Llewellyn Has Missed His Calling?

Late this morning, I was out back with Llewellyn. Well, I was on the back porch and he was bounding around the yard, nosing here, sniffing there. Suddenly something on the ground took his fancy. Oh, hey, guess he was eating spent rose of Sharon blooms again.

But as he picked up whatever it was and ran off, I noticed it was too big to be one of those. Whatever this was was large enough to dangle from his jaws.

"Llewellyn, come!" And he came, bringing his new toy-- a recently-dead chipmunk.

Which I immediately told him to drop.

And he did.

He wanted to come back and get it, but I told him No, get in the house.

And he did.

Which is what I call good retriever dog behavior. But since I don't plan to take up small game hunting any time soon, it looks like his efforts are wasted.

Glad I got him to drop it, though. I don't think he'd killed it; there was no blood. The poor chipmunk was probably diseased: not what I call a good snack for a dog's elevenses. A few years back my late dog Maddie once ate a dead bird or something in my sister's back yard, and I had to take her to the emergency vet's from the ensuing infection.

(She had to get sick on Memorial Day, of course.)

We dodged that bullet today, and Llewellyn got lots of doggie treats for being so obedient. Good dog! Very good dog!

Helping-- Or Not

I'm doing some renovation work around my house. Llewellyn likes to help. He helps tape down contractor paper to protect the floor.



Huw likes to help, too. He helps unroll the paper.


Rhadwen, too, is a big help. She tested out the picnic bench I dumpster-dove for a couple days ago, thinking it'd make a good low scaffold. She wants to make sure it's study enough for me to stand on.


Gwenith helps by keeping out of the way. Unless I'm on the computer, of course.

On the other hand . . . Llewellyn, the floor paper did not need irrigating! And he did it on purpose! I'd thought I'd leave the paper down to give me an incentive to hurry up and hammer the trim back up and get it refinished, but not now! A stinky floor I do not need.

Momcat?

My Rhadwen may have had her kitty hysterectomy nine and a half years ago, but she knows good maternal behavior when she gets a chance to do it.

Witness her licking Huw the year old kitten into shape:

Yes, I'd say she was getting some long-delayed mothering in . . . except that Huw himself grooms the dog Llewellyn and the dog looks after Gwenith the pink floofy cat and she reciprocates with strops and purrs and Huw liklikliks Rhadwen back. A very harmonious family we've turned out to be! Hurrah, let cheezburgrz rain down on us all!