Moving Again
The woman that answered the phone for the rental apartment wasn't giving anything away. "Do you allow dogs"? - answer: "Depends on the owner, depends on the dog"; okay - "Is there a backyard"? - answer: (see above). Well, I'm a very responsible person - clean up after my dog, don't let her run wild; my dog is wonderful, of course - everyone loves her. Well, everyone says that. "Why don't I bring my dog over to meet you when I look at the apartment?" - That would be lovely, dear. So, the next day my pal Rob picked us up and drove us to see this apartment, which was in the general vicinity of our current apartment. We were greeted very graciously by our prospective landlady Sharon, and ushered into her kitchen. We had come up the back steps which was the access to the basement apartment for rent. It was nice and cool at the top of those stairs; the upper door led to Sharon's quarters. We settled around the kitchen table and Nee settled just outside Sharon's door - at the top of those stairs. Sharon marvelled that she just layed there so quietly and I didn't point out that it was so she could catch that cool breeze coming in. We sat and chatted then, with Rob staying upstairs with Nee, went to see the apartment. Nee didn't even attempt to follow us downstairs (a testament to her comfort with Sharon and the environment). The apartment was suitable - windows were low enough for a good view; plenty of floor space. We chatted a bit more and Sharon pronounced that indeed, she would be happy to have us for tenants and we arranged a moving date. Sharon would be out of province when we moved in, but gave me the key; I was welcome to start moving any time. Before we left, she called Nee into the kitchen to say goodbye. Nee got up and went over to be petted and away we went. I was so proud of that little girl; she had been on her very best behaviour the entire hour we were there.
Over the next few weeks, I moved boxes and organized the new apartment. One cool early morning, I decided to walk Neea-Kha over with me - give her a chance to be familiar with the place when we did move in. It was only a 25-minute walk, she had plenty of ice cold water. I let her wander the rooms as I did some more organizing and planning. Sharon had left for her trip and we were on our own. After a few hours, that apartment started getting quite warm so I turned on the window air conditioner. There was central air but the controls were in Sharon's apartment - hence the back-up unit downstairs. It took awhile for the a/c to start cooling and by this time I was pouring buckets of sweat and Nee was panting. Figured it was time to leave. I could not believe how hot it had become in those few hours. It was stifling - not a breeze to be had. The pavement was so hot; we walked along the grass as much as possible. We had only gone about a quarter of the way when I became concerned about Nee's panting and slow movements. There was a large cemetary on the way so, ignoring the No Dogs signs, we walked in the relative coolness among the tombstones. Halfway home, she had finished up her water and I was getting really worried. Nee walked slower and panted harder. We rested every now and again under the trees, but it didn't help much. Finally, finally we were home. Nee flopped down on our cool kitchen floor, I stuck some icewater in front of her and grabbed several towels, dampened them and covered her with them. She almost sucked up the water and started recuperating, but wasn't back to her usual energetic self until evening. It hadn't even been noon when we started back home. I'm sure she had mild heatstroke and if the walk had been any longer, she could have been in serious trouble. I beat myself up over that for many days and never forgot the lesson I learned from that experience.
As moving day drew closer - boxes piled up, furniture dismantled - Nee started getting anxious. As I piled and dismantled, she paced around me, whining, wanting something; at that point, I didn't know what the problem was. Moving day came - Rob and his sons were moving us. We made several trips back and forth until finally we just had to bring Nee and a few boxes with us. She pulled us out the door, hopped into the van and from the moment we took off, started whining and jumping around - no seatbelts in the back of that van and, although I sat in the back with her, she kept trying to jump into the front seat; at one point, she tried to jump out the front window from the back seat. She barked and yowled and I'm trying to hold her - just to keep her inside the van. I was scared; Rob was irritated - he was trying to drive and she was jumping on his back, scratching my arms up, trying to get away from me. Fortunately, it wasn't as long a drive as the walk had been and Nee settled down and started moping when I got her out of the van and lead her into our new home. Then it occurred to me what had happened. The only other time Neea-Kha had seen the packing boxes, dismantled furniture being moved away was ten months earlier, when we moved from the house. I am totally convinced that she thought we were moving back "home"; poor little girl! Rob's wife Fay came over with their two small grandsons and a huge box of donuts and Nee quickly forgot her upset when she spotted donuts in the little hands. I had to shut her in the bedroom so she wouldn't knock the kids down to get to the donuts. She whined and threw herself against the bedroom door and Fay couldn't stand the pitiful moans for long and gathered up the kids and quickly left. Nee was further mollified when I took her out to the fully fenced back yard, where she could run free and chase squirrels up the trees. It wasn't a huge yard, but certainly big enough to give her a gallop around.
