Tonight I actually said this to Columbus.
“How many times does a person have to say ‘leave it’ to a dog?
Wow, I wonder if that got him thinking? Gee, I’m sorry, you’re right, I’ll try to do better.
Soon after that, he lifted his leg and started peeing on an empty box. Wah? He was housebroken….
A big booming NOOOOOOO from me stopped him mid-pee, thank goodness.
I’m trying not to take it personally. But, really?
I put Columbus outside and Koda dashed out with him. I had already brought her in for the evening and that’s always a little bit of an ordeal because she has to show me that she’s doing a last round of protecting the place and runs around the perimeter of the yard, barking, while I keep calling her to come.
I wonder if the neighbors are sick of this ritual. Can I say that I am?
So, I called Koda to come in again. She was right outside the garage. She took one look at me and headed down the driveway, past the barn, into the darkness. It was exactly like the disappearing act she did the other day when Tracey had latex gloves on because she was going to – I’m trying to think of a nicer way to say this but there really isn’t – express her anal glands because she’s been doing a lot of butt scooting. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, be glad and just read on.
Sad at this display of disobedience (she didn’t even pretend to be protecting the yard and I even walked after her into the darkness calling to her in the nicest possible voice I could muster up with what I was feeling on the inside), I decided to de-dog-smell the back of my car since other people will be riding in it tomorrow. I was going to do it in the morning but I needed to wait for Koda to show up.
And she did. Right about the time I was done. She came walking slowly up to me and I just looked at her and told her she had hurt my feelings. I know that sounds weird – what do I say that doesn’t? – but it really was the projecting of how I felt that mattered, and I just am wordy so there are always words said and usually as if I’m talking to another person. (I don’t think dogs are people, I just want to get that on record, okay?) She did walk right next to me into the house and was very cooperative. A complete 180 degrees.
I went back outside to finish up the car and when I walked into the house again I saw that Koda had gone right into her crate to go to bed. Cooperative again. I reflected on this whole incident and I realize I probably scared her with my big booming “NO.” She was in the room with Columbus and apparently didn’t know it was directed at him.
And so, once again, I’m trying not to take it personally. Self-preservation appears to take precedence over obedience with Koda. I suppose it does with most people.
I mean dogs.
Really, I do.