Sunny Day with Dog

Not that we spent much of our time outdoors, but the sunshine added that "special something" do the day's going's on.

I always feel sorry for Perkunas on weekends. During the week, he is in daycare and gets to romp and play with many dogs of all shapes and sizes. Each day, I pick up a tired, but very happy, poodle. On weekends, however, he is home with me. What a boring experience. I do not roll in the dirt, sniff butts, fight for rawhide bones or any of the things that canines consider the height of hilarity. So, I can understand why he gives me those "pity me" stares starting on Saturday morning.

During warmer times, I walk him all over town. We go to the park and walk along the river. He gets to socialize with the children playing in the park while I chat with their parents. We go downtown, where everyone oohs and aahs over him. With the onset of the cold, I have not been able to walk him nearly as much. This is not really due to the cold, but rather to the lack of effort on the part of the citizenry to clear the ice from their sidewalks. So far, I have made two spectacular slips onto the ice while giving Perkunas a walk and would be happy if that were the winter total. He has also taken a few headers, but he is shorter and lighter than me, so the damage is rather negligible.

So, I have had to find other activities for the pup on weekends. We have settled in to a nice pattern of car rides and visits to the pet stores that allow dogs to visit. He gets to visit with other dogs while I check out the newest toys and attire for the well-dressed pooch. Today, one of the stores was having Pictures with Santa to benefit a local animal shelter. Needless to say, I succumbed and now have a photo of Perkunas giving Santa a big kiss on the nose.

He was also a big help today in that he taste tasted some homemade yogurt for me. I was trying out a technique that seemed easy enough for my students to perform as a lab activity and he was the first one to taste the experimental batch. It passed puppy muster and gave me confidence to try it myself. He was right, it was good. Of course, I have had to contend with a cloud of gaseous ferment issuing from his tiny bottom all evening, but that is a small price to pay.

Tomorrow, he is back in daycare and will again be a content little man. But, the next week is a vacation week...now I know why parents hate summer...