We settled in over the next few days - then began exploring the neighbourhood. Five minutes away was a huge park - not much activity but lots of open space - hills to climb; gullies to jump over, lots of big old trees for shade; lots of squirrels to chase, branches to run with. Too sunny in the morning, it would be our afternoon and early evening romps. Mornings took us a few streets up and over to another park - smaller, quiet in the morning, enough shade to relax under. Lots of squirrels to chase there. I bought a large kiddie pool and as soon as we got back from our walks, Nee would hunker down in that pool to relax. There was a seven year old boy next door and he'd throw the ball over the fence to her, she'd catch it and bring it back to him or he'd run along the fence on his side, Nee chasing after him on our side. He had a four year old sister that Nee didn't like and she'd jump at the fence every time the little girl came up to it. The parents tried to keep the girl away from the fence, I tried to keep Nee away from the girl and we always had to watch the two carefully. They eventually learned to ignore each other, but that took many months.
We spent the next few weeks exploring the neighbourhoods, romping in the parks and in the back yard. I'd water the grass and we'd both get a good soaking when she jumped up after the spray, trying to catch the water. Sharon came back home and we all set about getting acquainted. It was a very calm, relaxing time for all of us. Sharon and Nee bonded quickly and well and Sharon suggested leaving her upstairs while I was at work. Sharon was disabled and spent much time at home - they would be company for each other. I'd let her in Sharon's door when I went to work, she'd look out the large picture window at the neighbourhood activities while Sharon slept, and they'd both enjoy their time together - Nee waiting eagerly for me to return; she'd start getting restless about the time she thought I should be home and was always at the window, watching for me. By and by she met Sharon's family -- brother Justin who had a very timid Great Dane who Nee was not fond of. This was her "Aunt Sharon" and she didn't want to share. We had to keep Nee away from the dogs that came over - she was very possessive of Sharon and protective towards me. But she loved Sharon's brothers Justin and Darryl and Sharon's son Chris and daughter-in-law Michelle. They adored her and spoiled her greatly. I was so grateful for this wonderful environment we had moved into.
Over the next few weeks, I moved boxes and organized the new apartment. One cool early morning, I decided to walk Neea-Kha over with me - give her a chance to be familiar with the place when we did move in. It was only a 25-minute walk, she had plenty of ice cold water. I let her wander the rooms as I did some more organizing and planning. Sharon had left for her trip and we were on our own. After a few hours, that apartment started getting quite warm so I turned on the window air conditioner. There was central air but the controls were in Sharon's apartment - hence the back-up unit downstairs. It took awhile for the a/c to start cooling and by this time I was pouring buckets of sweat and Nee was panting. Figured it was time to leave. I could not believe how hot it had become in those few hours. It was stifling - not a breeze to be had. The pavement was so hot; we walked along the grass as much as possible. We had only gone about a quarter of the way when I became concerned about Nee's panting and slow movements. There was a large cemetary on the way so, ignoring the No Dogs signs, we walked in the relative coolness among the tombstones. Halfway home, she had finished up her water and I was getting really worried. Nee walked slower and panted harder. We rested every now and again under the trees, but it didn't help much. Finally, finally we were home. Nee flopped down on our cool kitchen floor, I stuck some icewater in front of her and grabbed several towels, dampened them and covered her with them. She almost sucked up the water and started recuperating, but wasn't back to her usual energetic self until evening. It hadn't even been noon when we started back home. I'm sure she had mild heatstroke and if the walk had been any longer, she could have been in serious trouble. I beat myself up over that for many days and never forgot the lesson I learned from that experience.
