Abundance

Are we having fun or what! I found Beanie Babies on Craigslist for $1 each. They're so much cheaper and better-made than most soft dog toys. The man of the house was in a hurry and just wanted to get them out of there - he gave me a box of over 20 for $11, which was the cash I had on hand. They all still have their tags, in new condition. "I think my wife bought them and just tossed them in the box," he grumbled. They had 2 dogs, but I didn't suggest leaving them there. The wife would probably have a fit if she knew Spikey is the happy recipient.

Spike picked the coiled snake as his favorite and has punched a hole in the fabric with his sharp canines: his new pasttime is trying to shake it to death. He also hangs on to it for dear life if I hold the other end and spin my office chair around. He never can win - I'm top dog. But we play a lot of fetch and tag with it. He can jump pretty high when he's determined.

Some little dogs are afraid of slick floors. The bamboo flooring upstairs is pretty slippery, but it doesn't seem to phase Spike. He scrabbles for footing, hits another carpet, and off he goes again! He likes to jump up on the desk by my office window, toss the snake or another toy around, fling himself off the desk via the step-stool, and hustle around the room.

BUT - our other fun thing from Craigslist - a WalkyDog - got screwed onto my Brompton folding bike this afternoon. Because the wheels of the Brompton are so little, the seat stem is long and the device works perfectly on its "small dog" setting. I won't need a rear wheel adapter like I'd use for our big bikes. We had tried to go for a bike ride with Spike earlier in the week, and it was just too dangerous for him. He got close to the pedals a few times, giving W and me a good scare. We ended up putting him in the basket and cycling home that way. The WalkyDog however prevents Spike from getting anywhere near wheels, pedals, or feet. We had a blast before supper, a 2 mile slow cruise with Spike pulling most of the way. He'd be a terror (not a terrier) at a big dog size.

He met his nemesis, the white cat, again today. He had barked at it from the kennel yesterday, but today it was sitting on the aviary on the porch. I had the long leash on Spike (40') and he tore up the driveway after the cat. Good thing it is securely fastened!

He leapt into the crate for his bedtime snack and has settled down for the night. I'm about to do the same.