Jun 28 2010
It’s a dog’s life
Poopy the Puppy is adapting very well to city life. He loves his walks. He loves sitting out on the courtyard patio with me, Mr. Hot and our darling wine-drinking neighbors. He greets his new buddies, “Scrabble” (who appears to be the love child of a Basset Hound and an over-permed blond), “Percy” (a black pug) and “Knuckles” (a seemingly caffeine-addicted chihuahua*) each time they walk by. A little butt-sniffing here and there and voila! BFFs.
(If only it was that easy for everyone to make new friends.)
One thing he doesn’t love, though, are the random people walking under our windows. He burfs at them constantly. He doesn’t bark. He doesn’t howl. He doesn’t even growl. He burfs. Now, consider that we live approximately 50 feet from an El stop and random people walk under our windows approximately 24.5 hours every day. It’s like Burf City around here.
(Apologies to Jan and Dean. Also to Brian Wilson.)
If they walk close enough to the building that he doesn’t see them, he’s fine. If they’re on the other side of the street, as long as they don’t, y’know, TALK, he’s fine.
Otherwise – you got it.
“Burf. Burf burf burf.”
It’s not loud. None of the neighbors can hear it. It’s not even, as one may expect with the constant flow of foot traffic and tops-of-heads right under his nose, an all day thing, but sometimes? He gets started and won’t stop.
“Burf. Burf.”
Almost under his breath…like he hopes we won’t notice.
Then one of us will say, “Skeeter. Stop that.”
(Yes, his real name is Skeeter. Poopy is his nickname. He answers to both.)
Then he’ll come over and wedge his snout under our hands looking for pats and pets and assurance that we’ll protect him from those People! Outside! Who are walking!
And all will be well for a while.
Then he’ll forget what he was scared of and go back to the window and we’ll resume our television watching or computer game playing. Until the next time he hears a bump or a car door shut and it starts all over again.
“Burf.”
“Stop it.”
Nudge. Nudge. Nudge. Pat Pat Pat.
Repeat. Ad Infinitum.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, after a particularly burfy day, and a bunch of “Stop.That.Now.” and “No, I’m not going to keep petting you, just go lay down.” it got quiet.
Very quiet. Too quiet. Like, “What are you kids doing?” and then you go upstairs and find that they’ve redesigned their bedroom walls with Sharpies – that kind of quiet.
He wasn’t on the back of the couch. He wasn’t in the kitchen or downstairs or eating the cats’ food. He wasn’t even hiding under the dining room table.
He was in our bedroom, laying on the bed with his head on his paws. Very quietly and very deliberately NOT looking out the window.
He put himself in Time Out.
So now, the magic phrase has become, “If you can’t stop that, go get in time out.” and he does. He slinks off to the bedroom and stays there until we tell him he can come back.
—- We usually let him get up after 5 minutes even though he’s 7 years old. —-
*Yes, I know that’s almost redundant, but this is the most hyperactive of all of the hyperactive chihuahuas I’ve ever seen. I’m thinking he’s got a triple-shot expresso three-times-a-day habit.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
What a smart Poopy you have!!! Our dog burfs in her sleep but when awake she just barks.
The chihuahua sounds like the squirrel after it gets a latte or energy drink in that kids movie – Over the Hedge maybe?
I wonder if I could train my kids to put themselves in time out? Nah, they aren’t quite as bright as your Poopy.
Katy´s last blog ..Guest Post
I have a cousin named Skeeter who burfs after a sixer of PBR.
Hand to God.
Hola Ree!
. Our Rex barks and tears through the house any time anyone walks outside on our street. Thank goodness people here in suburbia don’t walk much…it is very annoying, since he does not burf, but emits a sonic boom.
I am just catching up with your moving adventure! I am lovin’ Skeeter
Greetings, Heike
Goddess in the Groove´s last blog ..JOURNEY- Looking at life through rose colored glasses
So is 5 minutes in time out like 35 dog minutes?
just bob´s last blog ..Mothballed
Awww! It’s cute! Almost like he has you as well trained as you have him!
Krissa´s last blog ..Bring your own condom
He put himself into Time Out? What a smart Skeeter. I wonder what he does when no one is home? Does he sit at the window and burf to his heart’s content?
Dingo´s last blog ..La Loco Laundry
Awwww – what a smart pup you have! With that being said, do you mind perhaps babysitting one triple half caf latte swillin’ pug named Wiggles because I’m starting to think you are also Hotfessional the Dog Whisperer over there. Wiggy doesn’t bark unless he sees someone eating and then it’s game on and if he sees another dog – my heavens, any timeframe is just lost.
Lys´s last blog ..Obsessed With- NapaStyle Carrara Marble Kitchen Island
I’m watching my brother’s pug this week and she barks at EVERYTHING! The air. The trees. It’s so annoying.
But I now have sympathy for my neighbors and their dog that barks all the time too.
Kristabella´s last blog ..A New Houseguest
I totally know that burf noise.
Sadly our puppy barks like a maniac anytime she sees another dog, only slightly less so when she sees a person walk by. Kind of sucks.
So cute that he goes in timeout. He’s an awesome dog
monstergirlee´s last blog ..Picking Peas at AJs House
Skeeter is gorgeous! And has a most excellent name.
My dog Lucy burfed, too – I heard it in my head the first time I read ‘burf’ in your post.
Violet´s last blog ..Play Ball-
I have cats. Yes, plural. No “burfing” in my house!
Liz J´s last blog ..Grace In Small Things- 26-2010
That? Is hysterical. I thought it was funny about the burfing–but voluntary time outs? And THEN you let him up after 5 when he’s only 7? You’re spoiling that dog, Ree…
green girl in Wisconsin´s last blog ..i spy
I hate that kind of quiet. It never means anything good.
That he put himself in time out is hysterical, though!
Shelly´s last blog ..Marshall Karp
You may have the brightest dog ever. He remembers what he did long enough to be punished for doing it.
Andrea´s last blog ..Driving sustainable values through the Re-Generation