Day 278- December 28, 2010 - House Sitting

When my nephew use to race my brother and sister
in law would do a lot of traveling to attend these races.
They were in need of someone to house/animal sat while
they were away. I would be this person a lot of the times.

My nephew no longer races and the array of animals
have changed. Some are gone and new ones have
entered....and its been awhile since I have sat for them.

My sister in laws Mom and Dad were unable to make
it in for Christmas, so the family went for a visit after
Christmas. Three children out on break from college,
and one on break from high school took off with my
brother and sister in law to go visit. I packed up to
spend a few days house/dog/bird/horse sitting!

Two dogs, the labs, were taken along on the ride to
the mountains of North Carolina while two collie mix
dogs of my brothers stayed with me. Along with
those dogs I kept two of my nieces dogs, a
cocker spaniel and a mix breed, and my dog,
The KING, Dakota.

This is Moses. One of the collie mixes. He is a sweetie,
but I think he is becoming a little hard of hearing....that
or he was choosing to ignore me! lol

This is Buck. My nieces dog, Buck. So soft and sweet. Loves
to sit right up on you and curl up with you.

Meet RC. RC and I have done the dog sitting thing

together many times. RC is getting on in age and has

slowed down a bit but when he comes and looks at

you with that face you can't do anything but rub his head....

all he ask for.

And this is Topper! Oh my gosh....so packed with personality.

This dog will talk to you and he is rather vocal. He has the

prettiest face. He would also crawl up in you lap when he wanted

attention with no care as to who he was flopping on top of...

etc, Buck, Dakota...

Also along for company and to help with the house/animal sitting

job was my dog, The KING, Dakota.

Keep in mind that Dakota goes to Granny's Doggie Day

Care (my Mom's) every day when I go to work and

he has been raised with her dogs. He knows them,

but Dakota has social issues, he don't get along well

with others, dogs and folks alike. I have to admit he

did well with the other dogs but it took him several

days before he was let go and play with Topper.

He is also not very good at sharing....ME. He did

okay with Buck curling up next to me or Topper

crawling in my lap, but if looks could kill!

All in all, everything went well.......

then Dakota experienced new adventures................

Meet Ms. Lola. Sister in law, Lori's bird.

And TJ, my brothers bird.

Ms. Lola loves to be taken out of the cage and held. But

I knew better then that with The King there.

And TJ is usually left out of the cage to come and go, usually

on Ray's (brother) shoulder. But having all the dogs there, Ray

had put him in the cage and I left him there......not only

cause of the dogs but because TJ is a one person bird....and

I am not that person!

Dakota noticing the birds for the first time.

And he knows they don't belong in the house! He chases them

outside and there has even been feathers found in the backyard.

Best to keep the birds up and out of the way.


Meet the other members of the family I sat for...

This is Jack.

And this is Misfire.

And this is Dakota checking it out! BUT only after being scared

out of his wits when he first saw them.

There are a lot of interesting storie to tell from my

3 day stay at Ray and Lori's house....stories to come later!

But with all that said, this is The KING after a tiring 2 days

of adjusting, bird watching, horse feeding and dog playing....

Him and Topper finally became friends.

Thanks for stopping in,