In the months that I've been getting Nokie I've tried everything I could to make him happy and comfortable with me. He sleeps in my bed, we cuddle on the couch. Hell, I even turn the TV down when he falls asleep! I just want him to enjoy his time with me as much as I enjoy my time with him.
Since we've been together I've been trying to find a toy for him. He has lots of bones at my house (most of which, since the pup has arrived, are now spread throughout the different rooms of my apartment instead of being in the toy box) and for the longest time that was the only thing that I could find that he showed any interest in. We've been to plenty of stores, I've showed him dozens of toys, all to no avail. He just wasn't in to them. I got him a double tennis ball to throw around in the field where we go, but even that bores him after about two tosses.
We were in Wal-Mart and going through the dog aisle. I got him a new bone and showed him some of the toys they had. He couldn't have cared less. He was far more interested in the "buffet" that we were walking through. So I gave up, wondering when to just call the game and let lost causes be lost causes. As we went through the store we got the usual stares and giggles from children and adults alike. It wasn't until we were in the electronics section that I heard this crazy mechanical barking noise. Wondering what the hell made such a loud and annoying noise I turned to see Nokie posed at me with his butt in the air and his tail wagging itself into a blur. "You can not be serious. Where did you get that!" He just hopped and made the thing do it's obnoxious bark again. It was a small orange fox with a box in the belly that when squeezed, barked. I had no idea when he had picked it off the shelf. I tried to take it from him and he got a bit upset, he wanted it back. I told him I had to buy before he could play with it. Not what he wanted to hear. So, being the sucker that I am, I cut the trip short, bought the fox, and took him home. Let me tell you, after a while, it gets to the point that you don't care how cute and happy they are you just want the damn noise to stop! I took it away and looked for an off switch. It, being a dog toy, of course had none. The only rule that I have implemented with severity is no bones on the furniture and NO fox in bed. He has since grown incredibly attached to it. I asked Linzey if he could take it with him when he left me and she said yes. I was happy for him and sorry for the next guy.
I lost my little sister, a beautiful 2 year old St. Bernard named Molly in April of 2007 to Addisons disease. My brother also lost his 4 year old Shiba Inu, Maggie, around the same time due to illness. It was a very tough time for our famliy. About a month after Molly passed her sister, Bella, became available for adoption and after some debate she came to live with us. My brother and father had gotten a resuce, Ginger, just a short time before Maggie died so that Maggie would have someone to play with and not be lonely. They were about the same age and got along great. When Maggie died, Ginger was upset and went through her greiving as did the rest of us. My brother graduated from UMBC this past December. As a graduation gift to him, my dad got him a new puppy. A beautiful 10 week old Shiba Inu. While Maggie was a rarity, having a glossy white coat, the new puppy had the traditional soft red/tan coat with white markings. Mikie named her Summer, because that's what she reminded him of. When I first saw her I couldn't believe how cute she was! She was just beautiful! She looked like a tiny orange fox...
I come from a split family and therefore have two Christmases. When I went down to see my dad and brother I had Nokie. I got him for two weeks and was glad to have the opportunity to show him off to my family in MD that had only heard about him and seen some pictures. When we arrived at my dad's house, Nok was tired. I got him out of the car and he perked up realizing he was in a new place. I knocked and brought him in the house, wanting him to meet everyone before being allowed to run crazy with them in the backyard. Ginger (as always) was right there at the door when we walked in (she's usually looking for a quick excape). Nokie was wagging and happy to see someone new to play with who seemed eager to play. With all the commotion he didn't see Summer right away. But boy, when he did...his whole face lit up! On a side note: the only thing I brought with me on the trip down for him was his big bone. So that he wouldn't get too bored in the car. I couldn't bear to listen to the fox the whole 2 hour trip down to Baltimore. When Nok saw Summer he rushed her. The leash was ripped from my hand and he was up the stairs in a flash. It's only a split level, it's like 6 steps, but by the time I had gotten up them he had Summer on her back and was nipping and pushing on her belly! Cue Mikie...
It was a chorus of my dad yelling "PUPPY DEATH MATCH!! WINNER EATS THE OTHER TWO!" and Mikie yelling "GET YOUR DAMN DOG OFF SUMMER! HE'S GOING TO HURT HER!" I grabbed Nokie and with that brought Ginger along for the ride (she was jumping and climbing on everyone). Summer righted herself and came up to us, pigtail wagging. She challenged Nokie and it was on. They raced through the house, up and down the stairs, until someone had the sense to open the back door and yell "OUTSIDE" and then it was a blur of yellow, red and brown. They tore all through the yard, it was nuts! Cute, but nuts nonetheless. After everything had begun to calm down I noticed that Nokie still kept trying to push Summer over and squeeze her belly. She would let him do it for a while until she got fed up with it and then she'd scratch at his nose and he'd back off enough for her to roll over. When she did, it started all over again. She would antagonize him until he gave chase and they were having an unbelievable (and possibly dangerous) amount of fun. Ginger, being older, sought out the protection of her chair and my dad from time to time. It was definately a sight to see.
On the drive home Nokie was so sound asleep that he was snoring. Let it be known that Nokie doesn't snore. I've been sleeping with him for months, I know. He grumbles (literally. think of an old man talking under his breath) and he sighs (that one he does a lot). He doesn't not snore. I just laughed at him. He slept for two days after that. I would leave the house and instead of the usual, no you have to stay here while I go to work, I'd have to find him and tell him I was leaving. And frankly, I don't think he gave a damn, I'm not sure he was even capable of hearing me.
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