2009-01-31

Walking on Water, Sort Of

Paw prints on Lake Elizabeth.

Walking On Water, Sort Of

2009-01-30

2009-01-29

I can't believe we walked the whole thing.

Rio and I went out for a walk the other day. It has been cold, so our early morning walks have been short and sweet. However, when it got warmer we decided to do a bigger walk and take advantage of the "better" weather. Better being a relative term. Instead of 15 degrees it was about 25 degrees. Still below freezing but at least Rio's paws weren't frozen icicles.

Rio decided to go along North Taylor to Buena Vista Street, which is a very long, steep climb. Why he wanted to get to the top, I don't know. But he wanted to go so we went. Mid way I was breathing quite heavily. This is where we were:

Going Down Buena Vista St.

This is where we were going and then some:
Going Up Buena Vista

Normally on walks Rio stops and sniffs which gives me an opportunity to catch my breath. Not going up Buena Vista. It was a march to the top. The relatively gentle downhill return was full of pauses. Figures.

It took us about an hour to do the circuit. I figure if we do this once a month I'll be in great shape by the end of the year.

Here is the view part way down Perrysville Ave.
View from Perrysville Ave

You can see our house in this picture:
Our House is down there

According to Google maps we walked 1.6 miles. Rio was so tired when we got home he didn't even get up when I left to get some groceries. Poor pooch.

2009-01-28

Pre-Dawn Flurry


On an early walk around Lake Elizabeth the wind picked up and a flurry of snow moved in.

2009-01-27

Make Mine With Cream

One of the nice things about living in Pittsburgh is getting to know the local merchants. Tara, who owns Amani Coffee Shop, has been wonderful with the service she provides.

Some times on our walks I'll call Amani's and order a coffee and biscotti. Tara will bring my order to the door and off Rio and I go, coffee in hand and biscotti in mouth.

That's service, I tell you.
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2009-01-26

Discoverd on Walks: Eagle at the Aviary


We live near the National Aviary (read: big bird cage). There are a few birds that live outside year round. We met up with this eagle, who thought he should warn us off with a rather wimpy squawk.

Rio never payed him any attention.

2009-01-25

Getting Goofy Before a Walk


Rio just loves the snow. He was running and jumping around like a goofball between Grant and me.

Silly puppy

2009-01-23

Use the Sidewalk, Please


We are the second family to have Rio. His previous training implanted the idea that he should walk on the sidewalk most of the time. Even if that sidewalk is very, very narrow.

The only things he will step around are grates, covers and other objects on the sidewalk.

This previous training has been wonderful. We know he is safer on the sidewalk rather than the middle of the road.

Grant and Rio are demonstrating the narrow sidewalk walking technique. Grant is walking along the edge of the walk in this picture.

2009-01-22

Winter Walking


Grant and Rio getting out in the snow.

2009-01-21

Discoverd on Walks: Even Trees Get Cold



Discovered on a walk with Rio: These trees with sweaters on them. I guess even trees get cold.

Actually it is to highlight the need for sweaters for the homeless during winter.

These trees can be found outside of the Children's Museum in Pittsburgh.

2009-01-20

Rio Gets a Mani-Pedi

Grant is trimming Rio's nails using a Dremel rotory tool. While Rio doesn't enjoy the experience he is willing to tolerate it. I think his face says it all.

"Get me out of here, please."

Personally I love mani-pedis.

2009-01-19

Early Morning or Late Evening?


You decide. Either way it was really really cold on our walk.

2009-01-18

2 Half Earsies


This is one of the many configurations of Rio's ears. In this case it is 2 semi-erect ears.

It really gives him a triangle shaped profile.




It also makes him look like he's saying, "Who me?" Such innocence.

2009-01-17

Rio's Winter Sunbeam


Rio finds a sunbeam on a cold and snowy day

2009-01-16

Still Morning


Walking Rio early in the morning on Christmas and New Year's Day was delightful because we were almost the only ones out at that time of day. Other dogs and their owners were out but not much else was moving.

As a result I noticed that the city was unusually quiet. The regular hum of traffic was missing. There was a stillness to the morning.

This is sunrise over frozen Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons Park.

2009-01-15

Got Treats?



I love this goofy face looking with hope when I'm in the kitchen.

2009-01-14

Autumn Sunbeam


One of my favorite photos of Rio is this one of him taking in an autumn sunbeam.

2009-01-13

The Strawberry Patch


Rio in the strawberry patch
Originally uploaded by LydiaL
Two autumns ago a neighbor offered me some strawberry plants. I thought it would be cool to grow my own strawberries so I found a small spot in my garden to plant them. We only got one or two smallish strawberries. "Better luck next year" I thought.

