I love how Benson sits close to me during therapy. He brought his nibble paper and nibbled it for 50 minutes straight.
When the hour was up, he looked up at me with the most schmoopie of faces. We were both self-soothing!
I'm so glad this dog wrecked my Lady Bachelor life.
Bestie dinner at MAMA was exquisite as always.
We had a nightcap at her place, then I rushed home to relieve the dogsitter so he could go to his next dog walk.
Benson was so cute when I handed him off to Aaron before dinner. He plopped down and refused to go upstairs as I jumped in Bestie's Subaru and waved goodbye. As we drove away I could see Aaron coax him up the stairs as he looked for me like Lot's wife's dog.
When I walked through the door, he sniffed me thoroughly and went instantly to bed. I could tell from the toys thrown around that he had been a bit of a handful while I was gone.
Watching him sleep in his pittie ball makes me so happy.
My dog guy Aaron missed the transport tonight, so Benson and I took the BART the way we used to.
The walk through Mandela Pkwy was familiar and different. The chance to sniff and pee was great for Benson again. He is knocked out now.
It was slightly easier on my back since Benson and I now know how to walk hands-free (less pulling).
They cleared the large encampment where loose aggressive dogs used to roam, so that was less stressful.
The train was also slightly easier since I used the muzzle, which told Benson to chill out a bit.
But no lie. I'mma need transport again next week and I really hope Bro. Aaron is back on his game.
Just had to tell Benson the schedule for the day. He was getting impatient.
8 am - Mommy's voting
9 am - we're dropping off Mommy's ballot and taking a walk
10.30 am - back home for breakfast
1.30 pm - Auntie Bestie is coming by and we're dropping you off at day care for half a day
2 pm - Girlie shit with Bestie
5 pm - picking you up and back home for dinner
Benson doesn't appreciate all the balls we have to juggle.
Did I create a calendar only for Benson's appointments and schedules?
Yes.
Because I'm that kind of #DogMama
This is why I don't have the same energy for cishet menz anymore.
I have a dog.
Benson pretending he doesn't have me under surveillance during his nap and I eat some pumpkin bread.
Saturday morning cuddle time.
Benson is so selfish with his cuddles. Saturday mornings when he wakes me up is the only time he tolerates my snuggle aggression. (Oh and after therapy.)
Oof.
My back.
I strained it doing something.
Oh! That's right -- bending over picking up massive dog 💩, untangling a pittie from his leash, and wrestling with him in the back seat of a car. Or this.
Love this boi, but he needs to be less skrong.
#BensonUpdate #LadyBachelorWithADog #DogsOfMastodon
#ButtReport
Lovely walk in the rain/mist!
I also solved the whole leash shenanigans problem -- muzzle!
Why didn't I think of this sooner.
Those situations where he gets super excited and wants to put things in his mouth (like when he's in cars or at the end of a good walk) he puts on his safety hat!
I put him in sit, drop some treats in his muzzle, he eats the treats, I snap on the muzzle, and now I can open the gate, take him upstairs and inside with less fuss.
No more dangerous tug play on the stairs, no chewing on the leash, no strain on my back, and no teething on the neighbors' doormats.😬
Human brain wins again!! 💃🏿🆚️🐕
Wow. When a pittie jumps on your head it's really time to wake up and go for that walk.
Schmoopie is home.
He already drooled on me, ate dinner, begged for snacks, and tried to break the kitchen rule. (Kitchen Rule: No dogs in the kitchen while Mommy is prepping food of any kind.)
I've missed him so much.
Boarding meals packed! Oh shit. I forgot the squirt of salmon oil in each bag.
I balk at the idea of having a child and doing the things that motherhood require.
And yet...this is me.
I just now realized that if I had not ended things with the X in 2021, I would never have adopted Benson.
See?
Breakups are good.
Find the pittie.
The marine layer woke us both up with its cool damp breezes coming through the windows.
After deigning to snuggle for approximately 5 min (I take what i can get), Benson wanted a long sniffari so that's what I gave him.
My back will chastise me later.
After breakfast we went though our Goopy Face routine (I wipe his face+jowls because he's a messy eater), he did a butt scoot. Horrified, I *immediately* grabbed the dog wipes and wiped his butt.
And that booger plopped into a perfect sit. Thwarted.
Ok, doggo. I'll respect your boundaries. But I AM going to clean that booty later.
I was just watching the inspiring story of an adorable bully, Poutine, who has been fostered by an amazing foster mama. Pootie is about to go to her forever home.
(Yes, I'm clocking how easily I fall into the language of animal rescue folks. Only God can judge me.)
Pootie was used as a breeding dog, and her story reminds me of the times I've been approached by dudes asking if Benson is available for breeding. (It's always dudes.)
I have literally clutched my pearls and shooed them away. He's just a baby!! And no! Those 🍒 were chopped!
Hmph.
Oof. The morning walk was rough. Benson wanted a long sniffari, and my hip was not on board. Even after over an hour of stretches and warm massage.
Benson is a big boi. When he wants to check his pee mail, he is a locomotive.
But we got it in, and I think I'm teaching him 'Release.' It's a combo of treats and spritzing water in his face.
Carrot/stick, whatever works.
When leaving Happy Hound with Benson and awkwardly navigating on my cane, a guy in a biiig black truck rolled up.
He smiled at me and me and started to park.
Benson wanted to say hi, but he also needed to pee, so we hung out in the little pee/poo glade on the other side of the lot.
The guy in the black truck lowered himself out after dropping a wheelchair to the ground. He sat in the chair, locked his truck, and wheeled himself inside, emerging a few minutes later with some kind of herder dog on a loose leash. He waved at us again, opened the back of his truck, loaded his dog, his chair, and maneuvered the truck out the lot.
Benson, I said. I should stop feeling sorry for myself. Here I am whining about my pain, my cane. That dude has a giant truck, a dog, and a chair. We will figure all this out.
The adorable face of a DICK.
I should make an exhibit of all the leashes he's chewed through. And now he's sleeping because he enriched the shit out of himself.
High point of the slow, painful walk this afternoon: a Fedi follower saw us in the wild!
I was catching my breath and giving my lower back a breather sitting on my favorite fire hydrant (it's perfectly shaped for putting my pelvis at the right tilt) when a woman slowly approached and said, Is this Benson?
How random!
Benson got a few scritches, and I met someone from the fediverse! Huzzah!
Then we walked slowly home, and I had to manage getting Benson and several packages upstairs while he happily chewed on his leash.
If I get down on the floor, I'll never get up again.
