Tag: dog training

Library Version of ‘My Dog Ate My Homework’

I volunteer behind the circulation desk of my local library a few hours a week.  I look forward to my weekly chance to greet and assist our patrons.  Every minute is an opportunity for a new adventure or discovery.  As with most journeys, I experience and savor the high points and persevere through the more challenging bumps.

I empathized with a patron who returned a canine mauled book with a trade paperback edition replacement in hand. Unfortunately, according to our circulation policies specific to lost of damaged items, we can’t accept replacements purchased by patrons, but must charge for the replacement cost, plus a small handling fee. Why not take the replacement from the patron? In the case of print books, it’s usually because the bindings available from retail outlets won’t hold up as well as print editions bound for library circulation.

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Porthos Update: Walking

Porthos playing after his first bath.
Porthos playing after his first bath.

This past weekend wasn’t quite as rough as the previous one.  Porthos has fully recovered from his upper respiratory infection and is now eating like the Rottweiler I knew he was (i.e., if there’s a bowl of dog food handy, he will snarf it or inhale it, whichever is faster).  Terry is still recovering from his viral mishap, so we didn’t do much besides sleep and watch television.

I did manage to get Porthos and Lexy out for walks on Sunday afternoon.  Saturday was too miserable (cold and damp and sometimes drizzly) to walk or even let them in the backyard.  Sunday was still overcast but at least not wet.

I walked Lexy first so she wouldn’t feel slighted.  She did her usual amble around the neighborhood.  She really doesn’t like walking back among the houses, where I feel ‘safer’ or less worried about traffic.  Lexy likes to walk along the main thoroughfare into our neighborhood, which involves a slight uphill climb to where the Community Library and City Hall are (about a block away).  When we turned around and headed back north, I regretted not grabbing my ears muffs.  My ears were stinging by the time we got back to the house.

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