I think the problem was I planted them in the shade. However most of my garden is a shade garden, so there weren't too many options.

Then we adopted Rio. During the dog days of summer Rio was looking for a cool spot to lay down. Obviously the coolest spot in the garden was the strawberry patch. And just as obviously that spot was dug up to make a form fitting spot for Rio to lay down in.

They were nice plants while they lasted.

2009-01-12

The Power of Good Looks

Often on walks we are complemented on how good looking Rio is. We happen to agree. We think he is quite handsome. We didn't know how powerful his good looks are until a recent walk.

Rio and I were walking past a neighborhood coffee shop when he stopped and stared at the people through the window. No less than four (!!!) of them came out of the warm shop into 24 degree weather to pet him.

Now that's good looking.

2009-01-11

Rio Gets Stuck


Rio has a bad back. More specifically he has lumbar sacral disease where his spine meets his tail. We have been taking him to a holistic veterinarian who gives Rio acupuncture and chiropractic treatments. They seem to be working quite well.

Prior to getting the treatments there were clearly days when Rio was not comfortable. He had no spark, no energy. Since he's been getting treated he's been much more energetic, spinning like a goofy guy when it is time to go on a walk.

He doesn't seem to mind the very fine needles. Sometimes he will bleed just a little bit after the needles come out, but for the most part it is a very positive experience for him.

It is working so well I'd love to find an acupuncturist for myself!

2009-01-10

Butt Butt and the Five Magic Words

There are five magic words in this house that can resurrect a dead dog. "Wanna go for a walk?" will cause an explosion of frantic energy in a previously comatose dog. Rio will spin, bow, and generally act quite goofy when he's asked those words.

Being a greyhound he is fast when he wants to be, unlike his rather slow moving human counterparts who take much longer to get ready. They have to put hats, shoes and coats on, snap on doggy poop bags bag, and grab the leash. In the mean time Rio is spinning around the room in agony that we weren't out the door the second the question was asked.

Rio will get behind you and give your butt a butt with his head to make you go faster. "Come on.. get moving!" his nose prompts. And it's a pointy nose too!

Rio

2009-01-09

Rain Rain Go Away

Rio really doesn't like the rain. Cold he doesn't mind so much, but rain, well that's another story.

We've had almost 24 hours of rain so Rio has been making quick trips to the back yard to do his business. But his business has been rather incomplete. This morning mean old mom took him for a wet walk to encourage him to fully function. It worked but Rio wasn't a happy camper. Both of us got moderately soaked.

We had our coats on so the only parts of us to get wet were our faces and Rio's feet. Here's a soggy Rio waiting to get dried off.


Wet Faced

2009-01-08

The Little Green Monster

Protecting Rio's Dreams

Rio is not a toy dog. Rather he's not really into playing with toys very much. One exception is a floppy green monster toy a friend gave us. It has two squeekers in it, one in the tummy and one in one of the hands. Every once and a while Rio gets a burst of energy and will chomp on the green monster trying to find the squeek. His ears go back and his eyes open wide with determined focus.

When he is playing with his monster is the only time we see him go into the sphinx position - the famous pose the Sphinx is sculpted in. I'm not too sure how comfortable it is for him to be in it, but we love seeing him in it. He looks so Egyptian!

After a minute Rio is done with his chomping, shaking, and sphinxing. Interest in the little green monster is done. Life goes on. Back to napping.

This picture wasn't posed at all. I just happened to look up and there was the green monster, protecting Rio's dreams.

2009-01-07

Rio Takes in Some Sun at the Point


Rio
Originally uploaded by LydiaL
Rio enjoyed the sun at the confluence of Pittsburgh's three rivers. Heinz Field in the distance is where the Pittsburgh Steelers play.

We had a long walk, almost 2 and 1/2 hours. Grant and I were tired. Rio looked like he could keep on going. At the end all I wanted to do was take a nap.

We stopped for a break in Market Square where we enjoyed a winter picnic of Primanti's sandwiches and hot chocolate. For entertainment we watched the police arrest some guy who was playing music too loudly.

For those who have never had a Primanti's sandwich, it is a local specialty. The bread is Italian white bread. In between you get meat of some sort (kielbasi for me, sweet sausage for Grant), coleslaw, tomato, french fries, with provalone cheese glueing it all together. It is served on wax paper. A true blue collar sandwich. Rio enjoyed some of the french fries but much preferred the meat and cheese.

We met a friend, Diana, while downtown. She was getting a tea before work while we were getting our hot chocolate. Rio always enjoys a new leg to lean on when we are out.

