Our Boston Terrier

There was a big dog day in a local park this past weekend. It was a walk for charity and a Boston meet-up group was going to gather beforehand. We weren't taking Tug on the walk but we met up with the others anyway. I have never seen such a sight! Four or five Bostons at a time (most in sweaters or coats) pulling on leashes and trying to convince each other who was tougher! Tug was a weenie for most of the time, as expected, but he did sniff noses with a few of them. We stayed for over an hour and he had a great time just being out in the sunshine. He was the only floppy eared Boston and some of the others had long (4-5") tails! I'd never seen that before!

Afterwards, we took the long way home. Tug's usually interested in the ride for about 5 minutes and then he just heaves a sigh and lies down to doze. We need to get him used to longer drives as we've just made reservations for an historic bed&breakfast for Christmas and it's a little over 2 hours from here. They have a dog-friendly room so Tug gets to go on his first vacation. The deal is they have to be crated when you're gone and you have to leave a cell phone and promise to return ASAP if they call to report a barking problem. Not a real issue for us since we'll always be within a mile or so. We have no idea how the boy will respond to being left alone in his crate in a strange place. At least it should be cold enough to cover his crate with the blankets so he should be calmed by that. We've stayed at this inn before in the annex (a house across the street they bought and refurbished) so we're kinda stoked. They have a killer breakfast and there's fresh cookies in the afternoon (so I'm all about the food!). I plan to take a big book and spend most of my days reading on the porch with Tug in my lap if the weather's good. Mama and my sister can go play. My sister's found a dog-friendly beach nearby so he may get to see the ocean for the first time. How cool will that be?

Tug's rough week

I had to fly out for business earlier this week and Mama dropped me off at the airport. Tug rode along with a harness that clips onto the seatbelt. He can move around and see out both windows but won't fly too far if we do a fast stop (or worse). I got out at the airport and he was very unhappy with all of the loud noises and traffic. I pulled my luggage out of the trunk and shut it- to see Tug watching me through the back window which he just barely see out of if he stands up and stretches. I waved to Mama through the window and walked off. I glanced back after a few feet to see Tug in the side window. When he barks his 'alarm' bark his whole body moves so I could see him bark although I couldn't hear it. I waved again and continued on. A few feet later I glanced around and he's obviously barking in double time. I didn't glance around again since I didn't want to upset him. Later, before my flight left I called home to find out what had happened. Mama said he barked furiously like he was telling her I'd been left behind. Then, as she watched in the rearview mirror, he became frantic and then just drooped. He hung his head and then laid down with his head on his paws the rest of the way home. She said he looked like he was heartbroken. As she told me this I was thinking, "awww, poor little boy" until it occurred to me to ask how he was right then (about 1/2 an hour after reaching home). "Oh, he's fine!" was the reply. Sheeesh.

A few days later they came back to the airport to pick me up and he was so ecstatic to see me that I put on my seatbelt and then reclined the front seat back all the way- he was sniffing and licking my hair for half the ride home! Poor thing has been clinging to me every day since- he really does have separation anxiety...