Bulldogs like camping

I've been almost completely out of touch this weekend. I had a two-bar cell signal, and using that for Internet access wasn't worth it.

I took a book with me, but never got a chance to read it. The timber, the smells, time where it's just my wife and I was too precious.

Otto had a great time out camping. We stayed in Ponderosa State Park, and all pets must be on leashes. He's never been on one, and this posed a tiny problem. What kind of leash to you buy for a puppy with no neck?

We opted for a harness and one of those retractable leashes. I expected crying and rolling on the ground, accompanied by chewing on the harness.

Otto likes it. He wore it proudly even when I called it a bra.

The leash is another matter. It falls into the category of something he can get into his mouth. A bit of scolding, and he behaved himself with it too.

This little doe visited camp on Friday night, and Otto didn't even see her.

There were plenty of dogs around, and since they were leashed, the deer never had a problem at all.

Otto was pretty popular. We had people coming to our camp all weekend to see the puppy. It seems like everyone had a bulldog, wants one, or knew someone. He was excited to meet a bunch of new friends.

Our mushrooming trip was a flop. Summer is too far along this year. This is traditionally a great week, but the season is different. Otto enjoyed splashing around in the stream. He'll be getting a bath in a few minutes.

We had a bit of an issue when the leash reached the end. He didn't care about the harness, or the leash, but when the leash limited how far he could go, he pouted.

This is his pout face, and he refuses to look at me.

 

 

 

 

 

The deer came back this morning, and this time she came right into our campsite.

Otto saw her this time, but he kind of froze in place. He has no idea whether deer feed on Bulldogs or not.

The gigantic boxer next door had no reservations. He barked at her, so she left. He was nearly as big as she was, and I've never seen one that big. He was a nice, well behaved, dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trip home was pretty boring for Otto. He knew the fun was over, and it was snooze time. I only wish it was for me too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was my view for over three hours today. There was a three car pileup, with a fatality. So we sat. I had to idle and keep the air conditioner going the whole time.

Otto can be kind of heat sensitive, but I'd be lying if I said my wife and I enjoyed it too.

I am pretty sure traffic backed up for over thirty miles.

I need to get back to all the stuff I neglected this weekend. I know I've missed some of your posts, and I'll try to catch up.

I've also sworn a vow that I will not attempt any new writing until I finish reading that book.

Age has pulled a cruel trick on me and my concentration. I caught myself reading the same page, even the same paragraph over and over again. It doesn't take much to cause this. The Raven two trees over, the dog in the next camp, a kid petting Otto. My concentration is shot.

I used to read while the television ran. Radio was no problem, and I liked some background music. I could read and carry on a conversation with my wife. Those days are over. If I have to backtrack that much, I need to find a better time to read. I will, but I won't set any other goals until I finish. This I swear.

Date night, plus more Otto

This is a strange weekend for us. Old What’s Her Face* has to work on Sunday. Tomorrow we’re going to get the camper ready by draining all the antifreeze and whatnot. That means date night was tonight.

We had the prime rib special at Kahoots. I had a couple of nice beers too. The Huckleberry ale I had was pretty good; golden and scented like ripe berries. It tasted a bit like a Belgian style beer, which I really like. I finished my evening with a thick dark beer I really like called Irish Death. It’s kind of a staple at Kahoots.

I passed on the bread pudding, because my stomach said so. I get acid reflux if I have sweets too late in the day. They have the best bread pudding in town though.

After dinner, we went to a PetSmart down the road. We wound up spending more than we did on dinner. Otto is getting more active every day, and this includes chewing. He likes feet, chairs, hands, the lawn, rocks, pretty much everything he can fit in his mouth. My goals were something he can chew like a Kong toy, or a rawhide bone.

I’ve learned my lesson about bully breeds and rawhide, so I picked one out that was too big for him to swallow. Once he makes it mungy, it goes in the trash. I got a Kong toy too. Then I picked out a little squeaky ball for bath training. My wife is going through the the toys one at a time. Why wait is her motto.

He went insane over the little squeaky ball. I took an iPhone video, but WordPress doesn’t like it. I’ll try it on Facebook after I finish this update.

Here are a couple of Otto images for everyone.

In this first one, he likes the laundry room.

I picked out these shorts for you

Here’s one with his new ball, and I wish I could get the video to load.

Busy day tomorrow with the camper. Then I have to do two things associated with Lisa Burton Radio. Sometime this weekend I have to work up critique submissions for my group. I’d like to write some, but it may wind up being micro-fiction if I do any at all.

*Entertaining Stories: Protecting my wife’s identity since 2013.

Life in Ottoland

It's Wednesday, and I need a topic, so Otto the bulldog puppy it is. He hasn't lived here a week, but he's fitting in well.

He moved from lonely and pouting to happy and bouncing off the walls in just a few days. I tried getting a cute video, but my videography skills are lacking. This would have been of my wife scratching under the sheet and him pouncing on her fingers.

He likes to chew on everything, mostly my feet. This is no surprise, because puppies chew. We need to get something he can call his own to chew on. He has some puppy toys, but they only draw sporadic interest.

I threw one of these plush toys at him when he tried to chew on a cabinet. He stopped, but I learned that he's a pouter. He stared into space and wouldn't look at me for a good half hour.

He also likes keys. I have no idea why, because he can't chew on them. Maybe his breeder took them for drives or something.

When he walks he looks kind of like a horny toad from above. For those who don't know, this is the horned lizard of the American West. It's a staple of little kids everywhere (everywhere in the American West that is). Their little butts wiggle as they walk, and so does Otto's.

He wound up on his back a few times too. He's a bit like a turtle when he's on his back. It takes a few wiggles to right himself, but he is capable of righting himself.

My wife took him to meet the veterinarian this afternoon. This was part of our agreement with the breeder, and a good idea anyway. The vet gave him a perfect bill of health, and a microchip. This is also a good idea, because some people steal cute puppies. The breeder took him to her vet before she brought him over, and he's gained two pounds in five days. (I can relate.)

So there you have it. Otto is fitting in around here. He barks at ice cubes, eats like a horse, and is gaining confidence every day.

I promise to work on my camera and video skills, and next time I can have some images for you.

Okay, so it was a lame excuse for a post, but it's Wednesday and I've got nothing. I know it would be better with a picture, but he doesn't stay in focus very long. I'll work on it.