Yes, it's time again for tug-o-war, a game that Ziva always wins. Today, we saw the new cinema version of Sondheim's "Into the Woods" - wonderful! - then shared a festive meal with friends, so I'm in a good mood to show my somewhat dangerous activity of this morning. Ziva is not a mean dog, but she's a playful animal, and doesn't have as much control over her teeth and jaw strength as our late Photon did. The hazard arises when an object that she is intending to grab gets too close to our hands or arms. I'm still Pretty Damned Quick, so I've not suffered anything worse than slight skin abrasions or inconsequential bruises, but some training is going to be needed, because Ziva absolutely loves to play with interlocking rubber rings, cotton sock rags, etc.
See how sedately she is surveying the area, just moments before erupting into action.
Yes, that is my violinistically crucial left hand holding the ring, ready to release when necessary, while my right hand is operating a camera that usually requires two hands.
Take a look at Ziva's determination! I always let her "win" before too long, for both our sakes.
The last shot in this sequence maybe gives some idea of the movement and effort that is going on.
Later in the day, Ziva will be as loving as any creature, and even purrs somewhat like a cat.
Permalink: http://jilcp.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-tug-of-war.html
Eeik! Are you sure you should be playing so much tug-o-war with her? She may feel like the alpha dog. The red of your sleeve and the red of the rings (combined with the appearance of aggression) reminded me of a bull fight.
ReplyDeleteCaution is definitely called for, as well as some training. However, Ziva knows I'm alpha. She is submissive in various ways that make it clear. A bull fight? Eek! Ick!
Delete"Violinistically crucial"? What a brilliant turn of phrase! :-)
ReplyDeleteActually, both hands are equally crucial for playing fiddle, when you get right down to it. It's just that a small cut on a finger of the left hand could temporarily disable me, while a similar one on the right hand might be ignorable, unless on the tip of the thumb or middle finger. I thought about all this stuff in detail, back in the days that I did all the car maintenance myself...
DeleteTraining for any dog, when it's still young, is always a good idea. A cousin has told me of how helpful kindness-based training is, and how necessary. It doesn't hurt or cruelly limit the animal, just socializes it and makes communication between species clearer. Everyone likes to know what to expect, and what their limits are, in society. EVAnonymous
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. It's unfortunate that Ziva's previous owners apparently did not always treat her kindly, but she is now secure in the knowledge that she has a permanent home here, providers, protectors and friends. I try to always influence her by rewarding good behavior, though I have to admit that sometimes it's necessary to raise my voice and sound displeased if she gets out of hand. With each passing week, Ziva becomes less of a burden and (even though it doesn't seem possible) cuter, more adorable, and more loving! Sometimes it's two steps forward and one back, but the net movement is forward! She really does have some wonderful qualities. I'm glad I grabbed her from the adoption agency.
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