Entries Tagged as 'dogsitting'

Dogsitting For Jackson

March 4th, 2010 · 2 Comments

Some photos from dogsitting for Jackson this week. Comparing to when we dogsat him at our condo before, he’s not as afraid of the stairs, but you have to make sure they’re lit up. Dark stairs = scary. He’s still hesitant, but doesn’t have to be forced.

When Dallas slept in I took Jackson upstairs. He stayed up with me but stood by the stairs for hours and cried. He was really attached. It was cute for the first 10 minutes. Then I had to keep scolding him, because it was getting annoying.

We also learned that Jackson needs to get his water cut off at something like 8 p.m. otherwise you have to get up at 1 a.m. and take him outside. Just like a little kid! He was chugging water all the way up til bedtime. No wonder he had to go out in the wee hours.

I like Jackon’s visit, he’s fun. Makes me wonder whether we want to get a dog of our own. We’ve gone back and forth on it for years. It’s hard to say whether we enjoyed Jackson’s visit more because we knew it was short term or if we’d like a dog.. like forever.

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Dogsitting for Jackson

January 27th, 2009 · 16 Comments

jackson_laying_down

This past weekend Dallas and I watched Jackson while Kristin was attending to family affairs out in the suburbs. Dallas and Kristin were roommates and at the end of their cohabitation Kristin brought Jackson came to live with them. He was still just a baby when Dallas moved out. I’ve seen Jackson a few times since then, either at Kristin’s house or at Jen and Chad’s house. When he’s at Jen and Chad’s it can get intense because Jackson plays hard with Cortez and Drake.

jackson_window_bed

jackson_window

I was kind of afraid how he’d be in the house after hearing the puppy stories and seeing him roughhouse. Turns out Jackson is completely mellowed out. He was as good as we could ask. Mostly he just sat on his bed in the sun and watched the world go by. What a life. We walked him around the neighborhood and he was a great walker. He didn’t really tug at all. It was funny how his habit was to jump in deep snowbanks up to his face and pee.

jackson_from_up_high

One odd thing was that he didn’t want to go down our stairs. He’d just look over the rail and wonder how we kept disappearing. Dallas was downstairs watching TV for a while and Jackson just sat at the top the stairs and whined. I tried to put pieces of dog food on the stairs and coax him down but he wouldn’t go. I tried to tug his collar but he was too strong (he weighs over 100 pounds, I think). Finally Dallas helped me and he was able to go down but then when he wanted to go back up it was the same ordeal. I don’t know if the hardwood and the steepness of our staircase frightened him, or what. The floors are brand new, so they are a bit slippery and he did bump his chin a time or two. Poor thing.

jackson_looking

Dallas and I have talked for years about getting a dog and I think we’re finally ready with the new house and all. Even though Maggie and Milo have visited us since we moved here, having Jackson for the weekend convinced me that we totally have all the space we need for a dog. Jackson is a big guy (he could lick my head from the backside of the couch!) and he didn’t really seem all that big in here. I don’t want a huge dog, but I think we have a nice home for one anyway. If only we had a yard. Oh, well. It was kind of nice to go on walks. Gave me an excuse to get off the couch.

Jackson approves of Angel Soft, but not the stairs:

jackson_angel_soft

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Dogsitting for Vegas

July 21st, 2008 · 5 Comments


Vegas, Wrigleyville, Chicago

This past weekend Jill and Brian headed to Napa for a wedding and I took care of their yellow lab, Vegas. He’s a really great dog – well-behaved. He listens and sits before doing most things. For example, when you give him his food he will just sit there in the kitchen until you say “ok” then he will go and eat. He walks really nicely too.


Vegas, Wrigleyville, Chicago

The only thing is that Vegas thinks he’s a little puppy except he weighs .. I don’t know.. like 100 – 150 pounds? He came barreling down the stairs into the downstairs living room and knocked me right into a chair once. Another time I was playing too rough with him, I didn’t know it at the time, and he jumped up and realizing how big he was, I jumped back and his paws caught my leg and bruised it up, but that was totally my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten him so worked up.


Vegas sitting on his butt on the step, Wrigleyville, Chicago

Jill and Brian weren’t 100% sure if I should kennel him when I wasn’t at the house, but I left him out a lot and he didn’t get into anything or make any accidents. Funny thing – one time when I went to their house I couldn’t find Vegas anywhere. Then I saw him sleeping inside his kennel. I think it’s neat the the kennel is his little safety blanket and not a place of punishment. Another thing I found amusing is how he loves to sit on the bottom stair of the stairs that go up. Like with his butt right on the bottom stair. He does it all the time!

Anyway, Vegas is a fun dog. Plus, Jill and Brian let me borrow their car when they were away so I got a lot of errands done.

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Brunching

September 17th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Brunch at Sola
Black Forest Omelet (gruyere, crispy leeks, black forest ham, caramelized onions) with togarashi potatoes and whole wheat toast :: Sola, North Center, Chicago

This weekend I brunched at two of my favorite brunch places with two of my favorite brunch friends.

On Saturday I biked to Wicker Park and met Margaret at Milk & Honey. I had the panini with scrambled egg, bacon, cheddar and tomato and Margaret had the casserole-style huevos rancheros. We then went to Alliance and used the free wi-fi and drink more coffee and go over Chicagoist stuff. Afterwards, we walked through the Renegade Craft Fair, which was on the street right outside Milk & Honey, and I got a pair of earrings, two necklaces, and a cool tshirt. .. even though I told myself I couldn’t buy any tshirts. I had to have this one because it had fashion plates like I had when I was a little kid on it. I’ll have to take a photo the first time I wear it. After all that walking around at the fair (it stretched from Damen almost all the way to Ashland on Division), we stopped at Sweet Cakes for a sweet treat and more coffee. I don’t know why I drank so much coffee on Saturday. It was a beautiful day and Margaret came over to my birthday party last weekend, but it’d been a while since we’d hung out for the day, so it was great.

On Sunday I biked to the Chicago Photography Center to do some things for class this week, picked up some fruit at Whole Foods, dropped it off at home and then biked to Sola. Erin insisted on taking me to brunch of my choice since she was out of town and missed my birthday party and who am I to not milk my birthday out as long as I can? I chose Sola since I’d been there for brunch once earlier this summer and it was fantastic. We both had the Black Forest Omlette (gruyere, crispy leeks, black forest ham, caramelized onions with togarashi potatoes and whole wheat toast on the side) and coffee, which was delicious. I don’t think I’ve seen or talked much to Erin for 6 weeks or something so it was great to see her too and to sit outside and enjoy a nice sunny fall day.

Also, I was dogsitting this weekend for Jen and Chad, who were out of town at a wedding. So on Saturday I checked in Drake and Cortez in the afternoon and then hung out at the house Saturday night. On Sunday I got up early to take care of them in the morning and then was about to go over after the Packers kicked the Giant’s butts, but Jen and Chad were already back. Always nice to get a little Drake and Cortez time. They’re such nice dogs and so easy to take care of now that we’re only a block away. I didn’t take any photos of Drake and Cortez this time, but here are some photos from other times I’ve watched them: 1, 2, 3.

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Dogsitting Drake & Cortez

October 9th, 2006 · 1 Comment

cortez_drake.jpg
Waiting for Dinner, Roscoe Village, Chicago

I’m dogsitting for Jen and Chad while they’re in San Diego for a long weekend. It’s a lot easier this time, since we only live a block away from each other now. I don’t want to curse my luck, but so far this weekend has gone off without a hitch, without any got-locked-out-in-the-rain or Drake-peed-the-bed-while-I-was-sleeping-in-it drama, which means it has been a good weekend.

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