Disappointing the Dog by Not Being a Superhero

LOL!

My old dachshund is like that about driving. If she’s in the passenger seat, she will stare at the driver with the most intense look of miraculous adoration because YOU ARE TAKING US TRAVELLING THROUGH SPACE TO SOMEPLACE AWESOME. Unless the door opens and it’s the vet’s parking lot. Then it’s a sad, sad, betrayed stare all the way home.

Every day is “THE BEST DAY EVER!” and there’s just nothing you can do about it. That’s how my Aussie lives her life and I love it, and she’s always on my heels to remind me. Everywhere we go people see Panda wiggle her tail-less butt and exclaim that it is the best day ever. Share the love.

Let’s just say that a pair of vaguely shepherd, vaguely border collie ears can say quite a bit, and usually, they’re saying “Is she moving? No, she’s sitting down. My life is back on hold. Did she shift her weight? No. Still sitting there. Back on hold. It’s okay, I’ll just wai- Did she move?”

[QUOTE=sk_pacer;6581604]
it’s once again time to post this gem: Dog and Cat Diary[/QUOTE]

OMG, that cat’s face.

[QUOTE=MelantheLLC;6581750]
What IS this? I’ve had two dogs now that developed this habit of looking up apprehensively. One took to it after a move to a new place–she was convinced aliens were going to land in the back yard at any moment, would glance up at the sky and refuse to go out there (HAD to be taken for a walk, uh-huh. Somehow the sky was ok as long as she was on a leash touring the neighborhood.)

Current dog has developed severe anxiety over a ceiling fan that had been hanging over his head for a year, but he just looked up one day and decided it was likely to sprout talons and carry him off. He weighs 120 lbs but you know those ceiling fans have 4 ft wingspans. :eek: He sometimes gets trapped in the room because he’s afraid to walk under it.[/QUOTE]

Well, you know, UP is always right there… just hanging above you, just watching, never speaking or getting up to pee or ANYTHING. IT’S A CONSPIRACY, DUDE.

Lance, my velcro dog, cannot stand closed doors separating us. If I go to the bathroom and don’t close the door all the way, he noses it open. He won’t come in, just opens the door and gives me a look like, "how am I supposed to take care of you if I can’t SEE you?!?!? I get an even sterner version of that same look if, god forbid, I close the door all the way. When I come out he stares at me as if to say, “I’ve lived here 7 years and you STILL can’t remember not to shut the door?”

Simon, my very sweet but decidedly non-velcro shepherd, could not care less. Maybe if I were in some kind of audible distress he might come busting in, but otherwise he’s happy to leave door duty to Lance. He cares - he’d just rather not interrupt a nap if it isn’t critical.

Great post, thank you! :lol:

My boxer puppy does NOT think I am great. I think he thinks I am boooorrrrrring.

EXCEPT for the “Cat Portal”, aka the cat door that is in the basement door. He stares at it and pokes it with his paw, but he can’t perform the magic. Only I, the all-powerful human, can make cats appear on cue through the portal with the magic words “Kitty Foooooooood!”. :wink:

He also likes to look up at ceilings…slowly…gives me the willies…(wait, is there really something up there?)

Omg…loved this post!!

I am not allowed to go to the bathroom (actually, no one is) and close the door or she’ll head bump it over and over until it either opens, she knocks herself out or you open it for her.

Didn’t you know there is a secret escape hatch hidden under the bathroom sink that WILL suck you in if your not accompanied by a certain female boxer!??

She gets so excited about EVERYTHING! Life is so exciting for her, it’s a constant source of entertainment for me…she’s so HAPPY and LOVES everything and wants to be a part of anything that’s happening!

Lately, when at my parents’, Tucker the Corgi has taken to ‘herding’ me back from the barn, especially in the evening when I go to feed the horse and the cats. There is no reason to think I might go anywhere other than back to the house, but she feels the need to circle and bark and make SURE I don’t wander off anywhere! Also, I always feel like I"m so disappointing Puff when we do not just keep walking and walking, or when I need to force him along from what must be the most fascinating smell IN THE ENTIRE WORLD EVER JUST LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY ON THE EXACT SAME BUSH. He also seems to like to gobble whatever treat I give them as a bribe when I’m leaving for work so he can run to the kitchen and stare soulfully out the kitchen window as I leave. (That, or he’s just wondering what Wonderful Things will come home THIS time, as I now am working in a restaurant and they’ve been dining on ribeye trimmings and meatballs that got scorched instead of their canned food. I think they are convinced this is the BEST JOB IN THE UNIVERSE, and my boss, who gives the cooked trimmings to staff, is probably worshiped as a goddess in Dogland.)

Omg laughing so hard right now! My mom used to have a parade everywhere she went. The 15lb bichon and 60lb chow/golden mix would both squeeze into the powder room with her and sit there looking at her. And the half-closed door was a big no-no. Hope the shades are drawn, or you’re giving someone a peep show!

That’s the way it is between dogs and their people. They make us the Most Important thing in their eyes. You deserve it by noticing the attention. I don’t trust people that mistreat their dogs.

