What Linus did during our vacation

Mom kept us up to date with his antics via e-mail. So, here are the Linus Files from vacation. All were written by Mom.

The Linus Files

May 25

All is calm here. He cried really hard for 20 minutes last night and then went to sleep. He's getting braver as he got on Einstein's seat by front window yesterday- briefly. He's turned into a closet chewer. Got into a box of Kleenex yesterday. Later he got one of my gel pens while I was fixing dinner and chewed up the cap. He's a sneaky little devil. Everyone got walks yesterday morning but not last night as it rained. Have fun.

May 26

Yes, Linus's nose and ears are still attached to his body- but barely. First of all whiny butt started squealing at 6 AM. Last night he whooped for 20 minutes and then went to sleep so I opened the bedroom door for Kyanos to explore. I finally got up at 6:30 and released the hounds of hell. Champ and Einstein were laying in their crates as if to say "what is his problem." They all zoomed outside. I got up to go warm me some blueberry bread. Came back to find Linus chewing on something and wondered what. I soon found out as I pulled my cell phone out of his mouth. He took it off the coffee table and drug it up on love seat. Little (ha!) teeth marks in the metal casing and antennae. I looked over and saw him chewing something else- my cell phone clip. The twerp!!! He's getting real brave and following me up stairs and checking on me in the up stairs bathroom. I'm going to start putting up the TV remotes. Yesterday they were in the floor and I don't know if he accidentally knocked them off or I caught him before the chewathon began. Einstein and Champ say that's why I love them best.

May 26: 2nd message

Subject line: Dead Meat

Are you really sure you want Linus to be here when you get home? Don't you think he really should go on a walkabout as the Aussies say? Just kidding. I was knitting with your wooden needles. (I had just tried to take out a dog's teeth marks from the needles just minutes before.) I knitted three rows and decided to go get my steak out to marinate. Big mistake. Something told me to go back immediately. He had drug the yarn and one needle over to the love seat for a little snack. I quickly grabbed it and put it up. He's now looking at me with big soulful eyes as if to say, "lies, all lies granny."

May 26: 3rd message

He's still alive and in one piece. He got the straight wooden needles I borrowed. I think the phone is ok- just lots of artistic teeth marks. He's a chewer for sure.

May 28
Subject Line: fun, fun, fun

They came; they visited [My brother & his family]; Linus freaked. They got in around 4:30 PM. Puppies spent the time outdoors as it wasn't raining. Poor Linus was so freaked that he didn't want to come in after everyone went to bed. I finally chased him out of bushes. Hey, I forgot to tell you something.When I grab the 3 cookies and tell them it's bedtime, Linus is the first to race to his crate. He starts to immediately crunch his cookie. See, we're making progress and he's not scared of me at all- just new people. Walks have not gone so well as any noise really freaks him. I think obedience class will really help. Einstein and Champ are walking real well in tandem now that I put both on a 4 foot range leash. They don't tangle and try to trip me so much.

May 28: 2nd message
Subject line: Life is normal

Just wanted to let you know that the McCann's got gone around 7 AM. Linus has now been running in and out of yard as usual. He's busy snooping, chewing and being his usual inquisitive self. He seems to love to lean forward from love seat to sniff my hair as I'm reading or watching TV. Funny.

May 29

Linus ate 2 cups yesterday in morning and evening plus this morning. I'm still serving it to him on couch and Champ looks at me like I'm nuts. Einstein played Top Dog yesterday morning. The dogs didn't eat much Sunday night after company went to bed. Einstein finished his breakfast, tried to eat Champ alive to chase him off and then polished off Champ's breakfast. Linus was on couch saying got to eat fast, got to eat fast. Champ hid under the table. Funny as he doesn't usually get his butt kicked. Took him down a peg but no blood spilled.

Linus is very inquisitive. I'll be reading or watching tv. He wanders off and goes up stairs. Comes belting back down when I wander out. He loves to drag Champ's small blankets out of his crate. He only does it to Champ. Sneaks pencils off tables to chew and loves socks. Sudden movements still startle him and he takes off when he's in the house.

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As you can see "Granny" had lots of fun with the dogs while we were on vacation. And I haven't even started on the adventures of the water heater.


