Little Honey getting modeling advice from Pumpkin, May 2010
In July I posted a little story about how my daughter “measures” her dogs by posing them next to a couple of funky yard ornaments, two frogs to be exact. A couple days ago it was time to take the autumn measurements of these two bronze Newfoundlands. But the very sweet Pumpkin, now two plus years and the feisty Honey, nine months, had to be coaxed into primping for the camera next to the quirky tall metal frogs. They just really were not in the mood for a photo shoot . Being a bit breezy that day on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, dry leaves were gently fluttering down from many of the trees, rustling and swirling all across the backyard. Both of “the girls” , as my husband likes to call them, were infinitely more interested in chasing leaves rather than posing docilely for the camera. Leashes had to be produced and many commands of “sit” and “stay” were given before a semi-satisfactory shot was obtained. But the principal objective was finally met, leashes removed and off they set in a mad dash, crossing the lawn in wild pursuit of who knows what canine goal. Chasing deer is their very favorite pursuit. If they see a deer in the yard, usually following a little trail down by the water, they give great excited barks and set off at a gallop trying to catch one– apparently they will never learn that deer run multiples of times faster than dogs, or maybe they’re just doing the dog version of the 50 yard dash. Anyway, I think they would probably freak out if they actually ever really got close to one. Fortunately there’s no worry about that happening because deer are so agile they could just jump past a mere dog in a single bound. Which reminds me of a “dogs interacting with other animals” little story my husband related to me the other day.
Honey and Pumpkin, Measured With Frogs, November 2010
Pumpkin and Honey, being Newfies, and Newfies traditionally being water rescue dogs, both adore swimming. In the summer they love to go down to the inlet and swim in the salt water and do so just about every single day. Last week, my husband and the dogs were just sitting out on the deck, enjoying some late day sun. This being the time of year that flocks of geese start returning to the Eastern Shore to enjoy our mild winters, a large flock passed overhead, honking loudly as geese always do, aiming to set down in the water just off our backyard. The dogs stood up, cocking their heads, listening to all the noise and then bounded off for the shoreline, which is about 350 feet from the deck. By that time the geese, with their usual fanfare, were settling down in the water just off the area where the dogs usually enter to swim. My husband followed the dogs on down, hoping to get a good view of the flock, assuming the geese would take off as soon as the dogs arrived on the scene. But the geese didn’t seem to mind the dogs, actually totally ignored them . Into the water went Pumpkin and Honey, quietly , not barking or carrying on at all. And then they proceeded to swim along with the geese, who were bobbing around not more than 20 feet away from them ! I have never heard of such a thing before but my husband swears, Scout’s Honor and pinkie swear, that every word is true. I can tell you that a human can’t get anywhere near that close to a flock of geese because the whole flock will take to the air in a flash, wings beating, loudly honking. And if only my husband had his camera with him, I would have loved a shot of Honey and Pumpkin, slowly swimming with geese.
