Life with Elmo

I wanted a Stafford so badly before Elmo finally came to live with me.  That sweet, outgoing temperament had me completely sold.  However, nothing can prepare one for the actuality of owning a Stafford.  They are an awful lot of dog. I had intended to have Elmo sleep in his crate, at least until the cats got used to him.  My cats had slept with me their whole lives, it seemed unfair to displace them.  That lasted one and a half nights, till he whined pathetically, and I let him out to sleep on the bed.  That is where he has slept ever since. Actually, I am now incapable of sleeping without a 40 pound dog draped on me, and will call him if he doesn't come into bed straightaway.  (sometimes, he falls asleep in the recliner waiting for me to go to bed, and doesn't wake when I go) Usually he sleeps on my legs, but occasionally he decides to take over the pillow, and I am forced to struggle to retain it. It was easier when I had 2 pillows, but one morning I came home from night shift to discover that, while attempting to dig himself a comfy sleeping spot, Elmo had exploded a pillow.  There was a large mound of feathers at the end of the bed, and some on the dog.

Elmo is always in search of a bigger ball, or a bigger stick.  He has no sense of proportion.  Upon finding a small tree downed in Tryon Creek park, he diligently struggled to lift one end.  That wasn't working, so he went and tried the other end.   Oops, still no luck, back to the first end.  Then the middle.  Well, maybe that 2nd end would move... I dragged him away. He found a large, green ball at my parents house, once, that he really liked.  Trying to play with it, he started biting pieces off, and discovered it tasted good!  I told my father I'd buy them a new watermelon, so we just sat there and watched the complete and utter destruction of the watermelon on the back patio. There was also a windchime hanging on the back patio, that Elmo really wanted to get.  Every time we went out there, he'd be out there- jump...jump...jump.....  It was too high, he could never reach it, but he just had to keep trying.  He also tried using his brain on the problem, and launched himself from the back door, but it didn't help much.  He never gave up. Finally, I went out there with Elmo to help my father haul some stuff away, after they had moved out.  The windchime was no longer there, but Elmo didn't let that deter him from his purpose.   Jump...jump...jump....

To be continued.... (by the way, did I mention he's the best dog in the world?)

Elmo is not always the brightest porch light on the block.  One time, we were at agility class, which is in a pasture, and he decided he wanted to leave.  I was talking to our instructor, and he went to try and push his way out through the gate.  Mind you, the gate swings open, so it shouldn't have been a problem for him, but he didn't quite seem to grasp the concept.  He was pushing determinedly at the middle of the gate, which was opening the gate a little, but when he would look over at the opening, the gate would shut again.  Once more, he would push at the middle of the gate.  He did this for about half an hour, until I was ready to leave and opened the gate for him. The next time he decided to leave, he actually went to the opening end of the gate, and opened it quite easily; restoring my faith in him again.  However, the next time after that,  we had the gate tied shut, and now he thinks he can't open it.

Of course, with privilege comes responsibility.  Being lucky enough to own Elmo, I am obligated to share him with the rest of the world.  Usually, this involves taking him to Petco so he can scam as many treats as possible from the employees.  This is an alarming number of treats.   Elmo might think the employees there are a little stupid, since they apparently can't remember where the biscuit bar is.  Every time they see him, they say "Where are the cookies, Elmo?", and he has to lead them to the biscuit bar.  He likes the creme-filled sandwich cookie type, and also the animal cookies.  If they give him a kind he doesn't much like, he spits it on the floor and waits for something better- which he always gets. I, of course, approve of this, as the more treats they feed my dog, the less dog food I have to buy. All the employees at our local Petco know and love him, but his best Petco buddy is Natalie (Reptile Wizard, as her nametag says).  She loves Elmo, and he adores her.  If she is there, she must be visited! (and hit up for treats) One time, we went to Petco and Elmo was being a real pest- barking at the other customers, dragging me around the store even more than usual, etc.  I was a bit fed up with him.  Then, I looked towards the fish department, and there was Natalie!  I had thought she wasn't there that day, but Elmo knew!  We went over so brat dog could say hi, which he did with wiggly enthusiasm.  Natalie explained to the customers she was helping that Elmo needed treats, sent them to look at fish, and we headed to the biscuit bar for Elmo's snacks.  (I think the people were going to look at fish anyway...) I can only assume that the reason he was barking at everyone was that he was annoyed with them for not being Natalie, when he KNEW she was there.