Hank!

We got a new pup and what fun it’s been. We have had a few “ownership” issues – like on the way home when we picked him up, the Head Honcho said, “I’ll give him to you for your birthday.” but every few minutes he asks, “Where’s my pup?”

I’m sure I’d remember IF he had given me something else for a birthday gift…

I do spend more time with the pup – Hank, that is. I feed him, exercise him, work on training him, and even harder, I’m trying to train the Head Honcho on handling Hank. Like using the same command I use. I keep trying to convince him that, “Hank, come to me,” works better than “Hey, you little &$&#@#@, get over here!”

We had an argument the other evening and the Head Honcho’s parting shot was something about caring more for the pup than for him. My parting shot was, “You’re jealous of the dog?” with emphasis on “dog” and amazement in my tone. I went out and cuddled Hank, the Head Honcho rubbed the TV remote control…Within a few minutes we both realized how ridiculous the whole thing was.

However, I did quit telling the Head Honcho he has to wait a few minutes for his meals while I feed Hank. When the door shuts he just thinks I’m headed to the basement for canned goods.

Our yard is constantly redecorated as Hank brings everything he finds to show us. We’ve gotten better at keeping things picked up and put away. We don’t really like the looks of the lawn with horse manure, empty milk bottles, bits of afterbirth, empty beer cans, shredded rope, filthy rags, a coverless paperback, a plastic thing we have never seen and can’t visualize what it could possibly be for…sometimes we play a game trying to identify that new “thing”.

The inlaws are learning to attach yard decorations. Firmly. Hank brought a boot and artificial flowers over from their yard, we returned them, he brought them back. He didn’t chew anything up, he just brought them to HIS yard. Finally, that war ended when he left the boot but brought the pair of gloves used while nailing the boot down.

This pup loves water and it was great fun to watch him attack the sprinkler, run through the garden as I’m watering… Well, actually, that wasn’t that much fun. But what with grasshoppers, deer and now Hank, there really isn’t much garden left for him to run through. But those holes are going to need to be filled in…

The water thing is becoming a bigger issue. He just loves to be in the water. Swimming in the water tanks is fine as long as he doesn’t stir up too much mud and it has time to settle before the cows arrive to drink. Otherwise the Head Honcho gets a bit irritated and is back to “Hey, you little &$&#@#@, get outta there!”.

But every other pond on the place has dried up this summer. Our smart little guy did find one though – the overflow pipe from the septic tank. Aren’t we blessed that he’s so smart??? Since I’m the one that has to clean him up, I’m the one doing the cussing now! And the first rinse happens in the water tank. Now we both smell like sewage and the cows get to drink it.

The Head Honcho was helping his grandson build a deck the other day. Right away, the inlaws were chasing Hank as he took off with the level. Then they had to go under the deck to retrieve one of the Head Honcho’s gloves. He doesn’t chew them up but if we take them off, he’s off with them.

I was determined that the new pup would not be a cat killer and would respect and leave cattle and horses alone UNLESS we told him to move them. So far, we’re doing pretty well on that front. He’s a terrible tease with the cats, but he’s not killing them and if he gets too aggressive, he’s the one crying and running off when they take a swipe at him.

He’s been with me at every milking since we got him. He was tied up until he learned his proper place and behavior. Now, he licks the milk off the calves’ chins after bottle feeding, and the Jersey calf tries to suck his nose while he’s licking her. I got tickled when the Angus bum was sucking Hank’s ear, then amazed when the pup turned his head for the calf to suck his other ear. I’m no longer worried about him being vicious with the livestock.

He does enjoy a good flight from the chickens though. We’ve rescued a couple from his soft grip, and buried a couple, too. I had too many chickens anyway…

Hank is an outside dog, but we agree to let him on the porch when it’s either too hot or too cold. No argument there. But I decided the floor is too hard and the little guy needs a bed.

So I spent a fair bit of time looking online for the right dog bed for the porch. However, when I was scrounging around the shop as I was working on another project, I happened onto some materials I was sure would work great for a dog bed. I spent about 10 days – bits of days, not the whole time – cutting, sewing, redesigning, cutting, sewing… If I’d been paid by the hour for my time, the bed would cost 10 times what one costs online. But it’s just right. Well, almost. It’s pretty firm so I whipped up a pillow pad for a softer, cozier lay.

I walked by the Head Honcho with the pad in hand and he just shook his head.

In a rare occurrence, the Head Honcho offered to go bring my milk cow in that evening and he took Hank with him in the Ranger. They play a game when Hank goes along. Hank likes to stand on a lap and hang his head out the window, so the Head Honcho lowers his elbow to keep Hank off his lap. This goes on until Hank sneaks past the elbow and takes his “proper” place at the window.

The Head Honcho told me they played their usual game, but as Hank was doing his best to get by the elbow, the Head Honcho said to him, “Oh, no you don’t you little #$#%##@! Have you looked at our pillows? Mine’s a little dried up piece of crap and yours is fit for a king!”

I have more “Hank” stories but I have to stop now as I have to finish the Head Honcho’s pillow before bed time. I wouldn’t have bothered making him one but I was afraid he might take Hank’s.