Dogs and Kids

Have you ever noticed those of you that have both, children and dogs I mean, that dealing with one is very similar to dealing with the other, it appears to me an endless round of 'don't touch', 'don't do', 'leave it', it only occurred to me today when Stitch was trying to stick his nose into something most horrid, that our kids and our canines are either sniffing, rolling over or covered in muck, now obviously any child covered in poo eeeewwww that has got to be an accidental mishap and not always their own, where as a canine if left to his own devices will quite happily roll around all day in something foul smelling.  When praising good manners during training it is also very similar to when praising a child for good manners, the more you praise the more you hope the manners improve.

Stitch came in with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth today it was only on closer inspection I realised it was in fact a dried out worm hanging from his lips, really I should have lit it for him, but seeing as this hound has a delicate stomach at the best of times I decided to relieve him of it double quick.

I remember times when the kids would come in the house, or god forbid the enclosed space of the car and your nose would curl and it would take a moment to register what the smell was and then it was a mad grab at trainers and shoes to check the soles, I never could stand having to clean them and where possible would throw said footwear into the washer, Stitch on the other hand wears his paws 24/7 and will not relinquish them which means he is quite happy to trundle through whatever happens to be in his path, it never bothers him, well it can't because I have never seen him puking in a bush whilst holding his paws up for inspection.....

Another similar trait is 'muuuum', you know they want you, they know they want you, but do they have to shout through the house to get you, oh how I remember it, although I have to say as a parent I think we probably taught them how to do it, I remember many a time standing at the bottom of the stairs calling one or other of the children.  Now Stitch although he doesn't shout through the house will indeed make his presence known usually by standing by my legs and looking at me, and if that doesn't work, he will make a noise that is a cross between a bored yawn and a moan, it must work as he always gets my attention, at least with a child you can drown them out with the radio, but with Stitch I would trip over him getting to the switch.....

My rather dull day has led to rather a long blog about nothing, well to be honest the most exciting thing I have seen today was the cigarette hanging from Stitch's mouth, oh and the fruitcakes on the road when I was trying to find a garage this afternoon, I was only trying to find it to save me the time tomorrow which as it turned out was quite a damned good idea because 54 Spyrou Kyprianou is not actually where is was supposed to be, and is in fact where it ought to be, but not in fact where I wanted it to be..... Needless to say now I know where it is the journey with the jeep back to the garage will be a lot quicker tomorrow, although the journey home on foot will be very long and very slow, think a taxi might be in order.  

PHOTOGRAPHY NOTES

(make sure subject is not on hot pavement, and sun not in eyes)