Author: Peter

Pablo got to come into work with me a couple of weeks ago. Jen was off inspecting bridges and there was a lot of work to be done. So instead of testing Pablo’s bladder strength, I figured he should just join me at work. We’ve had dogs in the office before so I knew my co-workers would welcome him with open arms.

But besides all that, I think Pablo’s true favorite part of the day was eating lots of cicada. In this part of the country seventeen year cicada’s were in full force. Yum!

Hound pulled up residence on the back porch while the other dogs got a good brushing. The creek and mud made for dusty, dirty dogs, but once the mud dries it brushes off well, to the liking of the dogs who I am sure would rather not have a bath. Pablo and his selective memory “forgot” who Hound was and started defending his turf as soon as he spotted Hound in the back. A stern reprimand followed and things quieted down.

Rain was forecasted for the night, so Hound was moved to the garage. We put him in Cheddar’s crate – not a smart move – we quickly became familiar with the famous hound howl, so we left him free in the garage and the house settled down for the night. Unbeknownst to Peter or I, Hound actually slept on the floor of our bedroom! The door to the garage has a tendency to not latch completely and Hound took advantage of it, not disturbing a soul. I am endlessly amused by this.

After church on Sunday we took the dogs for a run in the field, which is when we took the attached pictures. I tell you this was a fabulous half an hour. The dogs all running in the tall grass and enjoying themselves was a blessing to experience. Hound woke up a new dog and was much more comfortable. You could see the puppy in him.

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Peter and I had decided that it was best to take Hound to the Lexington Humane Society and that was our next move, not an easy one I might add. We do hope Hound finds his owner or really just a good home. One by one the animals left and by Tuesday the Animal House had returned to normal. Let me just say, normal seemed awfully quiet. There is something to be said about an active house.

During our hike at the Gorge, we heard from a few hikers that two dogs were loose with no owner further down the trail. We thanked them for the information and kept on hiking. A few minutes later Cheddar found a scared and incredibly skinny hound dog. Lucky for him we had dog food with us and he got a bite to eat. He sucked down the food like a vacuum! Well, our four then became five as Hound, as we dubbed him, joined our group. We were constantly on the lookout for another dog, but Hound was all we found.

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It became clear to Peter and I that our conscience would not let us leave him at the Gorge to starve. Back up the trail toward the car with Hound in toe. It took some encouragement and food to get him in the car, but he quickly fell fast asleep. A stop at Miguel’s for pizza and to inquire about animal shelters, the closest being Clark County, and then on the road toward Lexington with all dogs accounted for.

Our house has been quite busy recently, a unique sort of busy. Some people have lots of kids which results in a busy house and others are the hang out for the neighborhood kids which also results in lots of activity, well our house is the Animal House! This past weekend we watched Sabrina, Steph’s cat and Cheddar, Jason’s dog. The big event was a trip to the Red River Gorge with Cheddar and Pablo; our first trip this year. Sabrina opted to be Queen of the House while we were gone.

The trip was not without extra excitement. We decided to check out a new part of the Gorge, at least new to us – the Clifty Wilderness. Not 5 minutes into the hike Peter and I look at each other and realize that Pablo was within sight, but not Cheddar and come to think of it, we hadn’t seen Cheddar for a few minutes. So we headed different directions and rounded up Cheddar after a good 10 or 15 anxious minutes; a good thing. Neither of us wanted to try to find a replacement Cheddar for Jason. Whew! Things improved after that, Cheddar constantly kept an eye on us! J

First, let me remind you that the last time Cheddar stayed with us he was dubbed Cheddar the Houdini Dog. Well, looks like Pablo is learning from Cheddar. Currently we have a house full of animals; Cheddar the dog and Sabrina the cat along with our own Pablo (at least it feels like a lot when you are used to one). So last night Peter and I were winding down and getting ready for bed – taking the contacts out, brushing teeth, nightly reading etc. when we realized the rain was pretty light, we figured we would take this opportunity to walk the dogs. Well, we find Cheddar and Sabrina but no Pablo. We look under beds, in his crate, under the kitchen table…no Pablo. The last time I had “lost” Pablo he was in the garage, so I curiously open the door to the garage…and there is Pablo sitting on the steps. What? How? Who knows really, these dogs have a magic way about them, maybe he wanted some peace in the house full of animals?

It was a cold evening, but I was running in my field so it didn’t matter much. I can convince myself I am not all that cold when I am out running in my field, it is one of my favorite things you know. The normal routine; check out the heap of old food scraps in that one backyard, that spot that bigger dog always pees, the brush pile that has so many wonderful smells and then my sixth sense made me aware of something in the trees. I had to have a look.

There it was, something black and white (isn’t everything!) – a cat? Let me take a closer look. Smells a little funny, but it is definitely not fast like a cat, the big bushy tail…ow, ow, what, ow, my eyes, my eyes, burning, ow, what in the heck…run, back home, fast, run…oh, what stinks? Is it me? My eyes burn…turn around, run toward home. I smell that heap of old food scraps in that one backyard, so I am going the right way, ohhh, can’t I get away from the smell, maybe weaving will help. What do the wiser dogs tell me…run, fast and far.

I found the house. Good, but my eyes and the stink. Let me in. No. What? I want my bed, I want to run…I don’t know what I want…just…the burn, the smell.

Uh oh, a tub and I am now in it…I don’t like the looks of this. Sniff. What is that? Lick…yum. Not bad. Lick, lick, lick. Somehow I am feeling a little better. Alright, I am outside and it is cold. Are we done? I am cold and my one eye still hurts. Yeah, a towel. Brrrr. What’s with all the noses in my face? Can I go in yet? I want my pillow and warmth. More noses, please, will this stop, I am cold and tired and my eye hurts.

Oh yes, I am going inside. My pillow, a towel…ah life is good…zzz

So Cheddar is vacationing with us this week. Pablo is naturally excited and the evening was full of running, jumping, jawing and those odd play noises dogs make. Bedtime inevitably arrives and the dogs are put to bed with Cheddar in his crate and Pablo on his pillow.

Pablo, as he often does, comes in the bedroom in the early morning to check to see if Peter and I have mysteriously disappeared during the night (at least this in what I believe he is thinking) by putting his front paws on the bed so he can see us. Last night this happened pretty much in the middle of the night, so in order to ensure a restful rest of the night, I put Pablo in his crate and no more than a minute after I laid back down, I feel a nose on my back…I freeze, listen and realize it is Cheddar.

My mind is confused, Cheddar was in his crate, but I don’t try to solve the mystery…it isn’t worth it, so I take him back out to the living room and put him in his crate. Again, not more than a minute goes by and I hear a dog drinking water in the hallway…what is going on, both dogs are in their respective crates? It is Cheddar again. By this point I am thinking he is quite the Houdini dog. I take him back out to the living room and put him in his crate and this time I remember he has two doors in his crate. I check the second one…the gig is up…I know Houdini’s secret…after latching the second door I have a restful rest of the night!