So the girls and I were out at the school yard running around. I wanted you could see the joy that Louise has when in an open field with no scary other humans or animals to distract her. I tried to capture a moment on video. Then as I was looking at the video, I realized the probably everything I did was reinforcing the wrong things. For example. I call the dogs to me. They start to come but they don’t get all the way there. So I call them again, repeatedly. This is wrong, right? I should be able to call them once, and if they loved me listened to me, they would be right in front of me in a good sit position until I released them. But NOOOOO!, I gave them treats anyway and reinforced the, wishy washy behavior. Then, when I released them, I kept talking.
(Note to Mommy trainer: Stop talking so much because you confuse them. Only treat when they really do what you asked.)
We were having the best run when a boy on an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) came loudly and speedily into the school yard and scared us. Thereby stopping our freedom and also causing Louise to go back into the fearful place. What is an ATV doing in the neighborhood anyway? Are they even allowed in such a populated area? After we regained our composure (Louise on leash), the noisy monster left, we walked home happy and tired. I do hope you like the little Non-Training Video, especially listen to the smacking sound when Sofie takes the cookie.
(Another Note to Mommy trainer: Tired dogs are happy dogs (or something like that). They had fun and that is important.)
The dogs have discovered something interesting under the leaves but I just don’t see it or smell it. They, however, are absolutely, positively, sure that it is the most interesting thing in the yard today and they are just not coming in the house until they have sniffed it, dug it, fought over it (and possibly relieved themselves on it). Maybe it is an invisible stick that only they can see that fell during the Super Storm? Or maybe a fox or other critter made it’s way into the yard and left them a secret scent? Whatever it is, it has them riveted to that spot. “Mine!,” Sofie says, as she tries to position herself so that Louise can’t get to it. “Oh, no you don’t!,” states Louise, by proceeding to grab Sofie by the collar and pull her across the yard (sorry I am not that fast on the camera). I never did find out what was so interesting in that spot to cause such a commotion, but oh well…. they are off hunting other treasure now under the pine trees.
Hi! This comic is 21 pages long, but Tumblr only lets me upload up to 10. You can view the full comic at catversushuman.com!
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Catvshuman says: “Oh, if it takes me forever to make a comic, sometimes I post news updates in my FB Page or Twitter. If you’d like to share photos of your cats, or talk about cat issues and whatnot, you can join our FB Group 🙂 Thanks!”
Sofie may be going on 2 years old later this month, but she is still the biggest baby in the house. When she gets sleepy so goes down stairs to her kennel and finds her lovey, Beaver, and then carries him around until she goes to bed. Notice the circles under her eyes? That is another sign of a sleepy Sofie. However, just like a little kid, she refuses to go into her bed until she is told to. She and Beaver will sit a few feet away and roll and roll saying “but Mom, I am so cute, don’t you just want to rub my tummy all night.”
SuperCat, Nine here. I can leap from tall cabinets in a single bound. I can jump higher than any cat ever did before. I like to tight-robe-walk along the shower curtain rod and then fly through the air to land on the sink. I am amazing. I do not understand why the humans and all the other animals in the zoo are always yelling at me. Someone even scratched me on the nose while I wasn’t looking. I will show them. I will be king of this house even if they keep spraying me with that water thing and throwing shoes at me. Mommy keeps telling me to stop beating up on poor old Muffin and anxious Miss Kitty, but I won’t. I will back them into every corner I can to show them who is boss. But I don’t understand why Sofie Bear has to come and nip at me to try and protect them, she isn’t even a cat. I thought she would be on my side. Yesterday even the big black non-cat, Louise, took a nip at me after a big fight in the living room, she usually never gets involved. I have noticed that the boss cat, Noel, now stays real close to Muffin so that I can not get to him. I will find a way. I will use my magic powers of cuteness and make them all understand that I can not help being an adolescent boy cat with a lot to prove in a zoo of animals. The humans put this silly smelly purple color on me that is suppose to calm me down, but I’ll show them. Nothing is going to slow me down from my march to be SuperCat of the zoo. Mommy said something about sending me to a ‘farm’ soon if I don’t clean up my act. What does that mean?
I made the best tofu stir fry last night. The whole time however Louise was under foot. To get her out of the way I gave her a piece of tofu, which she never had before. She sniffed and immediately left (carnivore that she is), leaving it for Sofie. Sofie investigated; picked it up and moved it to the other side of the kitchen.; lay down on the floor with the giggly thing, and then proceeded to figure out how to eat it. She liked it and wanted more. Then Louise came back to me and complained that Sofie ate her tofu. Sometimes, you just have to laugh. Well, actually, a lot of the time with my goofballs.
DogDaz Zoo 