Expressions of a Bulldogge

One of the best things about living with a bulldogge are the expressions that regularly flit across Dorothy's face.  It is often hard to look at Dorothy and not burst into laughter.  For example, here is Dorothy sleeping:

And here is one of her most frequent expressions--this one is often accompanied by some whining (her father has added a helpful and apt caption to it):

Bulldogge By-Laws: Drive-By Salad

Last Saturday's trip to Bala Cynwyd for a hike resulted in a lot of Bulldogge By-Laws Referrals and Citations.  When it comes to walking, and the rules of walking, Dorothy just does not take our word for it.  (See picture below).

Anyway, I'm sure faithful readers are all well aware that Dorothy prefers rest over walking.  But we had another issue on our hike, and that is that Dorothy wanted to stop and partake of a good portion of the vegetation around us.  She was a veritable cowwe and pigge!

Which brings us to Article VIII, Section III of the Bulldogge By-Laws:

"While on a hike, a bulldogge is allowed – nay required – to stop as often as she likes, in order to partake of a grass salad.  Any humans on the walk will just have to wait while she eats, and then wait some more while she lies down in the sun to digest."

A colleague at work told me that when a dog eats grass, etc., they are missing something from their diet that a little cottage cheese daily will fix.  Now I would think that when they eat drive-by salad, it would be indicative of missing salad from their diet; but nonetheless, I am experimenting by giving Dorothy a spoonful of Breakstone's in her brekkie.  We shall see how it goes.

Dorothy thinking, My Granny says vegetables are good for me.
And:  would it really hurt you to serve me a side salad with my meal?

It Didn't Feel Like A Kiss

One of the tricks that Sean has taught Dorothy is to give a high five upon hearing the high five command.

And here is Dorothy, high-fiving:

I know, I know, it's adorable!  Except....now Dorothy will high five me when she wants my attention and I'm not giving it to her.  And where does she high five me?  Right. In. The. Face.

And it feels an awful lot like a punch.  :(

I can't wait to see what her next trick will be.

Dorothy Walks In the Burbs

Last Saturday we went to walk on a heritage trail in Bala Cynwyd, PA.  It is basically a paved path where an old railroad track used to be.  It is 1.8 miles both ways and at one point you come to an overlook of Manayunk, which has an old bridge leading to it that people are petitioning to get refurbished.

The first good news about our excursion (once we got over the bad news of going first to the wrong Bala Cynwyd train station and having to retrace our steps), was that Dorothy seemed fine in the car.  She hadn't been in a car since Christmas, and although she cried a tiny bit on the way there, she was fine on all the other legs of the trip and more importantly, did not vomit or void her bowels in the car.  Progress!

She actually did quite well on the walk, too--we never know how Dorothy will react to a walk, but although her leash skills need some upkeep, and she kept trying to stop to eat the plants on the side of the path, she walked 1.8 miles there and 1.8 miles back and didn't drag.

In true Dorothy spirit, she did insist on climbing on anything we passed that was climbable--walls, boulders, etc.  Here she is on a few boulders, her attention on a stick her father has and upon which she would like to gnaw:

Got it!

Back Up Slowly and No One Will Get Hurt

Last Saturday my landlord had scheduled to show my apartment to 8 prospective new tenants.  After much cleaning and tidying on my part, I elected to head to the suburbs with Dorothy for the day, so we wouldn't be in the apartment to encroach upon the viewing.

However, I did leave my cats to more or less fend for themselves.  I told Plum to keep an eye on things, since he is a good Watch Brit, and I gave Posy permission to run under the bed and hide if she felt so inclined.

And my landlord tells me that she did feel so inclined for the first few visits.  But then she decided to hold her ground--or rather, hold her spot on the comforter at the end of the bed.  So when people walked into my back bedroom, this is what greeted them:

Back up slowly, or you might lose a digit:

Meanwhile I’m sure Plum was greeting people at the door, all very British Shorthair cat of him—welcome, would you like some earl gray, pip pip, you can sip it while you admire my beauty, etc. etc.:

And here they are at rest on the couch, glad I am back home and tolerating Dorothy's return as well.  Good job, guys!

Bulldogge By-Laws: And Then There Was Rest

The Bulldogge By-Laws volume is back out on the table, and there has been much pawing through its pages.  Apparently, the clause I’m supposed to read and memorize goes something like, “On the day after a long hike down an old railroad path, during which a Bulldogge performed her walking admirably, said Bulldogge does not, I repeat not, have to walk any distance whatsoever.  In fact, she does not – and will not – turn a corner.  She will do her business a few doors down from her apartment, and then maybe she will walk back.  But more likely she will collapse dramatically down on to the sidewalk and try to get passers-by to think that she is misused.”

Dorothy thinking:  walking is for suckers.

Sharing

Plum and Posy have been sharing the pillow under the desk lamp more often than they used to.  I think Posy is less inclined to move and more inclined to hold her ground, and Plum knows that if he climbs on top of her to make her move, I will get angry.  So we have all reached a somewhat comfy detente!

Posy feeling bookish:

And this is what Posy really thinks of my detente:

Disgruntled

Disgruntled is the look on your face when your sister is in the spot where you want to be, yet your mother is watching you so you can't just bite your sister and make her move:

Feeding Time at the Zoo

When I feed my pets in the morning and at night, I go in age order.  First Plum gets his food, then Posy, and finally it is Dorothy’s turn.  I’ve been doing it this way since day one, so Dorothy expects to be the third one allowed up to the buffet, if you will.  And she will usually wait quite patiently for her turn.  Lately, however, something has been occurring that makes her a little edgy, and that something is that while I am dishing out Plum’s food, he gets all happy and has started to include Dorothy in his happiness by rubbing up against her – including putting his tail smack in her face – while he waits. 

Dorothy does NOT know what to make of this.  She has tried reacting in different ways:  she has interpreted it as his strange way of saying “let’s play!” and has crouched down on all fours, amenable, with a bark or two.  She has tried ignoring it and sitting stock still, seemingly intent on pretending that it isn’t happening.  And she has tried edging away from him subtly by side-stepping a few inches in the opposite direction.

None of these options works—by which I mean, none gets Plum to stop invading her space with bushy tail and purr.  Dorothy remains worried that whatever Plum is doing, it will end in him slapping her face with his lilac paw.  Oh help!

Dorothy thinking, oh please, make him stop!