On the Homefront, Reading and Other Tales

Canada Day weekend is approaching and that means that June is almost through. I'm not sure about the rest of the world but on this side of the planet June was pretty rough. I've never really thought that June in Newfoundland was all that nice. It usually rains a good deal in the first half of the month but by the middle things are pretty warm and starting to to shine. This month in this year was wickedly cold and wet. I can't imagine raising a tiny pup in a rain storm like June. Potty training would be horrendous and the poor thing wouldn't get any decent walking in.

I came to the home-front on the west coast of the island last weekend and I'll be staying until this Canada Day weekend is over. I'm kind of reluctant to even think about traveling back. It's not easy returning to an empty apartment and a lack of family support. I'm enjoying my time here quite a bit. It's a nice thing, family, they allow you to be who you are and it doesn't matter if that means your utterly frustrated one day and completely at ease the next. But June is over and so I'll go back to the city and await the birth of the pups.

There hasn't been much talk of my dog acquisition out here. And it's probably partially because of the fact that I haven't got a job past October yet. I'm worried about that but I keep the faith that I'll have something by then. There was some commentary that "a cat is so much easier than a dog" but the fact is I'm kind of done with cats. I don't really want a cat at all this time around. I want a dog, particularly a Cav. So I've had the battle previously and I've made a decision. This is the way life is going. It's no good to deny it's existence and it's no good to cause a scene.

I've been reading Paul Owen's The Puppy Whisperer book. It's filled with useful stuff. A lot that I've already read before. It's a bit slow going because there are so many sections. I've visited my cousin who has a NS Duck Toller, aka a Little River Dog, named Cash. He's a bit nervous around people at first which worries me that he doesn't get quite enough socialization in Port aux Basques (which is always a challenge as there is no dog park or social club). He's in his adolescence stage right now and tries his boundaries but my cousin is a very good dog owner and she walks him whenever it's not pouring down rain.

I also met my Uncle's dog Charlie who's a Sameoyd ( I know that's not spelt right for sure) and has no leadership or direction. My Uncle doesn't know how to train a dog like that and he got the dog out of lonliness. He suggested that I take that dog if I was wanting one. That's not acceptable. I'm not going to take a large breed dog when I'm renting off of people. And though I'd take that dog under the right circumstances in a heartbeat. I hate seeing my family think it's okay to keep him outside all the time and not train the dog for living inside. He's a smart dog. He understands command. But he's confused about how to use his mouth and his body. He's confused about the rules. He needs someone so much and it kills me to see him suffer like this. A dog requires compassion and love. My Uncle needs to smarten the heck up. I have no room for a large 100 pound dog right now but I want to save him so bad that it hurts.

Oie. Life is complicated sometimes.