2009-01-06

Observatory Hill Dog Park

There is a new off-leash dog park about a 5 minute drive from our house. We discovered it a few weeks ago and have made several trips.

The nice things about this park are:
- it is a fenced in location so we can let Rio off the lead. He tends to have selective hearing when off lead. We are under strict orders to never let him off lead unless he is in a fenced in area as greyhounds can take off after something and end up getting hit by a car or lost;
- it is in a beautiful location just next to the old observatory
- it is not well known so often we have the place to ourselves.

Today we met up with three other greyhounds which was very exciting for Rio. Lots of sniffs and petting all around.

2009-01-05

Going to Camp

We attended a two day bible seminar the last weekend of December. They were full days of upbuilding talks and demonstrations of the practical application of bible principles. It meant we would be out of the house longer than 8 hours. The longest we have left Rio at home was about 6 hours. He did fine but we didn't want him to have to hold his bladder until we got home. So we arranged for him to go to camp.

Camp Bow Wow that is. Basically it is doggie day care. A new franchise opened up near our home last month. We went to the open house and Rio was so excited to be there. Later that week we left him there for 3 hours to see how he would do. Apparently he played well with the other campers. Yay!

We arranged to drop Rio off on Saturday morning and we picked him up Sunday night. The camp staff took care of feeding him and giving him his medicine. He had other dogs to play with to keep him occupied during the day. When Grant dropped him off he was so excited to be there he was pulling on the leash to get inside.

We upgraded him to a private suite for the night. They have web cameras that allow owners to check up on their dogs while they are away. We were able to snap a few pictures of him in his room. He seemed to be doing well. It's nice to know we have a place to board him for a few days when we can't take him with us.

2009-01-04

Hot Dog, New Jammies

Rio's New Pyjamas

It turns out that Rio is a hot dog.

Literally.

Rio has decided he doesn't want to climb our stairs anymore. He has chosen to sleep by himself downstairs. The temperature difference between the first and second floor can be a good 10-15 degrees warmer upstairs. I purchased some pajamas for Rio made of a lovely blue fleece to keep him warm at night. They look so cute on him.

The problem is when he goes to bed at night just after dinner time he is roasty toasty without his PJs. Sometimes he's so warm he starts to pant. We don't bother putting his PJs on but cover him with a blanket.

Sometimes in the middle of the night I'll hear his ID tags jingling so I know he's up and changing position. Which means his blanket is now under him. I've come downstairs to find a cold dog in the morning.

He probably prefers being cold rather than performing the contortions required to get his four legs into his jammies. He's really tolerant of us putting things on him but you can tell he's tolerating not loving it.

Another unexpected issue with the fleece jammies is the static electricity discharged when I take them off his fur. Poor guy just flinches when I shock him.

So the jammies are added to the list of things we have purchased for Rio but don't really use. The list includes boots (I know, I know), a dog poop pail and scooper for the back yard (he goes on his walks not in the yard), balls and toys (he's not much of a player) and other things I can't think of at the moment.

2009-01-03

The Nose

Greyhounds have a long slender physique. The quite resemble supermodels as both are skinny and long legged. They really have quite lovely eyes, greyhounds I mean.

They also have a really long pointy nose. The pre-adoption required reading book referred to them as "needlenose" and I tend to agree.

Rio loves to smell things on our walks. We could be walking at a good clip when, wham!, Rio stops short when he catches a scent. We stand and wait while Rio gets a good sniff in. Sometimes he'll add his comments - read pee - on top of the smell, but other times we move on to the next smell.

I often wonder what kind of information Rio is gathering from the smells. What can he tell about the other dogs? Their sex, age, what they ate? Sometimes he'll give a tiny lick which must provide him with additional information.

2009-01-02

Rio & Me

Let me introduce you to the main characters in this blog.

Lydia
That would be me. I am a housewife/homemaker living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have lived here since 1999 with my husband, Grant. The only pets I had as a child were a rabbit named Nibbles and fish. I've always wanted a dog but childhood allergies prevented me from getting one. Plus my parents weren't keen on animals in the house.

Grant
Grant is a computer programmer who is originally from the Toronto, Canada area. Grant's grandparents had a dog when he was a boy, but I don't think he had any pets either.

Rio
This would be our adopted pet, a retired racing greyhound. Rio raced in Daytona as far as we can tell. His registered racing name is Smokin Motor. You can read more about his races and pedigree here. Rio lived with another family after retiring but was returned to the adoption group. We adopted him in August 2008. This blog is about living with Rio.

We are looking forward to sharing our experiences with you.