For many people, especially city dwellers who might not have a yard, it might seem like a luxury to have a nice, big fenced area where you could just open the door and your dog trots happily out to do his business or play. In theory, that would be nice, but Ray won't actually go outside alone. That means rain or shine, hot or cold my happy butt is standing outside with Ray. I don't mind it, because it's still time spent with my boy, but the times that he starts playing and its cold and he forgets to "go" but then wants to keep going outside...that gets old.
So, back to the rain. I've yet to find a decent raincoat for him, but considering some of his other oddities, I imagine the sound of rain hitting a slicker that he is wearing might just cause a nervous twich or something. At first, we started going out under an umbrella. That worked well enough for him that if I opened the back door and he saw that it was raining, he'd refuse to go out until I said, "Wait, I'll get the umbrella."
He then progressed to needing to actually having the presence of the umbrella, but not necessarily being under it. It just had to be there.
Becca, when she comes, takes him out front on a leash and that presents a whole different aspect of going outside. Sometimes if it is raining pretty hard, and he can't go out the back door, we've found he will go out front. On a leash. Near an umbrella. I can actually walk him on a leash without an umbrella from the front into the back. That's safe. I can also, sometimes if it's raining, clip his leash on and walk him out the back door in the rain and as soon as he crosses the threshold I can remove the leash.
Ah, life with Ray. He is never, ever boring. So tell us, what is the craziest and most random behavior you've noticed in your pets?
Shiner also will not go out into the rain really. Well, not for long anyways. I live on about 3 or so acres of land and she's allowed to roam around in the evening by herself. One time though she must have gotten out the front gate because she came storming inside with some road rash and minor injuries I could only attribute to her being hit by a car. We lock the front gate now because someone stole a golf cart off the property, and she doesn't venture near the front gate after that incident.
ReplyDeleteAnn, that sounds scary! We live on a fairly busy street and one of the cats is a moderate door darter.
ReplyDeleteIf it's raining we had to put Hades on a leash to pee in the front yard-- he won't go in the back and do it. Braylon is much more tough and will run out quick and potty then run back in. Ray is truly a deight!
ReplyDeleteMy two oldest boy cats hate thunder and slink towards the kitchen, where you will hear the creak of the door open and close as they crawl in, until the thunder storm is over. The second-oldest Buggy learned he could open the cabinets with his paws at our rental place and now that we moved it gets pleasure from just opening them and letting them close so all I hear is *creak, thump, creak, thump* until I tell him to stop or come over to open the door and he looks at me funny and walks away. Buggy and the kitten Boo love licking the water in the shower stall after my other half or I take a shower.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! One of our kitties is somewhat obsessed with the shower as well.
DeleteI'm a new follower. Found you from Coffee with a Canine. I love what I've read so far. :)
ReplyDeleteHello Kimberly, welcome to Peaceabull. Thanks for the sweet comment. :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha, so funny. Sounds like Ray has you trained;) Norman is terrible about getting in the car. I have to throw in a treat, lure him to that treat with another one while gently pulling on his collar, talk really nice to him and be very patient. If none of that works, I have to get in first, then he'll get in and then I have to move around him to get back out:/
ReplyDelete