Reunited and it feels so good...

Well... Zoli and Stephen were finally reunited this past weekend after a year's separation! Of course, it was only for the weekend and then they were brutally torn apart again as Z and I came back to Cincinnati. It was pretty cute when Zoli saw Stephen... he ran up and just went crazy! Then he was completely conflicted all weekend - who to follow? who to listen to? who to go to? I think it made Stephen feel good to have Zoli be so happy to see him. And I have to admit that after awhile, when Zoli was like, "Barbara Who?" I was a little jealous...just a little! Stephen will come down to Cinti. this weekend and they will get some more time together before Stephen leaves for DC/Africa. I don't know exactly when Z will be sent over. We're waiting to hear about my Peace Corps nomination and then we'll figure it all out. Regardless, I'll get to keep him for a few more months...which is just fine as I will miss the little bugger when he's gone! :)

And, I know... the picture up there is NOT of Stephen and Zoli! For unknown reasons I didn't take one of them together - I will this weekend! But, rest assured...Stephen was nearby when this picture was taken! ;)

New leash!

Zoli bit through his leash... yes, I said he bit through his leash! He was on a walk with Chris (one of the workers at my building who will walk Z for me when I'm out of town!). They went over to Eden Park - yikes! From what I've been told Z tried to eat some ducks, then went crazy when he saw a dog - while Chris was trying to get him in control the leash went in front of his mouth (yes, the muzzle was on - thankfully!) and he gave it a good bite. It looks like a razer was taken to it...a clean cut right through. Good grief! I went out and bought a VERY strong leash - there's NO WAY he can bite through this one!!!

On a completely different note, I've posted a movie I made from some pictures. I'm taking a photography class at Cincinnati Art Academy and last week we had a field trip to Krohn Conservatory. These are the pics I'm bringing into class next week. Also, I'm putzing around on Google Picassa...hence the movie! ;)

Fatty, fatty two by four...

I hate to admit it, but Zoli has gained more weight...he weighed in at a LARGE 50 pounds last week at the vet. She didn't seem concerned one bit but he is now officially on a diet! When I got him he only weighed about 41. My goal will be to have him back down to 45 before he heads to Africa. We can't send him to his new home overweight!!!!

As I mentioned many months ago, I often make up dorky songs to sing to him while getting his breakfast ready...here is this mornings:

Breakfast is coming, the dog is getting fat,

Please put a biscuit in the doggies hat.

If you have no biscuit, a slice of cheese will do,

If you have no slice of cheese, he'll eat your shoe.

Don't judge me!

Do you think the fact that I'm always singing about food has something to do with his overeating??? Since I've been unemployed Z get's at least one to two MORE walks a day...we should both be losing weight! However, we do lounge around on the sofa a lot...do you think that's the problem??? :)

So here's good news...back in the early days of A Year With Zoli whenever we would see another dog he would tremble and shake all over, A LOT, and at the same time he'd go crazy, pulling and snarling as he tried to eat them. Such a good multi-tasker!!!

Now days... he doesn't tremble AT ALL... and he only goes a "little" crazy! Of course, I do believe he still wants to eat them! Now, THAT is progress!!!!!

Strange New World...

I had a dream last night...

Zoli and I were walking in a park (I think it was Eden Park). He wasn't on a leash (that's how I knew it was a dream!). Z ran over and propped his paws up on a wall... an invisible wall!!! I ran over and put my hands on it, looked at Zoli and he said, "Let's do it!" I knew he meant climb over the wall to the other side. I said, "Let's!" And then...........I woke up. Dang!

I snuggled under the covers and tried to imagine what would have happened next. I decided that I would have been able to ask Zoli all the questions that have been adding up over the past 10 months...since he could talk and all.

"Why are you so crazy around other dogs?"

"Do you miss Bangladesh?"
"How have you been feeling lately, allergies bugging you?"
"What's up with all that pulling?"
"Have you been happy with me?"
"Are you excited to see you Dad soon?"
"Seriously... why all the sniffing?"
"What's with the obsession with squirrels?"

I figured I could have all the answers...finally!!!

Then I realized that if Zoli could talk, even in my dream, it would have gone something like this...

"Squirrel!"

"Is that a dog!"

"What's that smell?"

"Whose there?"

"Squirrel!!"

"I want to be five feet ahead of you...NOW!"

"Eat all dogs now!"

"Squirrel!!!!!!"

Maybe that's why I woke up...

Time is running out...

My time with Zoli is quickly coming to an end. Stephen will be home August 4th and by the end of the month Z will have been flown to Botswana to be with him. I can hardly believe that there are only four months left. I am surprised at how very attached I've become to him. In fact, when I think of him leaving it makes me very sad. But, he is Stephen's pet and I know that they have missed each other. My friends/family are convinced that I will go out and get another dog, but it won't be Zoli, so I can't imagine that.

