I learn a whole lot about my dogs when I'm forced to stay home with them for several days in a row. For instance, I've noticed this time around that Cowboy sleeps almost the entire day. He really doesn't do much else, and when I try to get him to do something else like move, for instance, he looks at me like I am a complete fool. He's getting old and it makes me very sad. The only time he even acts interested is when I have the Cheez-it's box. And no, he doesn't get one. So I'm not sure why that makes him so giddy.
Clover, on the other hand, takes full advantage of the fact that I am home - rejoicing in the notion that I am here simply to serve her. She lets me know several times a day what it is that she needs RIGHT NOW. Food, water, throw the ball please, outside, food, water, outside, throw the ball please, I'm locked in the bathroom, food water, I'm locked in the bathroom, throw the ball please...it never ends...like a gnat on speed. When she wants something, Clover makes this really high pitched growling yelpish sound...almost a howl...but more piercing than a howl...more like nails on a chalkboard...an "I'm gonna kill that dog if she doesn't shut up" kind of noise. She started with that commotion this afternoon and I let her go on for about 30 seconds before I walked to the bathroom to see if Her Majesty had locked herself inside again. She wasn't there. I found her in the kitchen looking up at the box of Cheez-its I had left on the counter with the most pitiful little face - like she was trying her best to will them into her mouth. Once I put the box back in the pantry she flung her body against the door over and over again in some sort of strange torture ritual. Whatever. You're not getting one of my Cheez-its.
Clover thinks that we exist to entertain her. More specifically, we exist to throw balls for her. Little squishy cat toy balls. They're all over the house and she carries one in her mouth most of the time. She even falls asleep with them in her mouth. She listens intently to everything PJ and I say just waiting for the word "ball" to leave our lips so she can jump up and down and turn around in 3 circles. If you aren't going to throw the ball for her then she has no use for you. Move along.
This is all Bobbie Jo's fault, by the way. She taught her this maddening game of fetch and fetch some more. And every time Bobbie Jo shows up here, she has more little balls for Clover. The only time Clover is without one is when she is eating or torturing Cowboy.
Just the other day I observed the following as I walked around the house at various times:
Yes, that's a large bug in one of the bowls. I got rid of it and cleaned the bowl.
See? She's crazy. She's obsessed. It's exhausting. But I love her.
Oh, I almost forgot. One more thing that will get Cowboy out of his bed - if I go out the front door! WHAT? She went out front? What the Hell? Who does she think she is?
They go NUTS if I go out the front door, and both of them come running to look out the little window by the door.
Cowboy is the Gladys Kravitz...Clover's just thinking I've gone out there to get a ball for her.