electricland

The long-awaited appointment with the dog behaviourist was last night. Went really well! Some highlights:

- Blue is a nice dog. (We knew this, but it's good to have outside confirmation.) Many of his behaviour issues are down to being a 2-year-old. He will eventually grow a brain, but probably not for another year or two.
- Even though I got him from the breeder, having bounced through several households he is functionally a rescue dog, and that also plays into the behaviour.
- She's not quite sure what's up with the separation anxiety, but we have a bunch of stuff to work on: here-you-stay-in-this-room-while-I-go-downstairs, practice tying up and going into stores a whole lot while on walks, leave for a few hours a day with some frozen bones to occupy him, etc.
- Lots and lots of work on manners, in the house and out. No bouncing around barking mindlessly and building up adrenaline. No greeting other dogs on leash. In the presence of other dogs, cats, squirrels, etc., give lots of space and keep him working.
- Italian meatballs are yummy.
- Tying his leash to my belt to free up my hands works astonishingly well.
- We'll be trying a citronella collar.

In other news, AAARGH TTC STRIKE. (Probably.)

Last night on the Longest Commute in History (for me, anyway -- left the office at 5:30, got home at 7 after an hour on the streetcar which is unusually bad even for the 501) I had nothing to read. Woe! So I read over some guy's shoulder instead. It was something called Protect and Defend, by one Vince Flynn, who if you believe his Google results is a bestselling author, and the few passages I read were so bad that I was tempted to snatch it from the guy's fingers and hurl it out the window. If I could have reached the window, which is not at all certain, because the streetcar was so packed that people were regularly having to yell "Get off the steps!" so the driver could shut the doors and we could go somewhere. Anyway. I digress. (Model numbers of weaponry in the midst of action sequences: usually a bad sign, IMO, although to be fair it seems to work for lots of people.)

An actual sentence from the book:

Before Rabb could ask what he meant, a group of Kurds burst through the door and started shooting at their leader just then.

It was a long, hard trip home, I tell you. I was very glad when I got a seat, because then I could write Christmas cards.

Blue continues adorable. His breeder told me he loves to look out the window, and she wasn't kidding: one of his new favourite spots is the back of the couch. Picture a 35-pound fluffy dog perched on the back of a couch, staring out the window. It's hilarious and cute. Must take photos.

Dear fellow TTC patrons:

Please exit by the rear doors, or I will be forced to smite you.

Sincerely,

me


Dear Toronto drivers:

Please do not park at bus stops. No, not even if you're just going in for a minute. No, not even if you have your hazard lights on. No, that isn't really a universal parking indicator -- we made that up.

Sincerely,

me


Dear TTC:

See you tonight. And you better have an explanation for sending along no 501 cars in the 20 minutes I was standing at Queen and Kingston Road last night, watching streetcars head up Kingston.

(OK, not really. A useful conversation would be good, though.)

Sincerely,

me