I do admit that it will be nice to not count hours every time I leave...that does get old. But...that's about it. Zoli has been a perfect visitor, even with those two bites he gave me! I was so nervous when he first arrived... we have certainly made strides with each other.

I continue with the dog training because there are still areas where he needs some improvement, but overall, he's really done great. He's able to walk down the street, see dogs across the street, and NOT go crazy. Now, he still doesn't like them on the same side of the sidewalk as he is...he just needs his space.

We like to go to the church across the street and sit in the very plush grass and watch the world go by. Sometimes we go over on Victory Parkway and sit on a little stone wall and watch the traffic pass. It's very relaxing. Since I've been unemployed Zoli gets an extra walk every day, so basically he's outside about every four hours... sorry Stephen!!! It's a nice schedule, gets me outside regularly and I know he loves being outdoors.

So... we will enjoy the time we have remaining. We'll lounge together on the sofa every evening, snuggle together every night, sit on the porch and watch the neighbor dogs (and howl!), sit in the grass, practice being comfortable with other dogs and generally enjoy each other's company. Nice!

Patrolling the courtyard!

Relaxing in the Grass

Since the weather has been nicer, AND since Zoli has been behaving so much better we've been sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun. There is construction going on in my building and Z loves to watch all the goings on. His nose is constantly sniffing around and those ears are always on alert. He loves it when some of the workers come over to pet him and tell him how wonderful he is (not at all spoiled!)

Today he was eating grass...guess his belly hurts, could be his meds. He's back on allergy pills (spring in Cincinnati!) and it's making him eat and drink more...which also means he needs to go outside more often. He wants to be out about every 4 hours. I'm trying to stretch it out as I don't want him to get too used to such a luxury. But, since I have the time, he's getting an additional walk every day. Good for us both!!

He's living the life of Riley, for sure!

Training

Zoli and I started some more training last week - it's supposed to socialize him with other dogs. We have had three sessions and he's really doing well. He definitely shows a lot of anxiety which comes out either as completely ignoring other dogs - like he doesn't even see them! - or going crazy. We're trying a new choke collar which seems to work better than any we've tried thus far. Today he worked with another dog, Brutus - a cute boxer, and they walked together and did great! When we got home he was exhausted - way too much stimulus going on! He zonked out for the rest of the day! Today on our afternoon walk there was a dog across the street and he barely paid any attention to it! (of course it was a big 4 lane street, but still!) Baby steps...we'll continue training until he can handle seeing new dogs close up without going bonko!

He loved them... to DEATH!

It was a dark and stormy night as I walked up to 2356 Park Ave. I could tell the minute I entered the house that something was amiss. It was quiet... too quiet. Normally Zoli would have met me at the door, but not tonight. Where was he? What was he up to? What had he done? I slipped off my shoes at the door and slowly walked through the darkness, pondering the possibilities...maybe he got into the garbage, maybe he found the treats and ate them all, maybe he pulled down all the toilet paper from the rolls - it could be anything! Finally I stepped into my bedroom..."What the...?" I felt it then, something under my foot, something soft, cotton like. I closed my eyes and flipped on the light. With much trepidation I looked around and finally saw her. Miss Alligator... lying on the floor-lifeless-stuffing all around her! After gaining my composure I carefully backed out of the room - remembering that this was not the first time...

It was shortly after Christmas. Monkey was new to the household. A gift from Grandma. Zoli loved him! He slept with him, hugged him, played with him all the time. They were inseparable. One day I noticed a change in Monkey... his face seemed a little...less, not quite as full. And more disconcerting, I was starting to find little pieces of stuffing scattered around the house. I would pretend nothing was wrong, gather them up and sew them back inside Monkey. Zoli seemed quite unconcerned with this. He would casually watch me sew Monkey back up as if he didn't have a care in the world. This became a pattern; over and over again I would sew up Monkey. Then one day it happened...Zoli performed a complete lobotomy on Monkey...emptied his whole head out, even the little squeaker was pulled out and tossed aside! I though he was beyond repair, but I couldn't give up. Monkey was sewn back up one last time and put on the floor. But, Zoli was no longer interested. He seemed to know that Monkey was just not the same. So now Monkey is unrecognizable, his head a bit deformed, his squeaker a little less squeaky. Miss Alligator was brought into the house as a cheap replacement. I should have known it was only a matter of time until she too met her untimely death...

I scooped up the gutted remains of Miss Alligator, preparing to put her pieces back together. In the meantime, I had to find the culprit. Where was he hiding? What other horrors might await me? I silently crept through the house winding my way to the back bedroom. It was there that I found him...calmly lounging on the bed, "playing" with his plush, new Octopus... NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

On your mark... get set... GO!

