Adventurous once more

hrisHello once again and once more:
Chris has been busy with me again, and though I do have a little bit to
complain about, I think I have had a fantastic time. It all started that
day when we left for the dog walk in great weather, and then saw Daniel
driving up. I jumped into his car, we drove to somewhere I had never
been, and then we met so many people and another dog. I was not allowed
to play with her, because Chris says there are people who are afraid of
rough and fast dog play. Pity, she was such fun!
Then Chris put some food into the backpack, and then we all split up in
smaller groups. Chris and I walked away with Daniel, and there were
quite a few others in our group that I know and like loads. We stopped
and met Marcus, who inspired the folks to talk. And so in relaxed speed
we walked across the area, met people everywhere, who got the humans to
doo many more things. There was a bit of shady forrest there, too, but
Chri9s still would not allow me to run free, for she says that it was
not dog time. Why, I wonder, when there was so much to explore!
By the time it had gotten quite warm, Daniel took us with him, we got
into the car and he dropped us off at home, where we finally walked
another dog route.

The weekend was quiet, and so was work, and one of the work days we went
into a quiet room with the lady we don't have so much to do with. She
and Chris talked a long while, and when we were back at the desk Chris
said it was a good talk.

One evening on the dog route I met a very tiny little human. She wanted
to pet me, and I tried to sniff her out. Chris calmed me and said tiny
humans don't like wiggly wet noses. I tried my best to be still, but i
was surely fascinated. The tiny one put her hand into Chris', and then
they both petted me. I showed how I can bark, and the little one tried
to imitate us all saying "woof". By that time her mom had arrived, and
then we went our own ways.

One morning Micki came and kept us company. Chris and she moved the TV
and noise making and picture throwing boxes away, carried the TV table
downstairs and prepared lunch together, and took me for the walk, too.
And finally, after Micki had left, two men came and brought new
furniture. It smells different and looks different. And then Chris took
forever to attach cables and connect noiseakers to the right place so
they all interacted perfectly in making noise and throwing pictures. And
once that was done she was very proud of herself.

At night she and I went to the streetcar stop - not to go anywhere, but
to pick up yet another surfer. This time it was a lady who eventually
did not mind me giving her face washes. Chris and she talked a bit, and
then Chris had human food, and then she and I stayed in the livingroom
to sleep there.

The surfer lady stayed for one more night, and the next day Chris caught
up on sleep she had been lacking during the previous nights. She says
some bad news had come her way, and one of her close people is ill with
a disease she hates with a passion. So we keep fingers and paws crossed
and hope for the best.
I'll have to go now, for we have to go to work and leave the flying
smallballs to themselves, cheers, Quito.

Stop the strangers!

Chris is strange!
She keeps inviting more and more strangers. I'll admit, I have begun to
think a little growl for a greeting cannot be all that bad, so I am
trying how far I can get with that. However, when I growl Chris isn't
all that pleased. But honestly, we've had so many strangers coming in
lately, I have to defend my territory!

One morning at work people were gathering in the cafeteria, and the big
boss was there, too. I tried to coax him to giving me a treat for my
very nice flying attack on him, but he said he had none. Pity, but I
like him anyway. Then we all sat and lay down - I lay, the rest of the
creatures sat, and somebody talked. At one point Chris stood up, too,
leaving me with a friend, and her voice soon came from places where she
wasn't standing . strange voice distribution I say. She talked, and
people must have liked the way she did. When she returned to the place
where I was I thought I could go outside with her, but we had to wait
some more, and only then.
In the afternoon another lady accompanied us into one of the separate
rooms, and the two talked. Chris says it was a good talk. I have no idea
what it was all about. I sure was happy when we went home that afternoon.

However, hat night we had more surfing folks, ladies this time. One
wanted to check out my Quito place - no way I say! I growled and she
stopped it. But then I couldn't stop my curiosity, laid down at the two
ladies' feet, sniffed them out and finally decided they were not all
that bad.
Chris, however, did not talk much to them, as they all seemed to be
tired. But then the doorbell rang, Chris put my flexible leash and
signal jacket on me, and we went outside. And there, oh heaven, I saw
sister Suse, Suse, Suse!

Chris removed the leash, and so I raced to greet the siister, jumped and
bounced and had fun. Andwhen Suse is around I can run free, for she
always keeps a close eye on me. So we all took a nice walk - not as long
as with the two nice men, but nice for me to sniff and check things out
anyway. And when we were back the ladies stood and chatted on outside
the door until Chris decided I should not go with Suse but accompany her
upstairs instead. Pity, for playing with Suse is fun.

The next day nothing exciting happened. The ladies surfers left, Chris
had another magnet for her fridge presented to her, and then we were
finally back to quiet. No more strangers.

