Monday, July 27, 2009

Coming unstuck

Last night was very interesting. At about two in the morning, I was surprised to see Dad shaking Mom awake. They both walked out to the balcony and made noises that sounded like they were distressed. I walked out to see what all the fuss was about. I saw nothing that I had not seen an hour before. There were the rose bushes looking beautiful as usual, the jasmine smelling as strong as ever and Simba seeming as dumb as usual, stuck in the balustrade (that is not usual, but his stupidity is). The front of his body was in the balcony while his backside was on the ledge beyond. He could not have been too uncomfortable, but he was unable to move. It seemed more like a reason to celebrate than get upset about, which is why I had not alerted them in the first place.This way he could not get into more mischief.

Mom and dad tried to coax him out the tried to pull him back. Dad climbed on to the outer ledge and tried that and eventually they even woke up Sidhant, my human bro. After about 15 minutes, I saw mom walk out with a screw driver and hammer. from where I was lying, it seemed like a great idea to just beat simba's huge head and fill in the air gaps with some dented bones. Mom had other ideas though, and she just chiseled away at the baluster. So here she was at 2 in the morning chipping away at her own home.

I guess persistence pays and he did get out. I do not think he has learnt anything from this. I hope they leave him there the next time... at least till sunrise. After all sleep is precious!


Here is a picture of the balustrade!!


Till Simba gets into more jams,

Elsa.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Pet peeves

My favourite spot - the kitchen! aah, the smells, they are to die for....


Isn't it interesting that humans seem to believe that we are OK with just two meals, while they can munch at whatever, when ever.... Don't get me wrong. I love my humans, but this is one of my err..pet peeves. When we ask for the occasional snack we are packed off with cries of 'no begging'. Hey, if I could reach the snacks myself, i would never bother anyone. But they are kept in places and containers that challenge the best dog brains and skills. I have, at times, managed to beat the system only to be rebuked for stealing. That is unfair. When they pop stuff into their mouths....

Oh, I am very grateful for all we get and the love too... but just thought I'd bring this up and see if anyone else thinks this way. thanks for paying attention. love..Elsa

Saturday, July 18, 2009

The yearly reckoning

It was that time of the year again. I had sort of figured it out ,what with the weather being ominous (clouds, rains and thunder) and the whispering parents who would cast occasional glances my way while talking but clam up if they felt I could hear them.When mom and dad spell stuff, it can never be good.


I was not sure of the exact date though or I would have feigned illness. (Then again, I would have had to stop eating for that, so maybe it is all for the best.) To get back to the day , HE came today. I do not mean God, but the devil. Yes, the V.E.T. Mostly he comes for Simba and I just enjoy barking at him. This time it was my turn to get poked with those sharp needles. The parents keep telling me it is for my good and I do not want to upset them. So, I have not yet bitten the devil. nothing can stop me from letting him know that I do not like him and I know my growling does it too. Just today, I heard him express relief that I do not fall sick! (mom touched wood.. I wish it had been his block head)


The good thing - I heard them say it is done for a year. Also, I get some treats when the V.E.T. leaves. So it is not all bad. You win some and lose some. I am waiting for the day the V.E.T. loses some skin to some poor unsuspecting dog!!!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Look who is in charge!

OK, so we were supposed to watch and learn from the previous post. We have learnt to negotiate and now, we too have a chance to post stuff .. ...


I, Elsa, do solemnly affirm that I will do so in a responsible manner. I will speak the truth and nothing else. Oh, well, I will try anyway. As for Simba, my minion (OK, OK, my sibling) he can get a word in once in a way. He has no real opinions of his own anyway. All he wants at all times is to play. He is not even interested in food!!So now guys, you will have more interesting stuff to read about. To start with here is a statement of my philosophy...

Sorry about the slightly fuzzy pic. I will get better with time. If you have trouble reading that, it says "You do not own a dog. The dog owns you"

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The great escape

The video says it all... Watch and learn!

So what do you think now?

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Simba sighting

People often move out of the way when we are on a walk with him. The maintenance people check to ensure he is safely locked up even before they enter the gates. As for the children, well, they are terrified , if they have never been here before. Once they have met Simba, almost all kids go home and ask for a pet.


Whoever said appearances are deceptive had Simba in mind . A huge German Shepherd of German descent, he has a head that seems almost bear like. On his two paws, he is taller than most grown men. If you ever have him charging toward you, you are unlikely to wait and find out the reason. What most do not know is that he is probably on his way to lick you senseless.

If you see him howling at the gate, you can be sure that he is just inviting you to come in. Only thing is, most people are sceptical about this. His biggest joy is to have friends over. Oh no, I do not mean canine friends. I think he doesn't even know that he is a dog. He loves friends of our sons and loves them all equally. His motto is "the more, the merrier" and heaven is when they choose to play outside with the ball. But he is just as content to be a part of the group discussion or even a board game, and his eyes move from one to another depending on the conversation or the move.

So what kind of a guard dog is he? Well, the kind that guards your soul and teaches you never to judge by appearances!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Elsa and her amazing tricks!

She hates the garbage collector. She dislikes the Dhobi. She strikes terror in the hearts of the local maintenance staff (the lawn mowers, the sanitation workers etc). She intimidates the delivery people. Yet, she is the most wonderful dog I have met.

She does no tricks. She stares at me when I try and teach her to roll over. She refuses to fetch the ball. She may give you a paw, but the look that accompanies it may dissuade you from doing it again. Yet, she will run in if we explain that the sanitation worker are there just to check on the sewers. Of course, she keeps a suspicious eye on them from a vantage point. When she is back from a walk, she will of her own volition, clean her feet. Come bed time and she will accompany you to ensure that the gates are locked. The children sometimes need to be reminded to use the toilet before getting into bed, but she will use the garden,as soon as the last call sounds. What is more, she will make sure we know it, so we do not bug her about it.

She instinctively seems to know who is family and how to behave with visiting members. Not for her, instant friendships. Acceptance comes at her own terms and just because you think that you are good with dogs, there are no guarantees. If you give her a wide berth though, she is willing to ignore you, only because she knows you are a friend of the family. Strangers will never be ignored and while she may not bite their head off, she convinces them that they should not risk it.

We do not know anything about her breed, but enjoy her uniqueness and even revel in it. And as for chasing balls and fetching our slippers, I am waiting for my children to master those tricks on command, before I turn my attention to Elsa. She shares my sentiments on that!