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The Nose Knows

Shhh! I'm hunting wabbits!

I wish there was a good way to create a bunny-chasing experience for Bruster without the bad parts. Y'know, like a terrified bunny, a potentially dead bunny, potentially never seeing Bruster again.

We run across bunnies in the apartment complex a few nights a week. Bruce always smells them before he sees them. In fact, until they move he doesn't spot them at all. But when they do take off, it's INSANITY. The people in the apartments nearby probably wonder what hellish creature stalks outside their homes at night. He makes a horrible noise and he's straining against the leash, which makes it sound worse. Fortunately, the bunnies are never far from the fence, so they're out of sight quickly, but not out of Bruster's mind. He SO wants to chase the bunnies.

The closest we've come to an enjoyable chase is the laser pointer. He chases it from the door, down the hallway into the bedroom and back. There is, however, an unfortunate side effect of sudden and apparently uncontrollable pooping. It's ridiculous. He'll be going and going and suddenly screech to a halt, squat and poop.

ZOOM!
ZOOM!
ZOOM!
ZOOM!
SCREEEEEEECH!
*poop*

Poop and Circumstance

I tried, but I can't keep up the "journal entries from the dog's point of view." Oh, well.

Bruster graduated from Beginner training classes at Petsmart today. That's not to say that he's now Mr. Obedient. His recall still sucks but his stays and 'leave it's are getting better and he can sit, lie down and shake with no trouble. We're gonna get his recall up to scratch before we take him to the next class level.

I had thought about doing agility training with him because he's an incredibly active, agile and sturdy dog, but now that I know him better, I think he wouldn't be into it. He'd rather sniff the poles than weave around them. He probably would've made a good hunting dog or one of those airport drug sniffing dogs.

Graduation was pretty anti-climactic. The other two dogs in the class dropped out, one halfway through and the other after the first class, so it was just Bruce. He didn't even get to wear the little hat (that's for graduating from advanced class.) But he got a new, squeaky tennis ball and had a very big day at the dog park, so that'll have to do.

Dog Park

I have a new favorite place in the whole wide world and it is the dog park.

Mom takes me almost every day now for almost an hour but it's not enough. I want to live there! There are so many dogs! Big dogs! Small dogs! Dogs that run! Dogs that wrestle! It's great! I want to go right now! Except that I'm pooped. Becoming King of the Dog Park is tough work.