Cats and potatoes
No photos to go with this story, unfortunately, as I was without camera or phone in the park this morning.
As usual, Willie and Tarka spent about 1-1/2 hours playing with their friends in nearby Portage Park. When it was time to go home, we started walking towards the parking lot. As we walk across the grass I usually leave them off-leash, and they're very good about sticking close to me. On one side of the area where the dogs play, there is a clump of trees. These are smallish trees, about 12-15 feet high, that have multiple small trunks that branch out from just above ground level - maybe River Birches? There are about six of them in quite a close group, and Willie and Tarka dashed over to chase some squirrels. It's a squirrel hunting paradise for dogs as the squirrels jump and run from one tree to another, just above the dogs' heads. Willie loves it and I think has some hope that a squirrel will fall out of a tree into his mouth.
As I continued walking past the trees and called the dogs (who ignored me), all of a sudden I realized the hunt was no longer about squirrels, but a white cat. The poor creature was sitting right between the trunks of one of the trees, only about six inches off the ground. Surprisingly, it was making no attempt to climb the tree, but was hissing and spitting at the dogs, and lashing out with its claws. Willie suddenly jumped away and came towards me with one eye closed. I was afraid he'd been scratched, but he opened it again in a few moments, so I don't think the claws actually made contact with the eyeball. I managed to get him leashed, and then tried to catch Tarka. Of course, that was hopeless because I was trying to hold Willie, straining at the leash, in one hand, while speedy Tarka was having way too much fun to be taken home. Tarka was bouncing all around the tree, play-bowing and barking at the cat - using a bark I've never heard from him before. Most of Tarka's barks are "I'm scared of you - go away" barks, when someone walks by the house or comes to the door, but this was a happy excitement bark, which was fun to hear, if I hadn't been so worried about the cat's safety.
But obedience training pays off sometimes. He wouldn't come when I called him, of course, and he kept jumping away from me when I tried to grab him. Usually if I walk away purposefully, and call him, he follows, but Willie and I walked halfway to the parking lot and Tarka was still hopping around the cat tree. Then something else occurred to me. We've been working quite a lot on basic commands, including "potatoes", which is Tarka's word for "sit (he's afraid of the word "sit"). So, not thinking for a moment it would work, I said "Tarka, potatoes". He amazed me by sitting right down and letting me walk up to him and put the leash on. I'm still stunned. What a good boy (sort of).
Of course I had to drag the two of them away - they walked sideways almost all the way back to the car. Tarka is still panting with excitement. Poor kitty was terrified . But really, what was it thinking, hanging out about 25 yards from an area where about 10 dogs were playing off leash? Oh. Probably hunting squirrels too.
As usual, Willie and Tarka spent about 1-1/2 hours playing with their friends in nearby Portage Park. When it was time to go home, we started walking towards the parking lot. As we walk across the grass I usually leave them off-leash, and they're very good about sticking close to me. On one side of the area where the dogs play, there is a clump of trees. These are smallish trees, about 12-15 feet high, that have multiple small trunks that branch out from just above ground level - maybe River Birches? There are about six of them in quite a close group, and Willie and Tarka dashed over to chase some squirrels. It's a squirrel hunting paradise for dogs as the squirrels jump and run from one tree to another, just above the dogs' heads. Willie loves it and I think has some hope that a squirrel will fall out of a tree into his mouth.
As I continued walking past the trees and called the dogs (who ignored me), all of a sudden I realized the hunt was no longer about squirrels, but a white cat. The poor creature was sitting right between the trunks of one of the trees, only about six inches off the ground. Surprisingly, it was making no attempt to climb the tree, but was hissing and spitting at the dogs, and lashing out with its claws. Willie suddenly jumped away and came towards me with one eye closed. I was afraid he'd been scratched, but he opened it again in a few moments, so I don't think the claws actually made contact with the eyeball. I managed to get him leashed, and then tried to catch Tarka. Of course, that was hopeless because I was trying to hold Willie, straining at the leash, in one hand, while speedy Tarka was having way too much fun to be taken home. Tarka was bouncing all around the tree, play-bowing and barking at the cat - using a bark I've never heard from him before. Most of Tarka's barks are "I'm scared of you - go away" barks, when someone walks by the house or comes to the door, but this was a happy excitement bark, which was fun to hear, if I hadn't been so worried about the cat's safety.
But obedience training pays off sometimes. He wouldn't come when I called him, of course, and he kept jumping away from me when I tried to grab him. Usually if I walk away purposefully, and call him, he follows, but Willie and I walked halfway to the parking lot and Tarka was still hopping around the cat tree. Then something else occurred to me. We've been working quite a lot on basic commands, including "potatoes", which is Tarka's word for "sit (he's afraid of the word "sit"). So, not thinking for a moment it would work, I said "Tarka, potatoes". He amazed me by sitting right down and letting me walk up to him and put the leash on. I'm still stunned. What a good boy (sort of).
Of course I had to drag the two of them away - they walked sideways almost all the way back to the car. Tarka is still panting with excitement. Poor kitty was terrified . But really, what was it thinking, hanging out about 25 yards from an area where about 10 dogs were playing off leash? Oh. Probably hunting squirrels too.
Posted by Ask Muddy Blog at 6/17/2010 9:50 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: obedience Willie squirrels Tarka cat potatoes
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: obedience Willie squirrels Tarka cat potatoes
This one made me laugh out loud! "Tarka, potatoes!" I can just imagine you shouting out that command to your dog and confused people gawking in wonder. But, hey, whatever works right?
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Yes, whatever works! It does make people laugh. Check out our video of Tarka practicing: Tarka practices potatoes
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