After the final lap, I walk clockwise around the concrete slab behind the garage, rather than counterclockwise while I'm turning around to start a new lap. Juno KNOWS then. She prances over and whines and barks. Starts back toward the porch, looking at me over her shoulder. Even though I always make three circles around the concrete to to regain my flat-surface legs after all that gravel-walking.
When I stop at the steps to stretch, she whines and roots her face close to mine. Then she dashes to her house to wait for my reappearance with the snacks. EVERY. SINGLE. EVENING. Jack sticks by me until I go in. Then he runs around front to wait by the door. I always tell him, "I'll meet you around front with your snack." Juno hears this too. But she waits in her house until I am on the front porch with the plates, hollering, "Come on, Juno! Get your snack!" At that point she gallops around the porch to wait expectantly for me to first set down Jack's plate, then her own.
After feasting (Juno is always done first, even though she gets more, and is fed last) Juno sits at my feet and nudges her nose under my hand to start the petting. Once Jack is done and goes to lick Juno's plate, she leaves to sit in the yard, or go back to her house. Unless Farmer H is there, feeding his animals, in which case she goes over to the Shackytown area to supervise.
Last night, Juno left my caresses to pick up a deer antler off the front porch, and retired to the yard to gnaw on it.
Her tooth-picking joy was not hampered one bit by the presence of poor pitiful Copper stalking nearby.
Jack finished his plate-licking (he's a smart one, holding plates down with his large front feet, whereas Juno scoots it across the porch until she gives up) and trotted across the porch to claim his own after-dinner treat.
It looked like a shoulder bone, with marrow still inside. Jack crunched off parts and ate his, while Juno just gnawed.
There they are. The perfect short-term example of biological species uniform distribution. Even post-snack dogs have a buffer zone in which they're comfortable.
I think Juno is bigger than my Toni Louise. I am still waiting to see Copper get his snack ....... One day he will do something to impress you.
ReplyDeleteHM--It looks like Copper has some manners, at least.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteJuno is a large medium dog, or a small large dog. I wouldn't want to carry her around. She's almost as tall as Copper, but not as muscular.
Copper has already impressed me the day he stood in solidarity with tiny but aggressive Puppy Jack, to defend the grounds against that crazy Rottweiler mix with the bobbed tail. Juno hung back, but she contributed her bark.
***
Sioux,
Copper has stopped barking at me in my own driveway. We have an uneasy truce. His manners during snack time are exemplary. But he needs to work on his pushiness when I carry in the weekly groceries. I set the bags on the side porch until T-Hoe is unloaded, so I only have to climb the steps once. Copper creeps closer every trip. He was almost off the brick sidewalk onto the concrete sidewalk. Juno and Jack pretended to be all outraged, and dashed down the steps to get in his face. Copper sat down rather than give up ground. They were just putting on a show for me, since Jack plays with Copper all day and night.
Unfortunately...we have a new canine visitor. That's a story for another day.
ReplyDeleteYour sweet, sweet Juno really does look sweet!!
fishducky,
ReplyDeleteShe's sweet until I dare to speak to Jack, or pet him. Even while I'm hugging Juno, she figures out that I have made contact with Jack, and roots him away. I don't know HOW Juno turned out this way...it's almost as if she's SPOILED!