However, next day at work I saw - you wouldn't believe it - Mr Mylove!

Chris and I went ito the cafeteria to get coffe for the junky, and there
he was, got up to greet us, and I recognized him right away. Yepp, I
really love Mr Mylove! We left him almost immediately, however, which I
didn't understand, but we saw him again after work, and Chris let me
play with him. We all walked home, Chris and he checked mail, and then
we took streetcar and train and went to an eating place. The humans
expanded that one and agreed that it was nice. Then we went to the
beach, and we all went into the water, where I could run back and forth
between Chris and Mr Mylove. Oh I love the water, even though it is not
drinkable, and the waves, and the fun we have!

Two other people joined us, we talked a bit, and then the two others
took us home in their car. We went into an partment I hadn't seen, where
Mr Mylove picked up a few things, and then walked home. I really like it
when Mr Mylove is with us.
Strange though, Chris never calls him Mr Mylove anymore, but that
doesn't seem to matter much, I believe. Or does it by human terms?

Next morning they had breakfast together. Chris had gotten up way early,
but I decided to stay with Mr Mylove and sleep some more. I only got up
when he did. They talked more and more, and then he had to leave. Chris
took me outside, and to be honest, I hardly noticed him leaving, because
I was busy doing other things. But it was a pity he wasn't there when we
returned.

Today we are going somewhere, because Chris has been putting some water
in the backpack. I will tell you all about it when we return.

The people in and out days

Good everning everybody:
To tell you the truth, this time my silence wasn't Chris' fault, but
mine. I had to be watchful of the things around me, so I didn't miss out
on anything.
I think it all started with somebody appearing at our apartment door all
of a sudden out of nowhere, some people I had never seen before. I went
and took a glance, then went back to my place. The man and the lady got
settled in the bedroom, while Chris and I stayed in the livingroom,
where the two others joined us only for a little while. They went
outside, returned a little later and then Chris and the two of them
chatted a little. I had the time to look at them closer, offered the
lady to give me pets and then also started a bit of contact with the
man. I think they kboth liked me pretty allright. Then the two strangers
left, and Chris spent hours on the telephone. We both went to sleep, and
in the morning we saw the strangers again. The man had tea, they talked
a bit more, and then they left.
Chris calls this thing couch surfing. I assume this means that we are
staying in the livingroom, and since Chris only sleeps on the couch when
she wants to watch the smallballs flying at night, it must feel like
holidays. The only difference is that in the bedroom there are also
people sleeping. So she calls this thing couch surfing, allright!
Then we were back to normal, only that Chris had to do laundry and
cleaned the apartment more frequently than usual.
Then a few days later two other people showed up with boxes and boxes. I
didn't like the man. He wanted to be friends, and I really did not and
growled at him. Chris very strictly ordered him to ignore me, which he
finally obeyed to. When Chris orders for something to be done with such
force, you'd better behave, I know what I am talking about!
The boxes were put up everywhere, and then we all four left to go
shopping. Boy was I tired when we returned with a few small items and
another big box!
The next day Chris worked from home, and around her the man and the lady
started working, unpacing the box, putting wooden boxes up on the wall
and pulling cables from wall to wall and back and forth. I finally came
to terms with the man. Chris says I once met him, but I canot remember.
He is a sound engineer, and what he and his wife were doing there was
setting up the huge sound system. And the boxes are sound boxes in all
corners and more of the room. She has eight sound boxes alltogether now.
The two busy beas left very late at night, after Chris had written notes
about a remote controll. She was very happy with the sound that is in
the livingroom now, and she says she is enjoying it every day.

Then finally somebody familiar showed up - Micki! Micki came, I bounced
up and down and really enjoyed seeing her. It seems like forever since
she was here last. We went for a little dog walk, and then we went
shopping, of course. First Chris had a lady mess around with her hair,
and then did Micki. Then we went to the coffee machine and sound system
store again, this time only to buy cables, and then began the grocery
marathon. But all of us were pretty relaxed. Okay, I admit I was on the
sniffy side at first, but after a really firm talk from Chris I
remembered that I'd better not stick my nose in everywhere, and followed
nicely.