Every night Zoli and I have our last walk of the day... an easy stroll around the courtyard. No drama, no pulling. It's always very pleasant. When we get inside he will sort of look at me like... "Okay, are we sitting back down or is it bed time?" I go around and turn off the lights, TV and space heater and then... the race is on!!! (Lately, Z has decided that his spot of choice on the bed is MY side with his head on MY pillow!) We both take off running for the bedroom and basically whoever gets there first wins the prime spot. Believe me... I do not always win. I have to sort of trick him into being behind me when we hit the bedroom door. That is the only way I will make it to the bed in time to claim my spot. I've worked hard to create the perfect Homer Simpson dent in that bed...it's mine! If Zoli gets there first he is IMPOSSIBLE to move. I usually end up sort of curling myself around him...hoping I can grasp a few inches of blanket. If I'm lucky he will either readjust or flat out move when the lights go off. Last night he moved about a foot down and then stayed put! I contorted myself around him and off to sleepy land we went. I'm hoping for a better outcome at tomorrow nights race.

Snow, snow and more snow

One would think that two years in Russia would prepare Zoli for a snowy winter. I think his hot Bangladeshi blood is shining through lately! Stephen told me that Z liked to frolic in the snow... I have yet to see one ounce of frolicking. I have seen avoiding, tip-toeing, smelling, contemplating, but no frolicking! He will barely walk in it! We've had so much now that he really has no option, but he will avoid it at all costs. Our walks consist of Z smelling every inch of snow as he walks and me gasping for breath as I trudge through the snow (seriously, it's exhausting!). He will now just do his business right in the middle of the sidewalk since it is the best cleared area we can find. Good thing I am always prepared with doggy poop bags (every coat, every pocket of every pair of jeans!) So... three times a day I brave the winter weather - like a postal worker...neither rain, snow, sleet, etc. will keep me from walking master Z.

Half Way Point

This next week I will have had Zoli for 6 whole months! I can't believe we're half way through this already. I can't imagine how I will feel 6 months from now when I have to let him go. Stephen informed me that I very well may have to load Z up in his crate and send him off from the airport (as Steve will be in DC prior to leaving for Africa). I immediately started crying! There is no way I will be able to watch Zoli being rolled away in a crate at the airport...it would absolutely tear me up! I can't even think about it! I will definitely have to have someone else do this for me if that is the case. Ugh! Who knew I'd become so attached to the little bugger?!

Of course, last night he had me up at 4am freaking out. We had two strange, LOUD pops of thunder which woke us both up. Z could not settle down and was trying to break down the front door. I decided that the fear of the noise literally made him have to go to the bathroom...ha! I ended up walking him in the rain so he could do his business. Good grief! That is love...of course it's also a fear of him pooping on my carpet!

I have not yet dealt with the "socializing" issue yet, and now time is wasting. I have to get him enrolled in some program to help him out. I must say, however, that he is getting just slightly better when we see dogs. He still tries to go crazy, but I seem to be able to control him a little easier. Of course, without his muzzle he'd still chomp on me!

He's getting too used to me being home, being unemployed and all! Each time I leave it seems to be harder for him. I need to really need to make sure I leave the house each day so he doesn't get too used to it. It would be good for me as well, of course. It's easy to become a complete homebody during times like this.

So... here's to our 6 month doggy'versary and to another fun filled 6 months to go!

Start a blog...and make it funny!

So, that's what my friend Michelle put on my FB page: Start a blog and make it funny! No pressure there, huh?! :) I don't think I'll be starting a new blog, but as I venture into this new world of unemployment I may add my thoughts/experiences in this blog. My year with Zoli is certainly turning out to be an interesting one, to say the least!

I said I'd add some Z pictures so here's one of him in his very own chair in front of the Christmas tree. He has started sitting on the sofa now, though. I decided that since I KNOW he's on it while I'm gone I will just let him sit there whenever he wants...which seems to be all the time! ;)

Z has also started sleeping with me. Sometimes on my feet...seriously... ON my feel. He will readjust over and over again through the night and always plop directly on top of my feet. Good thing it's winter and freezing... he's like a little heating pad. Other times he will sleep directly by my face...curled up in a little ball with his head on the pillow next to me. Not the best, as I turn over and see doggy booty in my face. It's funny though, in the past 5 months he's gone from sleeping in his cage, to the closet to my bed. Guess this means he's comfy with me. Stephen is screwed though, as I think Z will now want to sleep with him too...oh, well!

So... not too funny here, but it is an update at least! ;) Happy New Year everyone (or maybe the one person who may read this!!!)