wait for the day after tomorrow!
I was born in a nest near a house with a big, furry animal I later learned was a German Shepherd named Raini. When I was big enough to leave the nest, I explored this monster’s territory.
The first day, it went smoothly. She never even noticed me! The next day, I wasn’t so lucky. She caught me by my tail! Luckily, there was this human nearby, and she grabbed a yummy smelling jar to distract the dog. After taking a few minutes to recover, I was off. However, I couldn’t resist. I went back again, trying to find out what was on the other side of the yard. I was caught again! This time, Raini dropped me HARD. It really hurt my leg. But the humans were there. I was happy that they offered me water in a little bottle cap, even though I wasn’t thirsty. The two bigger humans, Mom and Dad, went to figure out what to do with me, while the smaller one, Isabella, stayed behind to watch me. She even gave me my name–Little Jackie! Then Mom and Dad returned and put me in a box. They put the box in the car and Dad drove me off to someplace called a “wildlife center.” I recovered and was soon released. For a while, I came back to where I was born. Raini saw me a couple of times, and barked, but I didn’t care! After all, I was in another yard! Not wanting to run got me the nickname Cheeky Squirrel. After that, I found a new home. But that wasn’t all I’d see of Isabella. This year, it was very warm early in the year in Michigan. So the humans all did summer things. Like riding bikes, or even go-carts–which is what Isabella did. She came to the park where I live now and rode it around one of those circle things that cars use to turn around. She saw me, stopped the cart, and walked over to me. I greeted her in the friendliest way a squirrel can–by not running away! Then, someone had dropped some nuts near the road, so Isabella gave me some. After that, I went on my way, but I know I’ll see her again.
Okay, so I didn’t actually ride in the go-cart…but I can dream, can’t I?
In my yard, squirrels often show up. Usually they head for the neighbor’s yard as soon as they see me. Sometimes they get confused and run up our tree instead. One time a squirrel got mad because I’d chased him into a tree. He really made a racket! Of course, then there’s Cheeky. Cheeky always just sits there in the neighbor’s yard, stares at me for a few seconds, then just goes about his business. Then…there was Little Jackie. It all started one summer’s day, while Isabella was swinging, and I was enjoying the shade. Suddenly I saw something moving. I grabbed it by the tail. It was a baby squirrel! I just wanted to see what it was, but I didn’t know my own strength. So, Isabella grabbed the jar of peanut butter to distract me, and then the humans put me in my crate. They made sure the squirrel was okay, which he was, as he scurried off within a few minutes. Then they let me out of my crate, and I got a drink to wash away the disgusting taste of squirrel. I thought it was all over, until the next day. He showed up again, so, naturally, I chased after him. I caught him again, this time holding him firmly. The humans got me to drop him, but I must have dropped him wrong, because he was sitting oddly on his side, unable to walk correctly. So the humans gave him a little water, put him in a box, and sent him off to a wildlife center. Isabella named him Little Jackie, and I hear that when they left him, he was already on all fours. So… all’s well that ends well, right?
The fabled moment…embellished, of course. Image credits to AI.
This morning, my humans were playing around with some foods I like to eat. They mashed up a hardboiled egg, then pushed it onto a green, bumpy tray. Then they pushed a little shredded cheese onto a different section, then poured some only-apples applesauce on the remaining section. They stuck it in the freezer, and I just forgot about it. Until this afternoon. They brought it out, frozen, and let me lick it while, for unknown reasons, they touched my paws, and turned on this little thing that makes a whirring sound. The best part was the “lick mat,” as they called it, but the worst part was the fact that Mom would occasionally pick up my paw and touch the whirring thing to my nail. Isabella said it had to be done, but still! I guess it’s just one of those undignified things German shepherds’ humans make them do. I still hope for more lick mats in the future!
If only they’d put peanut butter on mine! But they couldn’t–something about too much fat.
As I said, I’m Raini! I have a lot to share! I’ll start with the basics. I have a human mom, a human dad, a human sister named Isabella, and a snail sister named Smoky. My two sisters will both have their own posts, too. But this blog is mostly about me, of course. *Smiles and does Shepherd Head Tilt*
“A house is not a home without a German Shepherd.”
Raini's Tails 