Ranaldi Way of Life

So, Eric and I have been sick this last week so we were unable to bring Willy back up to the shelter on Wednesdy to see his friends and run around with other GSP’s. I realize he can not tell the days of the week but lately it seems a strange anxiousness has come out in him as if he suddenly realizes this is where he”s staying (honestly I think he would be happy haha).

When he’s out in the yard now he runs around with our other two chasing birds, bees and butterflies without a care in the world.  What is quite humorous though is when hours later, Hanna and Bailey are worn out and laying down for a nap in the mid-day sun, there is Willy STILL running circles in the yard. It looks like anxiety to me, but my husband (the GSP expert) tells me he’s just enjoying himself.  That may truly be, however the constant cirlces around the perimeter of the yard are stressing ME out. lol. Eventually he does get his fill of “hunting” and he quietly lays down next to his friends and all is quiet and peaceful in the yard.

When we bring him in the house in the evening we have learned to wait until the very last moment of dusk before bringing the dogs in.  Despite Hanna and Bailey waiting at the back door, Willy is just not ready to come in.  And if we let him in too early he paces the house the way he paces the yard…and with hard wood floors, let me tell you it is anything but peaceful.

Then we came to a delema at bedtime… I think Willy gave up trying to sleep on the bed next to me and will anxiously go around and around our bedroom trying to find a comfortable spot.  He has even, on multiple occasions, climbed into our tiny closet and slept under the clothes(on top of a plastic storage bin). Most nights he eventually lays down next to me on the floor right up against the closet door and my nightstand, he now has a pillow and blanket down there to help get comfy.

Last night was a rare treat; Willy was pacing the house again but it was cold and dark out so the dogs were not going back outside unless it was their last potty of the night. I called Willy up on the bed with me and despite coming immediately when he was called and laying directly on top of me for a few minutes for some love, he then jumped down and went running out to the living room again.  I tried calling him again. clickity clack clickityclack,  I hear him trotting down the hallway at full speed. He comes bounding through the bedroom door and up onto the bed, gives me some more kisses and love while Eric jumps up from his computer desk and shuts our bedroom door. We thought, this would solve the problem of him pacing the house, now he is sure to settle down in the room. Wrong.

Willy continued to circle the room starting with looking longingly out the screen door(which is now locked thanks to Hanna spreading the word that it can be opened with their nose) to the bed smothering me with affection, to the closet, to the floor and back again. At some point during his rounds he took a short cut to the screen door; directly under Eric’s feet and computer desk through all his cables and cords.  If you know my husband you would be holding your breath right about now.  His computer desk, cables, cords, anything related to that area of the room if off limits for the children, the wife, AND the pets! lol.

Thankfully Eric was gentle with him and guided him gently through the first time. But the second and third time around he was getting frustrated. Finally in an act of exasperation Eric pushed his chair back giving Willy room to walk in front of him without having to go under the table. Instead of walking past Eric, Willy jumped immediately into his lap licking his chin.  A lap dog…. just what Eric loves.

OH the pictures dont even do it justice! Half of them didnt turn out right either. It was a crack up! Eric holding a squirming dog in his lap. Every time he thought Willy was squirming to get down and would go to set him on the ground Willy would jump back up. So it was decided he was just squirming to get more comfortable on Eric’s lap. Low and behold with a little ear rubbing and back supporting Willy was soon sound asleep overflowing Eric’s lap. We laughed and giggled at the flashbacks of having to rock our babies to sleep and then somehow put them down on the bed with waking them up. We had the very same thoughts going through our minds now. The last thing we wanted was to wake him up again and have him start circling the house/room….again. Luckily He eventually woke up Eric set him down gently and he came over to his “spot” on the floor by my nightstand and fell sound asleep.

A Lap dog… who knew….