[QUOTE=Seriously_Hunter;6582168]

I am not allowed to go to the bathroom (actually, no one is) and close the door or she’ll head bump it over and over until it either opens, she knocks herself out or you open it for her.

![/QUOTE]

We call the bathroom Narnia, since surely we are going someplace far, far, away and in to another world once we enter it.

Owned by 2 BC bitches

Come to the bathroom with you - Check
Sneer at you going to the bathroom inside - Check
Escort you to the kitchen - check
Sneer at you going to the kitchen but not for a treat for them - Check
Watching you as if you were a particularly dim companion - Check.

I am sure that my bitches just keep me around because I have opposable thumbs - able to drive them to great places to explore or swim (we are coming into our summer down here), open cans, cut up dog meat or throw a ball :smiley:

But that’s fine - as long as they keep me around :winkgrin:

Count me in on the “always disappointing my dog” club!

She’s starting to learn that when I tell her, “It’s okay, Fergie, don’t get up,” it really does mean that I’m not doing anything interesting.

But I can’t bear the look on her face when what she thought was going to be a GREAT ADVENTURE turns out to be walking to the curb for potty before going in the crate as I leave for school.

I can’t wait until next semester, when my schedule will free up considerably and I will be able to spend more time actually being the superhero!

What a great OP!

Yes, I know what you mean. I lost my heart dog to osteosarcoma a month ago and feel as though I’ve gone from superhuman to non-entity :frowning: There’s a great deal about having a dog that inspires (breathes into) us.

It’s funny, my dog is always following me… but I never feel like I’m disappointing him! I get the impression that everything I do truly is amazing to him.

Since I talk to my animals all the time, I tease Oliver about his intense interest in my mundane day-to-day activities when we’re home alone.

“Ohmigosh, we are going to the BATHROOM. This is going to be such an exciting adventure!” (1 minute later) “Oh wow, oh wow, that was just the coolest thing ever. And NOW, we’re going to sit back down on the couch. THIS IS GREAT.”

I make a fuss over stuff he does, too. If I let him out to potty, when he comes back in I’ll ask him in an excited tone of voice if he had a good time, if he feels better, blah blah. He usually does a little happy dance then goes back to waiting for me to do something exciting.

:lol: I like to think Ollie likes it. God bless dogs for not having any concept of mocking (however good-humored it may be).

I think I would rather deal with your dog than deal with mine who is always very excited and rather surprised to see that I wake up every day. Seriously, every time I start to get up, or even move if it’s close to getting up time, my dog does this joyous dance like “Yes! She’s a live!!!”. Sometimes I wonder if he knows something I don’t…lol.

Worshiped but Not Worthy of Velcro Dogs

[QUOTE=meupatdoes;6581490]
My dogs blame me when it rains.

They race out, stop immediately, look back at me with baleful accusation, and commence sulk.[/QUOTE]

Glad I’m not the only one feeling bad about my inability to control the weather. :lol:

[QUOTE=dressagetraks;6581458]
My Bernese always stays close to me, but whenever I get up, she gets this, “Wow! THE MOST EXCITING THING EVER IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!!!” expression and follows me.

One hour later - “EXCITEMENT!!! I’VE BEEN WAITING ALL MY LIFE FOR THIS NEXT INCREDIBLE THING THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO DO!!!”

I just feel sorry sometimes for not producing something worthy of the advance review.[/QUOTE]

Yes I used to feel guilty so would plan my moves to limit pup wasting his energy. It took me time getting used to a velcro dog. Mainly I feel bad for interrupting his rest if it took him a while to settle.

For the first 6 months, I couldn’t breathe too heavy or wink an eye without him alertly jumping to his feet. I’m no pro worthy of his admiration.

Now, I shrug and say, ‘Meh you know all the routines and signals now. Your choice.’

The dogs got two Big Adventures the past couple of days–hike in the woods and Paws in the Park fundraiser. Now they are greatly disappointed in my sitting at the computer diligently doing work:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151254943741983&l=7010cf2373

[QUOTE=MunchingonHay;6583262]
We call the bathroom Narnia, since surely we are going someplace far, far, away and in to another world once we enter it.[/QUOTE]

Right now both dogs are staying away from the bathroom because they had baths yesterday. It’s gone from being The Magical Portal Through Which Great Adventures Await to being The Place Where Very Bad Wet Soapy Things Happen. It’ll be a week or so before they start to see it as safe again.

I am avidly watched by all five dogs. If I’m on the couch or at my desk and take my reading glasses off and put them in the case they know I’m about to get up. All five of them start running in excited circles…we’re going to do SOMETHING!! If I’m at the table and place my fork beside my plate…OMG she’s done eating it’s OUR turn! If I’m in bed and place my book aside they know we’re about to go outside to pee one last time before bed and all five stampede for the door. They are very attuned to every move I make. I do make time each day to cuddle each of them, the big dogs get to go to the barn with me to “help” the horses find the pasture in the morning and “help” them find the barn again each evening.