A Bird in the House...

On Tuesday morning I was ready to leave the house for work, and I went in to the kitchen on my way to the laundry room to get Petey's morning treat. John was brushing his teeth. Upon entering the kitchen I was distracted by something on the window. The window itself was open about 6 inches, and the shade was down to just above where the window was open. I pulled the shade to see what was going on, only to learn that what I thought was outside was actually between the inside glass window and the outside screen. The screen had a very small tear up near the top and a baby bird had gotten between the two windows.

Quick as a wink, the bird, probably already fearful and then further startled by the moving shade, slipped down to the open window and flew in to the house. I screamed. I didn't wait for Petey to alert John of the very serious situation in the kitchen. I had no idea if this baby bird had already learned the famous bird defense mechanism of pecking on the head. I could take no chances and assume that that is one of the first lessons baby birds learned and that this one aced the lessons.

John very calmly said it was OK that the bird was in the house and that he would get it out. He even finished brushing his teeth before he strolled over to the front door and calmly opened it and propped it open. During this time, I kept John apprised of the bird's exact location in the house. I used my very loud outside voice for this so that there would be no miscommunication, all the while assuming my own defense against the pecking on the head attack that might come at any second.

John finally sauntered in to the laundry room with a broom. He held the broom up and gently led the bird towards the front of the house. Once the bird flew through the kitchen it saw the open front door and flew to freedom. I was able to relax again, with no pecking on the head threat in sight. I got Petey's treat, so as to proceed with the day as planned, but Petey was no where to be found.

John thought he'd gotten in his box, with all of the screaming & defense against pecking on the head going on. Before I got out of the room to check, John opened the back door and there was Pete. He was calmly standing there looking at the back door, waiting for someone to open it.

John and I each have our own theory as to why Petey made a hasty exit from the house during all the drama. He thinks that Petey couldn't take all the screaming & defense against pecking on the head and left. I think Petey was leading the way for the bird to exit, and circled back around to throw the bird off his trail. He, I'm sure, was trying to save me from getting pecked on the head.

Petey's Car Ride

John and I have been sharing a car most of the summer while his is getting some long awaited and much needed body restoration work. In recent weeks, it has worked it that John has taken me to work each morning and then goes about his day. Classes aren't in session right now, so he doesn't have to keep a set schedule. Generally, he goes to his office until early afternoon and then home. He and Petey have a couple of hours of male bonding time until it is time to come pick me up from work. Petey always accompanies him. The scenario goes something like this: When it is time to leave John asks if Petey wants to come get me. Petey affirms his desire to accompany John by racing to the door and getting there first. Petey calmly rides in the passenger seat, not wandering around the car or trying to get in John's lap at all. Once I come out, Petey allows me to sit in the passenger seat and he rides in my lap. He often needs to sniff my purse or any other article I have brought along with me, but other than that, he's quite content to sit in my lap and enjoy the ride home. It is a lovely picture of domestic tranquility. It has worked well for the three of us. The only problem was one day last week when the car needed gas. The gas station is not on the same path we travel to and from the office each day. We failed to inform Petey of this minor detail. The moment we turned a different direction. Petey popped up out of my lap like a rocket. He put is paws on the dashboard and looked out. He immediately sensed danger and began to alert us. He paced around the car alternating between whining and growling. We realized our serious error and told Petey we were just going a few blocks down this road to the gas station. He would not be deterred. He ratcheted up the vocalization when John got out of the car to pump the gas, and did not stop until John returned to the relative safety of the car. He resumed his position with his back paws in my lap and his front paws on the dashboard until he was able to navigate us back to our usual path. Once we returned to the street we usually take to get home. He laid back down and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Dogs Imitate Owners!

