love makes you do wacky things

i was going to tell you a story about atlas and a squirrel.

but then we were walking along the sidewalk - out on our evening walk - when he starts prancing along on tippy-toes, nose up in the air, sniffing wildly, which means that he smells something wonderful. (wonderful. ha! gross and disgusting is more like it. oh! once he followed a lady all around the dog park doing this very same thing. it was hysterical. do you know what it was? she said that she bought a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store before heading to the park - and took one small bite of it before getting out of her car.)

when he gets like this, he is a dog on a mission. back and forth. back and forth. back and forth. following his nose to find that smell. all of a sudden - before i could realize and stop him - he tried to jump straight up onto a wall that was almost as tall as me (i'm 5 foot 7). (i've watched him jump straight up before - onto walls higher than my waist. it is amazing.) apparently this one was a bit too high. his front feet made it but his back feet fell a little short and he fell backwards.

so what happened next, you ask. i felt so sad that he couldn't get to his wonderful smell and even hurt himself in the process that the next thing i knew, i was digging around in the bushes in the dark to find this smelly thing myself. thankfully, i didn't. (by the way, when i turned to atlas with empty hands and said, "i can't find it", he tried to jump onto the wall again.)

seriously, people. this dog has made me wacky. i didn't use to dig in bushes for smelly things. please come help me.

Comments

[Marcie]

They say that dogs make us human. Whadaya think?!?!? Love the story!!! :-)

[Holly]

LOL, I have been in a similar position myself!

[jen t]

sorry, lib. i don't want to help dig in the bushes for smelly things. ;)

[elizabeth @ retinal perspectives]

jen t: no! definitely don't want help to dig. no one needs to do that. ;) i want help to stop digging! hee.

[Caroline]

First of all...that photo is wonderful! And second, I would do the same. Just the other day I let my dog off leash to chase a squirrel (I knew he wouldn't catch it...but he had so much fun trying!!!). I risked getting a $200 fine for that. Ahhhh...what we do for our furry family members!

[Meredith]

Too funny! But I hope Atlas is okay after overestimating his leaping capabilities...

Booty (our kitty) kept trying to get into a cabinet in the kitchen when we first got here. I kept saying no, and was very firm about it, but he was insistent about scratching this one cabinet door. Once F. let him at it when I was away -- turns out we had a mouse! Eek! So no digging in bushes *or* cabinets for me...

[margie]

you are officially his mother.

[Helen]

i will come & help you:).........i can't say that i've ever tried to do something like that for kia

[chrissy]

elizabeth...first of all atlas is the luckiest dog in the world. my naughty dog has not even gotten airtime on my blog. and secondly..thank you for the best surprise that came in my mailbox today. i was giddy! you are a dear. i feel so blessed to call you my friend. i LOVE the cards and LOVE knowing they are a part of you. you have an amazing eye! you DO know that right?
much love and tons of thanks.
chrissy

[elizabeth @ retinal perspectives]

@caroline: i've been there too. if i thought he would catch them, i would never do it - but it's just fun for him (and the squirrels, you can see them teasing him).

@meredith: oh, sweet kitty. he was trying to save you!

@chrissy: yay! i'm so glad they got there! and that you loved them. thank you for the compliment.

[Tricia Alexander]

i am in love with your doggie!

i nominated you for a kreative blogger. go to my blog and see.

♥tricia

[marilyn]

sweetie, there is no help for you. it is too late. you are already head over heels in love with that puppy and it's impossible to keep you from doing his bidding. (and who would want to?) that said, anything else you need......

[elk]

only if you help me...dogs do it to you!

[Toni]

OMG E, you crack me up!! (Actually, I think I might have done the same thing...once...okay, twice...maybe even three, but don't tell anyone - I don't want them to think I'm nuts like you!) =) I ♥ Atlas.

[robin bird]

i'm on my way over to help you dig!!

xoxoxoxox :)

[rhayne]

Aren't you glad we don't have the same keen sense of smell as a dog? It would be great for the wonderful smelling things of this world, but the not so wonderful? Oh I am so thankful.
Atlas is such a great dog..not only is he entirely handsome, but what a personality!!

xoxoxo