Then yesterday the doorbell rang again, and upstairs came two more
strange people - men. But I liked them immediately, and they petted and
played with me, it was such fun. Chris showed them the room, the bedroom
again, which she had cleaned in the morning, and then they sat down and
had coffee all of them. And then, funfun, they all took me out for a
really really long walk. One of the men took me on the flexible leash,
and the other one guided Chris. I think we both had fun and relaxed, and
Chris says taking the walk and chatting was really wonderful. Then the
men brought in their suitcases, had water, watched some more sports with
Chris and then left. I heard them return, but Chris slept peacefully on
her surf couch.
This morning she took me for the morning walk, just as one of the men
came out of the bedroom. When we returned, she and the man and I waited
for the other man, and then we went outside in the same teams as
yesterday, and I did not have to work! We went to the bakery, Chris
carried the bread rolls, and we walked back along the street. I was so
busy running back and forth and playing catch the leash that I forgot to
remind Chris of the corner where we usually go to see Daniel. But I did
show her te traffic pole, though on flexible leash, and then did a bit
more jumping and playing. Then the humans had breakfast, and then Chris'
team-mate gave her some human sweets, of which I will have none
absolutely, I am sure, and they hugged goodbye, and then Chris and I
were back among ourselves. Pity, I want them to come back to play and
take longer walks with us! For Chris' team-mate is very good at
wrestling with me, and I can lie at their feet and doze until Chris
moves. Great people are wonderful!
Chris also played with me after having spent some time removing water
and ice from her freezer, and now I really have to go sleep.
Chris will be surfing some more on the couch, I know because she has
covered the bed in the bedroom but not taken her pillow there. I will
let you know who the next visitors are. I will only praise them if they
are as fun to play with as the past ones!
oh, by the way, the sound boxes can really make some noise - terrible!
Cheers, Quito.

About Quito and the team

It's Chris this time, occupying Quito's space.

Yesterday, before I went to work, I had the idea to review the training
journal I had posted two years ago. It occured that I had forgotten
quite a few details about the beginniing of the team. But thanks to the
weblog, I could revisit the starting stages and compare them to where
Quito and I are now.

In 2008, when Quito was just over two months old, that lively wiggly
furball charmed just about everybody who came her way. Soft fluff on
huge paws, she romped through the service center, gently shown
boundaries by lady Hapoo, her first raiser and the first trainer. Her
eyes and teeth and paws must have thought the world to be a major,
immensely versatile playground filled with new adventures every minute.
Back then she already possessed the coolness of sleeping in the middle
of the peaktime in the noisy cafeteria around lunch.

Two years later I was handed the leash that connected me to a jolly
trooper - a very playful dog on constant alert with a very explorative mind.

when I received Quito, she was uncertain whether I had the ability to
protect her from danger and to lead the pack. She had clear views about
who she liked, and who she did not. Growling was an issue, and she was
highly suspicious about things that were not part of the daily routines.
I remember her jumping back and barking at the sight of the open door of
the food vending machine, and she did not like people on the other side
of the street when they hadn't been there at that spot before.

Things have changed for the most wonderful. Quito has decided that she
is responsible for me in a way, but that I can be trusted to make sure
she is not put in danger. She loves to relax and play with people she
loves, she jumps up and down like a squash ball and displays
extraordinary jumping abilities. She can jump as high as my sister's
head, about 1.82 meters high. She has learnt to fetch the sticks, to
swim, to bark on command and to offer a paw. She will not open doors,
which I am quite happy about.

At the beginning, Quito was not a good eater. This has changed, and I
have to admit I have fallen back to feeding her kibble only, enriched by
the very occasional piece of saussage, and the more frequent chewing snack.

Growling is still an issue. When she cannot identify something or
somebody, she will let out a silent, warning growl. The same happens
when she absolutely doesn't like somebody who insists on wanting to pet.
However, she would rather jump back from danger than attack it, which
makes handling her easy.

Escalators aren't Quito's favourite, but she will travel them when
needed. She loves to chase things that fly low, e.g. balls or sticks or
her food bag. She learns very quickly, she flawlessly brings her
equipment when we go out. New routes mean new adventures and are always
great to explore.

Quito has also found that there are no invisible doors or gaps that I
might disappear through, so she will remain on her dog bed when I run
around the apartment. She has also accepted that I occasionally go
outside the apartment door without her. She will not call for me, but it
might be that she collects all her items and puts them by her dog bed.
She will race to the door at the sound of the bell, but when I arrive to
take controll, she hurries back to her place. She will also make sure
she is out of the way when the mobile or stationary phone rings.
She is not an early morning dog. So when I want to travel and get up
early, I have to turn on the light or do something else to wake her up.
she likes trains and cars and doesn't mind planes, but she does not like
to be left at the seat.

Yesterday at work we had a seven-year-old girl visiting. Helen is a very
calm little person. She quietly made friends with Quito and asked if she
could show the dog to her mom. I told her we could try, told her how she
could encourage Quito to follow her, and off they went, girl and dog.
When they returned they did so quietly, Quito first but not dragging
Helen too much. That basically describes her character and attitude:
There is time for everything: work, rest, exuberant play, and
exploration. Quito is a well-balanced, friendly and very charming jolly
dog, she continues to really charm almost everybody on her way, myself,
naturally, included. So here's hoping for many more years together,
cheers, Chris:-)