(no subject)
We have this dog (named Sandy, who I swear isn't fully dog, but I could be wrong). He used to be very mean. Still can be, really, but since I've toughened up and taken a more authoritative stance over him, he's mellowed out. Towards me, at least.
Anyway, the point is, he's always been a very clever animal. He's not like any dog I've ever dealt with, honestly. It's almost like you expect him to open his mouth and speak, he's that intelligent and methodical and expressive in every other respect. But, like I said, his terrorizing of myself, my mom, and my nephews made me reach a snapping point, which seemed to cause a shift in the animalistic social hierarchy or something, because he now gets the hell out of dodge if I so much as place a foot down on the ground too heavily. :P
Well, tonight, something was up with both him and the other 'big' dog we have. The younger one was barking, so I let her out. She went down to the end of the driveway like she always does, stopped and started barking at absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, inside, Sandy was whimpering and 'gruffing' ("use your indoor bark!"), so I tried to get him to go out, too. Tried the back door first. He wouldn't get near it. Tried the front door next. No such luck. He walked to the front door, poked his nose out, but wouldn't budge beyond that point.
So, I went back to my business and left him to whatever his issues are/were.
I came back in here, I made a couple of posts, and then he started whimpering and gruffing again. So, I got up, went out into the living room, and tried to get him to go out AGAIN. Back door first. He wasn't having it. Front door next. He walked up to it, poked his nose out, and other than whimpering some more, he wouldn't budge.
Here's the weird part...
The younger dog comes prancing up to the door, tail wagging, whimpering, etc. - obviously trying to get Sandy to come out and play. Sandy, on the other hand, was pawing at ME. He wanted something. I knew that much, but I didn't have CLUE what it was he wanted. I looked outside to see if maybe there really was something out there that Innie had been barking at, but there absolutely nothing there that I could see.
I had stepped out on the porch to get a better look, and that's when Innie shot inside (she'll usually wait for the moment when she thinks you're not looking to slip in, like she's not really invited - crazy dog). Once Innie was in, I figured that would solve the problem, but noooo. Sandy kept pawing at me, and looking up at me like he was trying to tell me something. I swear to gods, it was like Lassie meets White Fang or something, except that I had no flippin' clue what he wanted.
I even put my hands up and was like, "Dude, WHAT?"
Again, I had no choice but to walk away to leave him to whatever issues he had, because I'm just a dumb human, incapable of mind-reading. Still, it bugged me, because it's not often that he acts strange like that, clearly wanting or needing something that I just can't figure out.
I get about five steps from the door, and he steps on my heel - right behind me. So, I went into the kitchen, to the back door, opened it up, walked out onto the porch, and they BOTH went trotting down the stairs, Sandy in the lead. I was like, WTF!
Then it hit me. He was acting towards me the same way he acts towards the other dogs when he's in a playful, let's-go-see-what's-out-there kind of mood.
I'm part of his pack now.
He wanted ME to go out and scope the 'hood with them.
Anyway, the point is, he's always been a very clever animal. He's not like any dog I've ever dealt with, honestly. It's almost like you expect him to open his mouth and speak, he's that intelligent and methodical and expressive in every other respect. But, like I said, his terrorizing of myself, my mom, and my nephews made me reach a snapping point, which seemed to cause a shift in the animalistic social hierarchy or something, because he now gets the hell out of dodge if I so much as place a foot down on the ground too heavily. :P
Well, tonight, something was up with both him and the other 'big' dog we have. The younger one was barking, so I let her out. She went down to the end of the driveway like she always does, stopped and started barking at absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, inside, Sandy was whimpering and 'gruffing' ("use your indoor bark!"), so I tried to get him to go out, too. Tried the back door first. He wouldn't get near it. Tried the front door next. No such luck. He walked to the front door, poked his nose out, but wouldn't budge beyond that point.
So, I went back to my business and left him to whatever his issues are/were.
I came back in here, I made a couple of posts, and then he started whimpering and gruffing again. So, I got up, went out into the living room, and tried to get him to go out AGAIN. Back door first. He wasn't having it. Front door next. He walked up to it, poked his nose out, and other than whimpering some more, he wouldn't budge.
Here's the weird part...
The younger dog comes prancing up to the door, tail wagging, whimpering, etc. - obviously trying to get Sandy to come out and play. Sandy, on the other hand, was pawing at ME. He wanted something. I knew that much, but I didn't have CLUE what it was he wanted. I looked outside to see if maybe there really was something out there that Innie had been barking at, but there absolutely nothing there that I could see.
I had stepped out on the porch to get a better look, and that's when Innie shot inside (she'll usually wait for the moment when she thinks you're not looking to slip in, like she's not really invited - crazy dog). Once Innie was in, I figured that would solve the problem, but noooo. Sandy kept pawing at me, and looking up at me like he was trying to tell me something. I swear to gods, it was like Lassie meets White Fang or something, except that I had no flippin' clue what he wanted.
I even put my hands up and was like, "Dude, WHAT?"
Again, I had no choice but to walk away to leave him to whatever issues he had, because I'm just a dumb human, incapable of mind-reading. Still, it bugged me, because it's not often that he acts strange like that, clearly wanting or needing something that I just can't figure out.
I get about five steps from the door, and he steps on my heel - right behind me. So, I went into the kitchen, to the back door, opened it up, walked out onto the porch, and they BOTH went trotting down the stairs, Sandy in the lead. I was like, WTF!
Then it hit me. He was acting towards me the same way he acts towards the other dogs when he's in a playful, let's-go-see-what's-out-there kind of mood.
I'm part of his pack now.
He wanted ME to go out and scope the 'hood with them.