This morning while I was in the kitchen clearing up yet another broken spice container [thanks, mice] Tikva flew over the gate as there were two men outside. Oren, who was sitting on the little wall, and his uncle had turned up to fix a broken electrical socket and even though she knows them both, I was not in the salon. By the time they had finished, not long although they had to go back to the van for the necessary new socket and some tools, Tikki had gone round and round in circles - around one of my crutches, trapping me where I was. So I dropped that crutch and grabbed another, which solved that problem, untangling her once they had gone [she has a regular leash at the end of her rope tether]. Then David turned up to collect my 'scrip for this month, plus my hole-in-the-wall card to draw some cash for me - and somehow she ended up with the leash wrapped round and round one of her back legs. I did not fancy getting on the floor to untangle her but she let David do it. When he came back she still did the round and round act but luckily not round anything this time. Tikki always goes in an anti-clockwise direction, fast, and even though the clip on the leash, plus the large clip at the end of the rope tether both swivel, I have to unclip the leash to straighten it all out - all 12 metres of it in total. She does it when she is excited and happy, but I wish I knew what goes through her little head as to what gave her the idea of this circling.
Oh dear, she is a bundle of energy isn't she? Merry is also a giddy kipper - everything has to be done at 90 mph - even a recall means she comes to a halt by crashing into my shins. I have found the instant STOP! very useful for interrupting some of her scatty, or risky, behaviour. (Alas, it doesn't work for the furries!). I found it good fun to train though, a bit like kids playing statues, just gradually lengthening the time before the release & reward.
Nigredo has the brake issues that Carole describes, except there's no way I let a 100 lb (45 kg) fat dog stop by crashing into my shins!
Bundle of energy is a good description! After this morning's excitement she had been dozing until just now, probably because of it being so hot outside, so I told her to go out and make peepee. Which she did, and then because there was a car stopped across the road she decided to see it off by rushing backwards and forwards at the end of her tether, then stopping to stand on her hind legs and bark at it. Much to her delight, as I am sure she thought it was all her doing, the car drove off. She is still outside [maybe it is slightly cooler] checking all over the yard to see if she has any mail, and having a rush around whenever anyone goes past. I think she is barking less - she was a noisy little booga - but she is beginning to grow up a bit now. Such a funny little puppy.
Anti clockwise is something that all dogs seem to do no idea why, my 6 always runs round me in a anti clockwise direction (not on leads) & when they are going to poo they spin in a anti clockwise movement before deciding to poo..
I do not know what Tikva does before pooing outside as she is usually round the front where I cannot see, but I know that if she uses a pee pad [she only uses them if the door is closed for some reason and I am not in the salon to open the door for her] when I have seen her go she goes in a clockwise direction before depositing her little offering.
That will be this week's little observation test then! I would expect my two to favour clockwise as I courtesy turn them, and send them to heel that way. Will watch which direction for the giddies? And, which direction for the poopoos? and report back.
Don't forget to take your compass with you! Although it's not been proved conclusively, research seems to show that before they poo dogs circle to align themselves to the earth's magnetic field! Not to be confused with circling before settling down to sleep which is a primitive trait from the days when wolves circled and trampled down, long grass to make comfortable beds!