Oh my! Experiments that dogs imitate their owners, does that mean Petey acts like us? Oh, the horror!! John & I apologize to every one we have ever known for being so demanding.
http://http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets-dogs-imitate-people.html

A Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Update

I've blogged several times about Petey and the Sunday morning muffins. Here is the first one (sorry I couldn't make the link thing work) How he loved them and then suddenly stopped. http://lifeofpetey.blogspot.com/2009/03/petey-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins.html

About 16 months ago, I gave up the lemon poppy seed muffin routine too. I decided to cut out those carbs, at least temporarily. Last week, the muffins looked and smelled so good that I decided to treat myself to one. Petey happened to be in the kitchen as I got the muffin out of the tin, and galloped back to the bedroom. I thought the possibility existed that he wanted to share the muffin like the old days, but didn't think it was a very strong one. I was wrong. He was up on the bed and ready to eat by the time I got there. I was a little concerned because I'd just wrapped the LPSM in a paper towel and did not have a plate for him as he'd demanded towards the end of that era. It didn't matter. He was glad to share the muffin with me, even if it was crumbs on a paper towel. John and I both laughed that he remembered this little escapade and enjoyed it so much. I considered it a one time thing for myself, and really didn't consider if Pete thought it was a one time thing or not.

This morning, I walked into the kitchen and John immediately told me how he didn't know what was wrong with Petey. That Petey had been driving him crazy all morning. I thought little of it because that isn't an unusual occurrence. I got something to drink and started back to the bedroom to get ready for church. Petey galloped down the hall, passed me, and jumped on the bed in eager anticipation. I wondered if he was expecting a repeat of the LPSM from last week when he seemed so energized, but I went on with my morning routine. He got out of the bed and sniffed around the kitchen and looked at me quite forlornly. That was the confirmation I needed.

I called to John to say I thought Petey wanted another muffin, so John brought him one on a plate. Petey would not get on the bed to eat it, so I came in to the bedroom to coax him on to the bed, and he immediately jumped up there, but would not eat until I got on the bed. I had to put small crumbs on the plate too. He gobbled them right up. Perhaps, we've created a new Sunday morning LPSM routine.

It is hard to know with Petey though. He likes his routines, but once he thinks he's been figured out, he'll change. Stay tuned. I'll post an update next Sunday as to if he ate one!

Petey's Nose

I've blogged before about Petey's nose. He gives us kisses by touching us on the back of the leg with it. He communicates with snorts & sneezes. If he can't get his whole body under something, he has to at least bury his nose. If he is being ignored, which to Petey means having 100% of our attention all of the time, he'll rest his nose on whatever body part is handy.

He also uses his nose to open doors. I expect most every dog owner has seen their pet come up to a door that is ajar and use their nose to push it the rest of the way open. I know Petey does it because he's moved from room to room while no one is home and often doors are closed to facilitate air flow. I've also seen Petey do it, only he doesn't know I've seen him do it. This is the strange thing about it. If I am nearby, he won't use his nose to move the door. He looks at me with his pitiful face because he must leave the room right away and there is no way for him to exit with the door almost closed.

Just this morning, I was in the bedroom getting ready for work when Petey decided he needed to leave the room. Why? I don't know. No one else was there. It was vital that Petey leave and leave right then. He came to me, and walked to the door, his standard mode of communication. I knew he could leave, the door really was only about half way closed. I told him that he could do it without my assistance, but he wouldn't. I didn't push it with him. Some times if he's told something, he seems to understand. The possibility existed that if I explained to him he could do it, he would. He didn't, so I opened the door for him. It is just another Petey oddity.

Lonely Petey

I just got back from a trip to Raleigh. My Nashville family (mother, sister & 2 nephews) spent a few days with my Raleigh family (sister, BIL, nephew, niece & foster nephew). It was a blast. The Nashville contingent surprised the Raleigh contingent, except for the brother-in-law who was in on the plan.

While we were partying like it was 1999 in Raleigh, John & Petey were lonely. John knew where I was and when I'd be back. I explained it to Petey too, but he didn't like it. So, Tuesday night, the first night we were gone, he camped out in front of the bedroom door. Does that dog know me or what?!?! He knew that when I got home I'd be going to bed, and I wasn't going to get by him! John said there was no way he could coax Petey to any other place in the house. By Wednesday night, he was resigned to the fact that I was gone. He came to pick me up at the airport Thursday evening, so all was well by bedtime.

When Petey wasn't pining away missing me, he was out sunning himself in this glorious heat. Petey and I are the only two creatures in the south east that are happy right now! Here are a few shots of him.

Patriotic Petey

Petey is a very patriotic pooch and wishes everyone a happy 4th of July. He just wishes that the celebrations didn't involve such loud displays of patriotism. Fireworks sound a lot like thunder and any loud noise is cause for alarm. Have a happy celebration, just don't expect Petey to participate if it involves anything loud & booming!