Dakota doesn't like the basement

New washer and drier delivered and set up yesterday.

Suka spent the afternoon announcing the arrivals and departures of workers and equipment in various levels of anxiety. Clearly, removing stuff was bad, but bringing stuff in, while not bad per se, still needed an announcement. Ah, and disassembling bits of the house (popping a door off its hinges) falls under the heading of HIGHLY suspicious activity.

Dakota watched things quietly, and was generally a very good girl, though she did cause the workers sore necks as they swiveled their heads to keep an eye on her. They should've been watching Suka, instead!

Suka suspiciously eyeballed the new appliances once they were set up, but Dakota simply would NOT come down into the basement. She lay at the top of the stairs, paws over the edge, and moaned at me as I made adjustments and test-ran the new hardware (all under Suka's watchful eye), but she would not take even a single step down the stairs. Even the cat supervised a bit, lurking in the rafters and playing 'Basement Cat.'

Dakota was simply having none of it.

I guess Suka's found a Dakota-refuge, if she wants one. Too bad, too, 'cause the basement is the coolest place in the house, come summer (even with central air!).

Ressurection

This has been lying dormant. I haven't forgotten, just haven't had much to say that wasn't already being said over at Suka's Place.

Dakota has long settled into the family as a beloved member. She's got her odd little quirks and behaviors, and is known as a consummate Toast Thief. She's also been known to solve rather complicated problems to get her schnozz into a can of bacon grease. :)

Generally, my wife claims Dakota as 'her' dog - Jenn has the 'calm down a distressed dog' magic, and she loves Dakota to the point of distraction. Lin also has a serious love-on for Dakota, but Ian is a bit intimidated still - Not that he actually fears her intent, but rather that he fears her enthusiasm and occasional clumsy moment. When Dakota gets heedlessly excited, she can knock poor Ian ass-over-teakettle with a single mis-placed tail wag.

Dakota still doesn't really 'do' long stairs. She sits on the step, backwards, then walks her front paws up to the step she's sitting on. Then she'll stand up, and sit back down on the next higher step. Repeat as-needed until stairs are scaled. It's silly-looking as hell, but faster than you'd think. Whatever - She manages the stairs in her own way, and that's that. Short stairs, OTOH, she generally has no issues with, though she sometimes forgets which hind foot to put where.

Suka and Dakota have a complicated relationship. Suka doesn't really approve of Dakota, but generally tollerates her well, excepting when Dakota crosses one of Suka's numerous invisible rules. Then, Suka will get all huffy, and make faces, and generally throw her (fairly minor) weight around. Dakota will turn away, sit down, groom, or otherwise engage in distance-increasing behaviors until Suka gets bored, or decides that she's got her message across. Once Suka runs out of steam (or, more usually, gets called on being a rude little punk by one of the humans), Dakota goes back to doing what she'd started. Dakota generally yields dominance to Suka, and follows her about (especially when stressed). However, she doesn't let Suka go too far in being pushy - When Suka crosses one of Dakota's lines, Dakota will thump her a good one. Then it's back to business as usual. Dakota definately relies on Suka outside and off our land, and at the same time, is highly protective of Suka.

Case in point: Last night, I had The Girls at the vet for checkup and immunization updates. Suka was generally being a stress-puppy; whining, squeaking, and panting heavily. When Suka was taken to the back for a blood draw, Dakota hit the door to the treatment area HARD. Dakota normally doesn't jump up, but last night, her head was six feet off the ground as she took a run at that door! Deciding that she couldn't batter the door open, she was reduced to sniffing and nudging at the cracks until her Suka was brought back to her. Once Suka was back, all was well again.


Speaking of Vets, Dakota is still doing very well, though the doc did notice some loosness developing in her hips from last examination. Considering that over this last winter, she also gained a bit of weight, I suspect it's from not getting enough exercise, or is at least exacerbated by that lack. What with the weather and all, she's not the only one needing a bit of toning up! We'll be taking action on that, now that the weather has started to turn.