traveling the learning curve in tandem

so much fun!

food puzzle
is hand me down
from Mara

who was expert
at shake, rattle, roll
dispense

within minutes
two cups kibble
gone

Henny?
perplexed
cries when cube
leaves carpet for tile
or
tucks under coffee table
or
butts up against wall

I remind myself…
she excels in other areas

---

My husband likes to say there are no bad dogs, only bad masters, although usually when he says this he is not talking about dogs at all.
excerpt from Good Dog. Stay. by Anna Quindlen

Henrietta and I have adopted a new routine.
After about five minutes of scratchnibblescratchscratchscratch we rise from our vibrating bed with no need for a quarter.
I dress and we blindly head out into the dark frontier of High View Estates.
(This immediate exercise is one strategy in the battle of the bulge which complements the ongoing struggle to eat only one dessert per day. Grant me strength!)

When we return through the sliding patio door, I head directly to the laundry room to stuff the blue, faux dice food cube with one cup of kibble. I pour the second into Henny’s bowl.

I have just enough time to put away last evening’s clean dishes and to grind beans for our percolator before barkhowlbarkbarkbarkbark begins. Easy bowl kibble kill gone—food cube ignored—Henny is at the front window. She’d really like to catch her own breakfast.

Our little ball of fur, once so quiet, gave up her vow of silence at 10 months of age.

She’s got a voice and intends to use it! Critters of the night—beware!

Anyhow—the food cube is my latest attempt to give Henny a meaningful job—so that she doesn’t wake the household and beyond.
The results are still in beta.

Wish me luck?

You must love people (dogs) not for what they are, but for who they need to become. ~Goethe