Monday, April 23, 2012

Rose's Friend Shelby

I try my best to walk Rose on a set schedule. At the same time every morning. Because schedules are important for dog owners. But, life happens, and I occasionally walk Rose fifteen minutes late during the mornings, her red leash attached securely to my right arm. When I do, we meet this Jr. High-aged girl named Shelby. Shelby is waiting for a long yellow school bus. She resides in an apartment nearby. Shelby loves animals and aspires to be a veterinarian someday. Whenever Rose spies Shelby with her colossal brown eyes, she grows excited!! Instantaneously!! Those brown floppy ears perk. Her forehead furrows. She whines quietly. Then, more times than not, Rose's mighty vocal chords let out some high-pitched baying!! What a gleeful, albeit eardrum-piercing sound!! And, after baying, Rose's entire face usually wrinkles up, as her tongue dangles out!! A "smile". Rose "inherited" that wrinkled-face feature from the Beagle!! Shelby greets my little girl with enthusiasm, like she has never seen a canine before. She strokes Rose's velvety fur and makes nice remarks about that. "You're so soft!!". Shelby gently pinches Rose's loose throat skin with her fingers. She kisses my mongrel on the lips. Says things to Rose like: "You're so sweet!! So good!! So submissive!! I wanna take you home with me!!" We do actually converse in casual conversation together. About Rose. Life. About animals. Veterinary subjects. Then, we part ways!! The other morning, Shelby paid Rose and I a surprise home visit. At 7:30 AM. I was sitting on this very computer, editing Friday's blog post. Suddenly, sans warning, Rose "vocalized" her ferocious hound bark!! I leapt out of my skin. Screamed. My heart stopped beating for a second. I immediately ran toward our front door where Rose had been barking. I firmly scolded her. I pulled my boisterous beast away. Then somebody informed me that the doorbell was ringing!! What?! So I returned to our door, a barking Rose ahead of me. I opened it. Shelby?! Now, Rose grew excitable. Let the baying begin!! Oh dear.... By this moment, everyone who resides in our home was wide-awake. No doubt about that!! Even the heaviest sleeper can get jolted awake by Rose!! I was friendly with Shelby's house-call, but a little curious about how she found my home!! This morning, I purposefully made an effort to walk Rose late. And, as we were nearly at the "halfway point", there was Shelby!! Rose's colossal brown eyes saw her. I recognized immediately that it was Shelby. Rose's brown floppy ears perked. Her forehead furrowed. I remained nonchalant. So far not even a whine came from Rose's vocal chords. Good girl.... Then Shelby squealed: "Hi baby!!".... From all the way down our street!! Oh no.... That was all the permission Rose needed. Her mighty vocal chords let out some high-pitched bays in reply. Around 7:15 AM!! I then attempted everything to calm down Rose. I touched her fur. I made "shhhhing" sounds. I was verbally firm. I used my left hand as a makeshift "muzzle" to quiet her. Nothing worked!! Then, yes, I mentally threw up my hands in surrender. Because, like with a screaming tantrum-throwing toddler, I was not going to win this one!! So we ran toward Shelby!! Finally Rose was calm.... We will be walking fifteen minutes late every morning now. To see Shelby. "Late" is the new normal.                     










23 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

We tend to see the same people and dogs on our morning walks. There is always great excitement, but at least we're quiet!

XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

Charlene and Storm said...

LOL!!! thats wicked, stormy is just the same when we walk round the corner from my house and sometimes my in-laws are out in there front garden and they talk to him silly and he loves it and starts to whine and pull hard to get to them quicker and then wiggles like a maniac when we get there. xxx

Sketching with Dogs said...

Oh dear, looks like Rose gets very excited to see Shelby. She sounds like a wonderful person and dog lover.
I know just how you feel at that early hour when Rose starts her screaming. I often find myself flying down the garden path when Elliot does the same when we get up.
Dogs eh!
Lynne x

Mary Lou said...

