Dexter Dog Camp @ Chez JD

You might remember Dexter - He's the super dog whose family is my really good friends. He came to Chez JD for Dexter Dog Camp for a few days. I picked him up yesterday and immediately began to spoil him. You see, that is what the Uncle gets to do - for the kids as well as the pets. My job, and I take great pride in it, is spoiling Dexter while he has his little vacation.

It starts of course with the ball throwing. Being a dog's dog, Dexter really loves to chase the ball. His family left me with the chuck-it and a brand new ball. What can be better than that - an energetic dog, a chuck it toy, a brand new ball and a big back yard. So, not long after we got him settled in, we were out chasing the ball.

He's still a bit of a puppy (just over a year old), so he really wants me to chase him around. Of course that is after I throw the ball for him - in order to get it back, I have to chase him. Not being the super knowledgeable dog guy, I was making the mistake of indulging him in this. C'est la vie, we had a good time.

The spoiling continues with the walks. Now at home, he has to stay on a short leash. Here at Chez JD, he gets to roam a little with the retractable leash. He still wants to pull, but the choker collar helps control that. We take a stroll around the neighborhood before bedtime, in the morning and in the afternoon. Of course, there is some ball throwing in there as well. All good dogs need to be spoiled this way when they are on vacation.

He likes to play and this evening when I returned from my french club (and after our walk), we were heading back to my little office. My cat Molly loves to sleep under the heater vent which happens to be right off the hallway that Dexter and I have to traverse to get to the office. Molly is paying attention as I walk by, and of course Dexter sees Molly so I stop and talk to both of them - Good Dog, Good kitten etc. Dexter is excited to be so close to her and I can tell. He was looking at her then looking at me while I'm talking to him and petting him. Suddenly, he goes into that head down on the front legs, butt in the air pose that is so common when dogs want to play with each other. I had to laugh. I know Molly isn't interested in playing with him, so I had to talk him down a little. 'You're to big to play with Molly' I said. Meanwhile, Molly is just looking at him like "are you stupid or what?".

Of course today there was more ball throwing (or chasing depending on your perspective). I decided I had had enough of chasing him around to get the ball back. I started working with him to drop the ball at my feet. He is such a smart dog (and had some good training by his family) and towards the end of it, things were working out the way I wanted - not the way he wanted.

All that ball chasing really tires a dog out, and what would a vacation be without some good sleeping? So, here I caught him in full repose.
I think he's dreaming about his family - Happy New Year Family!!.

Dexter the dog

So it's thursday, I haven't given an update on Dexter since Sunday! He's doing well. As I predicted, he did indeed trip over his own face while chasing the ball the other day. I nearly fell down I was laughing so hard!

I was a little concerned knowing he would be all alone while I was at work, but he seems to handle it just fine. I take him for a short walk when I awake in the morning, then another short walk when I get home from work. Usually another - maybe a little longer before bedtime.

After we do the after-work walk, I try to throw the ball with him for a while. He loves it of course! The gang told me he likes the empty milk cartons. I gave him one on his first day, but I think the newness of the place kept him from really enjoying it. I gave him another yesterday - WOW did he go crazy! He kicks it around like it's a soccer ball! He likes for me to chase him and try to take it away from him. Funny.

He's such a cool dog. He could almost convince me to get a dog of my own.

Dexter and me

So, last night I picked up a little buddy from a friend's house. His name is Dexter and he is about 7 months old. My friends are going out of town for a few days, so they asked me to help out. Today (Saturday 13 June) was day one, and it has been pretty interesting.
I have two cats, so of course there are cat toys laying around the house. Dexter immediately took a liking to a golf ball. I don't know if I have ever seen under the dimpled cover of a golf ball, but he made short work of the cover and I saw a nice white rubber core underneath!

Speaking of cats, I don't know if he knows what he is seeing when he looks at them. He looks more anxious than hungry...
I tried to leave him outside most of the day. I thought he'd find a nice cool spot under my trailer out back, but alas, he stayed in the little screened porch most of the day. It gets warm in that spot, but I left him plenty of water....he'll figure out where to find a cool spot soon enough.

He's a wicked mellow dog. And, my friend's kids have got him trained to fetch and respond to some commands - come, sit, shake (although I am having trouble with that one so far).
I took him for an afternoon walk over at cleveland park today. As my friend told me, if you don't use the pinch collar, he'll pull. Who did I think I was, using my retractable leash and the 'regular' collar? Of course he pulled! Especially when he met up with another young dog and the two of them decided to play! I was glad I had the pinch collar with me. He's actually quite tame when you put that on him. Very little pulling.

When we got back from the park, it was time for dinner, so I heated up the leftovers from last night - soft tacos! Pretty tasty! Thanks Janet!
So dexter is pretty funny. He tends to follow me around the house most of the time when he is inside. A few minutes ago, I got up to grab my camera (about 6' away) and he got up to follow me. What a nutty dog!
I was sitting here at my computer a while ago, and he was standing in the hallway looking into my bedroom. Suddenly, I hear growling! What's going on I wonder? I mean one cat is outside, the other is in the living room on the cat condo. I walk into the bedroom, talking to him, trying to understand at what he is growling..... Turns out, it is the sheet on my bed, where it drapes over the footboard. I have a floor fan that is set on oscillating. As it oscillates, it hits the draped sheet, and makes it move around! I tried to show him it was nothing, but he kept staring at it like it was going to get him. Dogs are a trip.