Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Satchel's Love Affair

Satchel is in love-- with his new backyard.  Some people have inquired whether the posession of a backyard means Satchel no longer needs a walker.  The answer is no for a couple of reasons. 
 
First, neither of us are comfortable with him being in the backyard alone.  It's no surprise that I'm neurotic about it, but he's downright hilarious about it.  If I open the back door, he steps out onto the back deck, takes two steps, and turns around and looks at me as if to say, "OK, time to come outside now."  He will not go any further until I come with him.  I have to go to the top of the deck steps before he'll actually go into the backyard, taking the steps two at a time and then flying across the lawn, pouncing on one of his toys or landing in play position with his eyes fixed on me.  Second, he is a city dog and I don't think he believes the backyard is an appropriate toilet.  He likes to play in the backyard after our 'necessity walks', and while he has 'gone' back there at least once, I think it was an urgency issue and not something he'd regularly do.  He grew up learning to 'go' whenever someone put a leash on him and dragged him out on a sidewalk.  The idea of running around his beloved play area and using it for that purpose doesn't seem to have occurred to him.
 
But he is having a passionate love affair with the backyard.  When he's not in it, he is often gazing out at it.  I wake up in the morning to find him sitting on the edge of the bed staring into the yard.  Thank goodness I found a place with a little patch of grass he can call home.
 
 

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