Interlude: Dogs

I hoped to have a project post up by now... but the project turned out to be a total failure. :( I already have a couple more projects in the works. With luck, they will be successful and I'll post about them soon.

I'll fill the interlude by rambling ad nauseum about my dogs.

As many of you know, I have two small dogs. Indigo is a brown and tan Miniature Pinscher. Nook is a black Chihuahua mix. They are similar in size and appearance, and they're pretty close in age.

They both love warmth. Nook's favorite place is "Nook's nook," a kitchen cabinet turned dog bed outfitted with a blanket and heating pad. Indigo will sometimes join her there. They both like to burrow beneath the blanket.

And that is where the similarities end. Their personalities are completely different. Indigo wants nothing more than to be with her human (me) and is generally indifferent to everything else, even food. Nook has more typical dog interests, including toys and food.

Indigo is nearly silent; Nook barks, play-growls, and makes all kinds of funny sounds; she even quietly barks in her sleep, which is hilarious. Indigo is clever; Nook is... well, not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Indigo is bold and fearless; Nook is afraid of everything.

In almost every situation, their actions or reactions are totally different.

For example... I let them out into the back yard.
Indigo quietly stands on the patio.
Nook madly dashes around the yard for no apparent reason. (Sorry for the loud wind noise on this video!)

I go inside and pull the door almost closed.
Indigo waits quietly on the doorstep until I notice her and open the door to let her in.
Nook enthusiastically scratches open the door and bursts in like a tiny SWAT team.

I sit on the sofa.
Indigo lies down on my lap or right next to me, and she demands belly rubs.
Nook chews on her toy.

I open the laundry closet door.
Indigo runs over to see if there are warm towels coming out of the dryer.
Nook runs to her kennel to hide from the terrifying monsters who live behind the door.

I put the basket of towels on the floor.
Indigo jumps into the basket the instant I set it down.
Nook eyeballs the scary basket from the safety of her kennel.

I offer each dog a treat.
Indigo sniffs at it... considers it... sniffs at it again... and if she decides to eat it, plucks it gingerly from my fingers and carries it over to the sofa to nibble at it.
Nook grabs it and swallows it whole without even pausing to sniff what it is. (After all, if I'm offering it, it must be edible, right?)

I give them dinner.
Indigo spends three minutes "burying" her food before deciding whether to eat. If she eats, she daintily selects one piece at a time.
Nook gulps down her food in a few seconds, no chewing required. (She now has a slow feeder bowl so dinner lasts about four minutes instead of four seconds.)

I give them a bath.
Indigo looks indignant and tries to jump out of the tub.
Nook looks confused and tries to eat the shampoo lather.

I go into the bedroom.
Indigo springs lightly onto the bed as if gravity doesn't apply to her. She sits quietly, waiting for me to sit down so I'll have a lap for her to lie down on.
Nook lines her body up parallel to the bed.. looks up and down a few times to gauge the distance... then leaps sideways onto the bed. Then she stretches out, ready to play.

Two dogs with vastly different personalities... but I adore them both. Indigo is sweet, cuddly and affectionate. Nook is cute, playful, and hilarious. I may not matter to a single person, but I am Indigo's entire world. I may be melancholy, but Nook's goofy cheerfulness can always make me laugh.

Bringing these two little ladies home from the shelter was far and away the best decision I have ever made. Hooray for rescue pets! :D