Daisy, Bella & Roxy....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Wait. Scotties are quiet?! Don't they yap? Rose's baying can have quite the competition against that!! ;-}

Mary Lou said...

charlene and Storm....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Oh, Stormy cracks me up!! He is quite the little character!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

Lynne....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah.... Shelby is gentle as a lamb with Rose!! ;)
Hopefully from now on, Shelby won't squeal: "Hi baby!!", from down the street, and then Rose will be easier to deal with!! Hee, hee, hee.... ;op

Stacey said...

aw thats so sweet!! How did they get to know each other? (thankfully finally got new keys for the laptop so its fully working now so no more late commenting :-)

Mary Lou said...

Stacey....
Thank-you for the comment!!
And welcome back!! I have missed your sweet comments!! ;)
I always walk Rose the same way every day, up and down our cul-de-sac. One morning we were running late. And there was Shelby!! Now all three of us are considered friends!! ;op

Finn said...

Late is the new normal! Sometimes it happens :) We see the same folks on our walks, and it is interesting to see who Finn wants to play with and who she has no desire to!

Mary Lou said...

Finn....
Thank-you for the comment!!
It is kind of strange, because until recently, our walks were just Rose and me.... Not anymore!! ;op

Unknown said...

Hi, thanks for stopping by our blog. Rose is so pretty and she looks regal too. I think I like Rose very much too as I'm quite a 'vocal' person and say it out loud no matter I'm happy or not.

Rosie that I sent my wishes to is my human sister. She is studying in a boarding school thousand miles away from me so I wanted to give her all my very best wishes.

It's so lovely to meet you in this Blogville and I like to make friends. Thanks again for visiting.

Licks
Eva

Mary Lou said...

Eva....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Your welcome!! It was my pleasure!! ;)
"Regal".... I like that!! ;op
I am glad that you clarified to me on who Rosie is. Being a first-time visitor of your blog, I was not sure whether or not Rosie was human.... Or dog!! ;-}

Rama's Mama said...

Awww, she loves her friend! So sweet! Rama passes by a lot of school children on our walks. They have been loving on her since we brought her home. :-)

Remington said...

Hi Remington here....thanks for stopping by my blog. Nice to meet you.... I like to go for walks....but just to look around. Great post.... BTW -- I am going to follow you....no, not around your living room....just in Blogland....I hope we can be great friends....

Mary Lou said...

Rama's Mama....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah.... Rose has many little school-kid friends who love on her.... But most of them are neighbors!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

Remington....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Your welcome!! It was my pleasure!! ;)
Rose enjoys looking around during our walks, too!! Sometimes, she will stand, stock-still, and breathe in the air!! Dogs.... ;op
Thank-you for becoming a Follower of my blog!! You're "Number 18"!! Yay!! That is way better than following me around my living room.... It's pretty small!! ;-}
Rose and I would love to be great friends with you!! ;-D

jessej said...

fantastic story!! give Rose some huggies from me~

jessej said...

i love finding new buds- fantastic story

Mary Lou said...

jessej....
Thanks for the comment!!
I will gladly give Rose some "huggies" from you!! ;op
I love finding new buds, too.... And we both happily anticipate seeing Shelby each morning!! ;)

Ruby said...

How funny! Rose is so social, it is no surprise that she made a new friend. The doorbell ringing so early was definitely a surprise though. And, as someone who has heard her bay when I come to the door, I will attest: she gets very excited. I just think of it as her nice way of welcoming us!

Mary Lou said...

Ruby....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah.... That morning when Shelby greeted Rose outside from all the way down our street with a "Hi baby!!", neighbor Sherri, who owns this comical little yappy black purebred, thought Brandy was injured!! Yep. We get that a lot!! ;op

Maxmom said...

Another lovely encounter.
Our Toby is also a barker and I am constantly trying to channel his behaviour into something more acceptable Yesterday, however, after endless recalls to TOBY to "Stop barking" at the high wall at the end of the garden, my own "vet" student remarked:
"Just let him be a dog for a while, Mom!"
It was a good reminder that in training there is an element of compromise.
Loved your story...again!
Sending lotsaluv
MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

Mary Lou said...

MAXMOM....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah, I read somewhere once that Golden Retrievers are "chatty"!! (I think that was the word!!) And, while barking is a behavioral issue, which needs to be dealt with, your "vet" student lent some valid advice!! I loved it!! Sometimes, I'll admit, I need to hear your "vet" students advice, myself!! ;-}
Rose's baying is, according to research, instinctive. She cannot help it!! ;op