Sometimes a multi-dog owner. Sometimes a single dog owner. Sometimes a dog owner with a cat on the side. Or a bird. Or a mouse. Mice really - after buying into the ill-conceived notion that seeing babies born would be a learning experience for the kids. Sure they learnt about the birds and the bees but they also learnt about maternal cannibalism. They've never looked at me the same since.
Being a responsible dog owner (or at least I like to think that I am), I'm passionate about having well-trained dogs. Yeah, I let them on the couches and on the beds but that's my choice. What I mean by well-trained is knowing I can tell them to sit and stay and they'll kind-of listen if they feel like it.They'll generally behave on a leash (i.e. they won't pull me off my feet when I'm taking them for a walk). And they'll wait until they have permission to eat their dinner. They also don't chew the furniture. Or pee inside - except for Ricky but he's still a work in progress.
One of the things that we've taught Toby and Bubbles is to sit at the top of the steps patiently before their walk while the walker (usually Iven) goes down. This has been necessary to prevent broken arms, legs, backs or head injuries from being barrelled over by two dogs excited to have their walk. They sit almost twitching with anticipation until Iven says 'okay' and then they pelt down the stairs.
But the other day we found out that he doesn't actually need to say 'okay' to get the same reaction. In fact he doesn't even have to speak. Apparently a loud fart sounds a lot like 'okay' to a dog anticipating a walk.
Must stop feeding Iven so many cruciferous vegetables.