My addition to the chewing spree is this:
I was trying to thread beads onto some yarn to knit a scarf with. I was sitting on the floor with the only empty flat spot in the house - a cookie sheet that I got out of the cabinet. They're the tiny seed beads. Really tiny. Linus decided he wanted attention and kept squirming onto my
lap. I rearranged things for him so he could sprawl. I could still work with his head in my lap so I let him stay. Well, being a dog, he wanted 100% of my attention and kept trying to crawl onto the cookie sheet to lay down on the beads. After a bit of shoving, he decided to see what was so fascinating about those little colored things. The next thing I know, his head moves & he "tastes" them. Beads fly everywhere as he slurps his tongue back into his mouth. I scrambled & rolled him over onto his back & started retrieving my beads. Do you know how many folds & pockets of skin that are in a basset's mouth. Unfortunately, I do know now & it's a heck of a lot. They looked pretty silly laying up against his white teeth. I finally got all of them that I can see, release Linus (who actually didn't mind my getting them back) & went back to work, he hopped up on the love seat. He hopped down again awhile later & wandered off. In the oblivious zone I was in I forgot about what he had already done. So when Mom fed the dogs I hopped up & brought Linus' food bowl to him & them helped Mom with some stuff. I looked back and saw Linus with an empty food bowl & a string hanging out of his mouse. I ran over & sure enough, it was my yarn. The yarn with all of the beads on it. He had swallowed 12 inches or more of a laceweight cashmere/silk yarn with a short twisted wire beading needle & a bunch of beads. I pulled and it came sliding back out. Linus was fine due to the tiny size & extreme bendability of the needle. My beads are up off the floor now. Yes, I am a slow learner.

Who's loveseat is it anyway?

Life has been a tad stressful & chaotic lately.
No sooner had my brother & his family departed for their cruise but my Mom arrived with her dog, Champ. We introduced Champ & Linus to each other in our backyard. The intros seemed to go fine. Linus was intimidated a bit but he didn't run off in terror either. He even let Mom pet him.
The 3 dogs seem to be cohabitating nicely. Einstein & Champ have always gotten along (unless there are chewies involved). They love to play & run. At my Mom's house there's enough space for them to get up to a good speed as they tear down the hallway & see if they can turn instead of slamming into the door. We don't have very good running space at home but they certainly do try to make the most of it. Linus just hunkered down on the loveseat & tried to ignore the crazed dogs barking & running around having a great time.
The biggest source of contention is the loveseat. This piece of furniture doesn't really get used by Chris & I. Usually it's the dumping spot for pillows or afghans while we use the couch. So, when my Mom comes down to visit, she clears it off & sets up there. She can see the TV, have access to a lamp, put her feet up, and sit and chat & knit with me over on the couch. Well, Linus decided that the loveseat was his. Now that he's feeling more confident instead of running for his cave, he'll run for the loveseat. He was unamused when my Mom plopped down there. She was less amused when he jumped up after she left & sat on her yarn. I have a feeling it's going to be a source of contention until we leave on vacation. At that point, Mom will probably move over to the couch & let Linus have the loveseat. He's a silly dog.
Mom's been taking him for walks & taking him into the backyard on the 12 foot lead. He's starting to used to her. Tonight we'll have her let Linus in the backyard without the lead & then see if he'll come inside for her or if he hides in the photinas. She walks Einstein & Champ together & them comes home and takes Linus out by himself. She says he does a lot better when walked on his own instead of tandem with Einstein. I'm sure that's true. She's also getting Einstein back into shape. We'd gotten fairly sloppy about his walking habits. When Mom walks, she power walks & expects the dogs to keep up. No sniffing or snuffling or marking everything just walking at a good clip. Einstein's not happy but he's learning to keep up. He's also being reminded that pulling is a bad thing.
Heck, Chris & I are hoping that when we get home Mom will have both dogs leash trained & Linus won't cry all night. ;-)
Actually I am going to sign up Linus for beginning obedience when we get back. If Chris's schedule allows, we're also going to take Einstein for a refresher course. Needless to say, Chris & I both need refresher courses too. We're both very committed to helping Linus become a well behaved & happy dog. He'll never be the people dog that Einstein is but that's OK. Heck, I've been shy all of my life & I'm pretty happy so I think Linus can be happy even though he's got some social fears. He'll get there.
We're starting to see glimpses of his personality. He got one of the branches that Chris trimmed off the tree, hauled across the yard, and then sat down and started chewing on it. That's not anything that Einstein or Darwin have done. He steals socks and my wrist braces, again unique to Linus. He's a sweetie.