As moving day drew closer - boxes piled up, furniture dismantled - Nee started getting anxious. As I piled and dismantled, she paced around me, whining, wanting something; at that point, I didn't know what the problem was. Moving day came - Rob and his sons were moving us. We made several trips back and forth until finally we just had to bring Nee and a few boxes with us. She pulled us out the door, hopped into the van and from the moment we took off, started whining and jumping around - no seatbelts in the back of that van and, although I sat in the back with her, she kept trying to jump into the front seat; at one point, she tried to jump out the front window from the back seat. She barked and yowled and I'm trying to hold her - just to keep her inside the van. I was scared; Rob was irritated - he was trying to drive and she was jumping on his back, scratching my arms up, trying to get away from me. Fortunately, it wasn't as long a drive as the walk had been and Nee settled down and started moping when I got her out of the van and lead her into our new home. Then it occurred to me what had happened. The only other time Neea-Kha had seen the packing boxes, dismantled furniture being moved away was ten months earlier, when we moved from the house. I am totally convinced that she thought we were moving back "home"; poor little girl! Rob's wife Fay came over with their two small grandsons and a huge box of donuts and Nee quickly forgot her upset when she spotted donuts in the little hands. I had to shut her in the bedroom so she wouldn't knock the kids down to get to the donuts. She whined and threw herself against the bedroom door and Fay couldn't stand the pitiful moans for long and gathered up the kids and quickly left. Nee was further mollified when I took her out to the fully fenced back yard, where she could run free and chase squirrels up the trees. It wasn't a huge yard, but certainly big enough to give her a gallop around.
We settled in over the next few days - then began exploring the neighbourhood. Five minutes away was a huge park - not much activity but lots of open space - hills to climb; gullies to jump over, lots of big old trees for shade; lots of squirrels to chase, branches to run with. Too sunny in the morning, it would be our afternoon and early evening romps. Mornings took us a few streets up and over to another park - smaller, quiet in the morning, enough shade to relax under. Lots of squirrels to chase there. I bought a large kiddie pool and as soon as we got back from our walks, Nee would hunker down in that pool to relax. There was a seven year old boy next door and he'd throw the ball over the fence to her, she'd catch it and bring it back to him or he'd run along the fence on his side, Nee chasing after him on our side. He had a four year old sister that Nee didn't like and she'd jump at the fence every time the little girl came up to it. The parents tried to keep the girl away from the fence, I tried to keep Nee away from the girl and we always had to watch the two carefully. They eventually learned to ignore each other, but that took many months.
We spent the next few weeks exploring the neighbourhoods, romping in the parks and in the back yard. I'd water the grass and we'd both get a good soaking when she jumped up after the spray, trying to catch the water. Sharon came back home and we all set about getting acquainted. It was a very calm, relaxing time for all of us. Sharon and Nee bonded quickly and well and Sharon suggested leaving her upstairs while I was at work. Sharon was disabled and spent much time at home - they would be company for each other. I'd let her in Sharon's door when I went to work, she'd look out the large picture window at the neighbourhood activities while Sharon slept, and they'd both enjoy their time together - Nee waiting eagerly for me to return; she'd start getting restless about the time she thought I should be home and was always at the window, watching for me. By and by she met Sharon's family -- brother Justin who had a very timid Great Dane who Nee was not fond of. This was her "Aunt Sharon" and she didn't want to share. We had to keep Nee away from the dogs that came over - she was very possessive of Sharon and protective towards me. But she loved Sharon's brothers Justin and Darryl and Sharon's son Chris and daughter-in-law Michelle. They adored her and spoiled her greatly. I was so grateful for this wonderful environment we had moved into.