This first image is from a walk a few days ago. A neighbor stopped for a little socially-distant conversation, and while we talked, the dogs wrestled. When it ended and I was ready to continue, Sam was on his back. He stood up right under Zoe. I’m not sure she noticed.
This gives you idea of her size. She’s a big dog, even bigger than her 80 pounds might indicate.
Sunday afternoon we drove to a store on the other side of town to try to find some cat food and dog treats that our nearer store hasn’t had. As usual, Zoe wanted to come with us, so we let her ride in the back of the car. We fold the seat down and put a pad on it. She rides back there pretty well. She never makes a fuss. She seems to really like riding. Every time we get ready to leave, she starts getting excited and goes to the door. If we let her out, she runs immediately to the car door.
It was a cool, cloudy day, and we lowered the back windows a little so she cold stick her nose out, so there was no problem with leaving her in the car while we went in. When we came back out of the store and I remotely opened the tailgate of the car, something had spooked her. Before we left the parking lot, she had climbed into the front and was in Leah’s lap.
Zoe’s nails are too long and sharp. Her elbows are pretty sharp, too, especially when she puts her weight into it. I won’t be surprised if Leah has some bruises from this. Zoe stayed in Leah’s lap the whole way home. She doesn’t really fit.
She panted and shivered the whole way home. Once out of the car, she returned to her normal self. It was not behavior I expected from this big old dog.
It will be interesting to see if she is as eager to ride in the car the next time.
My 70-pound Border Collie, Flike, really wants to be the lap dog of the family, but it hasn’t worked out for him.
On our trip to the cabin yesterday, he behaved strangely. He kept walking through the trees near the cabin in a large circle, around and around. A few times he would dig at the leaves, but then it was back to pacing in circles. I thought maybe he was restless, so I got up to throw a stick for him, but he lost interest in that quickly.
Seems to be back to normal now in suburbia.
I wonder why Zoe got so spooked. I hope she works it out so Leah can ride a bit more comfortably on the next trip. They do look cute together, though!
Paul — I wonder if Flike smelled traces of a stranger. Don’t herding dogs get nervous when something unusual appears that might threaten their flock?
Robin — I’m beginning to think Zoe is not as tough as she acts when she’s playing with Sam. Leah wondered if someone had scared her while we were in the store.