Oh The Humidity!

I think the dog days of summer are here a bit early.  We've had a few days of hot and muggy weather, and the humans aren't the only ones having bad hair days.  Chloe's gotten extra curly hair.  Her coat is naturally curly to begin with, but it's gotten a lot curlier with the extra moisture in the air.  I'm shedding a little, and I have a little more wave near my legs and on my tummy.  Aunt Pat's been brushing us, but you can't tell she's even touched us.  We're staying hydrated, and keeping out of the hottest part of the day.  Laying in front of the duct work helps keep Chloe cool.  We both also like to lay on the cool kitchen floor.  Good thing we're going to the Groomer tomorrow!  It'll be nice to have a bath and to get refreshed before it gets muggy again.
We've been spending less time outside, and we've missed a couple of evening walks because of the heat.  Some of the walks we've been on have been a lot shorter as well.  Daddy and Aunt Pat are very concerned about us overheating.  Chloe's not been very happy about it, since she loves to be outside, and she adores our walks.  She's been a bit whinier, so Aunt Pat has been spending more time with her. 

I try to make the most of our time outside.  It's nice to stop and smell the roses, or in this case, the day lilies.    

 

Summer Time...

...and speaking of time, Chloe has a keen sense of what time.  We all love routine,  but Chloe is a stickler to ours, especially when it comes to our walks.  Once we have our breakfast, we'll go outside for potties, and then we'll go upstairs and nap while Aunt Pat has her breakfast.  Then, I'll go in the bathroom to make sure Aunt Pat is safe in the shower.  We all know that the most accidents occur in the home, and the bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house.

Chloe gets very excited when she hears the shower, because she knows our walk is next on our agenda.  She'll either wait by the stairs, or she'll come in the bathroom with me.  But, she doesn't always sit quietly and wait for Aunt Pat to finish her shower like I do.  Chloe can be downright rude!  She'll often lick the water from the tracks of the shower doors to help Aunt Pat clean up.  Plus, she'll even lick the water from Aunt Pat's leg to get her to dry off faster!  Aunt Pat shoos Chloe away, and Chloe will go sulk in the hallway for a few minutes until she hears Aunt Pat turn off the light and the bath fan.  Nobody likes to be rushed, but, Chloe's actions do make Aunt Pat get dressed and clean the shower more quickly.  She's a smart little dog.   

We Miss Our Humans...

when they go out.  Chloe and I know they'll come back, but that doesn't mean we don't miss them.  Chloe and I have our usual routine.  I usually go to the door when someone leaves and give them my "What? You're leaving without me?" look.  It's my last hope that I can convince someone to take me with them.  I love car rides.  But, since that doesn't work much, I usually take my position on the love seat in the living room.  I can look out the window and be comfortable at the same time.  The bolster pillows make a lovely headrest. 

Chloe will sit on the table and keep watch.  Our little home security system takes her job very seriously.  She will bark an alert whenever anything or anyone comes near.  It doesn't matter that the potential intruder may be a chipmunk eating a seed from one of the maple tree spinners while sitting on the porch.  However, if all is quiet, or if the humans are gone a while, Chloe can get bored...or maybe a little nervous.  Either way, she can get into trouble.  Daddy has to make sure the garbage can in his bedroom is out of reach, and that the door to the bedroom Aunt Pat uses as a computer room is closed.  Aunt Pat has come home to find partially eaten envelopes, printer cartridge boxes, baseball cards, old facial tissues, all partially chewed or ripped, in the living room.

Once we see the humans pull into the driveway, I'll head to the kitchen door and wait.  When the humans come in, I have to sniff them, and whatever bags they're carrying.  Okay, so I'm nosy.  But, if there's something yummy in one of the bags that may be too heavy for them to carry, I want to be there to eat it, err, help carry it inside.  I have to be careful to stand far away enough from the door so I don't get hit when it opens.  Chloe will come in and say hello, but she'll sometimes wait a few minutes so she can stand up on her hind legs and see what the humans have brought home.  

We Have Dreams Too!

I'm not talking about dreams of making it big in show business, or running for President someday like humans do...although having Daddy or Aunt Pat drop a bag of Charlee Bears on the floor so they spill out in front of me would be something to strive for.  I'm talking about the dreams we have when we sleep.  Like all dogs, Chloe and I take naps throughout the day.  Just like humans dream when they sleep, we do too. Aunt Pat and Daddy can tell by some of the things we do when we sleep.  My mouth will twitch, and I'll make smacking noises with my mouth like I'm eating something.  Most of the time I'll have dreams where I'm chasing something or running for some good noms, and the humans can actually see me run in my sleep!

Chloe talks in her sleep.  She'll bark or yip quietly which surprised Aunt Pat the first time she heard it.  Lately, she's been wagging her tail more than she used to. I wonder if she's dreaming that she's talking to the animals that we've been seeing.  A lot of squirrels and chipmunks live in the yard next door, and Chloe runs to the fence to say hello on a regular basis.  We also saw a rabbit this morning on our walk, and of course, we continue to see baby birds taking their first flights and resting in the grass.  They don't always like to talk back, because Chloe can be rather...enthusiastic with her greetings.  I think she scares them.  If you look at the expression on her face when she's sleeping, I can see why.  She almost looks like a zombie dog from a horror movie!