Snarkclaw

Pet Diary: Rude Juni

2013-06-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Due to the inviting weather, I have revisited the dog park... and learned that Juni lost her unpracticed social skills.

Juni and Cisco seemed delighted to return to the dog park. Cisco happily engaged with other dogs, or just sniffed and explored. Juni also sniffed and explored, but coupled that with rushing at any dog near her. Her hackles raised, a bark at her mouth and a growl in her throat, she charged dogs and told them that she was boss. She apparently retained her old lesson of not touching the dogs, but her display was still daunting enough for any target (and any target's reasonably anxious owner). I spent our Monday and Tuesday visits walking the park perimeter, trying to keep my rude dog moving.

Come Wednesday, I felt leery of even going... yet was still unpleasantly surprised by Juni's antics. When we arrived, there were several medium-to-large dogs playing a merry game of Chase. One dog happily led while the others playfully (and politely) chased. Cisco would have had a great time joining... if he had the chance.

Instead, Juni observed the game first, and immediately rushed into the fray. Within seconds, she had the lead dog on the ground and rolling over to appease her, and barked off any other dog who approached. Embarrassed and frustrated, I herded my antisocial dog away from the crowd.

As I tried to keep Juni occupied and away from those whose fun she destroyed, I felt sorry for Cisco and myself. Had I left Juni at home, he and I could have enjoyed a relaxed and playful time at the park. He would have had a merry game of Chase (something he has rarely had the chance to do ever since we got Juni) and I could have chatted with fellow dog enthusiasts. Instead, Cisco had to follow me around as I avoided folks who watched me warily whenever my dogs and I passed.

Juni certainly did not suffer, though. Sometime after getting to boss other dogs around, she got much admiration and praise. The original group disbanded sometime after Juni ruined the game, and different people (and dogs) appeared. These people had many treats that they offered liberally, so Juni decided to be friendly (with the humans). She sat politely and earned much admiration... and a few treats.

As before, I struggle with the conflict. I know that Cisco loves to visit the dog park, and I suspect that he and I would have more fun without Juni there. However, Juni would mope and feel anxious if we left her at home. Should I try taking her, or seek some distraction for her while Cisco and I go?

Deer Me: Comic 432 Step-by-Step

2013-06-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

Rasha helps a customer... and gets an unexpected response.

Deer Me 432 Step-by-Step on DeviantArt

This shows the progressive art stages of the latest Deer Me comic: the initial rough sketch, the tighter pencils, the inks, and the colors.

Read the comic.

Pet Diary: A Little Empathy

2013-06-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

A confession: I hate driving. If I lived someplace where I could easily walk, bike, or bus everywhere, then I would happily go carless. If I never again had reason to drive, then I would not miss the act. Driving terrifies me.

The thought of controlling a speeding death machine amidst other death machines and their possibly careless, reckless, or sloppy drivers stresses me greatly. Some drives, particularly those that involve a highway or heavy traffic, give me hands that are tight and sore from my white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel. My paranoid visions, as I anxiously swerve from someone in the neighboring lane or brake to increase the distance between me and those before me, range from gruesome fatalities to limb-severing accidents to the best-case-scenario of a nasty fender bender that skyrockets my insurance rates.

My fears are not entirely rational, I acknowledge. There is certainly valid call to be cautious and mindful while driving, but my anxiety is not salved by "driving defensively." Facing my fear obviously does not help; I have driven regularly (daily or multiple times a week) for well over a decade, and still get stressed when I even consider driving certain places. Since I cannot flee from the source of my fear, my entire being instead fights it, and so I hate driving.

I confess this because I realized recently that I have been unfair to Cisco. During his past three and a half years with me, he has made many great strides and is a more confident and relaxed dog than the Cisco I adopted. However, he still exhibits some anxieties that seem absolutely ridiculous and tedious to me. He fears my office-chair ball. He avoids SO in certain situations. He panics about being outside while someone mows a yard a few houses away.

Sometimes, I feel impatient with him and marvel that he still has not gotten over these issues. They strike me as silly and unfounded fears. I wish that he would just get over it, already.

Yet, he might not ever "get over it." I spent about a minute stalking a spider last week, insistent upon hunting it down and killing it so it could not come out from its hiding place by my computer and bite me to death. This spider had been near me for who-knows-how-long before I noticed it, and probably would have been happy to continue leaving me alone. It was quite tiny... the size of a pencil eraser. If I felt so threatened by such a little creature, then who am I to call Cisco crazy for fearing the sound of the trash collection truck?

Deer Me: Ramson Family Celebrates Father's Day

2013-06-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Deer Me: June 2013 Wallpaper on DeviantArt

Happy Father's Day! (A week early, I know.)

Thondy Ramson tosses his son, Devan, a football while Woola sets the picnic table.

This is available as a downloadable desktop wallpaper on my Art Page.

PhotoShop. June 2013.

Deer Me: Comic 431 Step-by-Step

2013-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

The cover for Deer Me: Job Joys.

Deer Me 431 Step-by-Step on DeviantArt

This shows the progressive art stages of the latest Deer Me comic: the initial rough sketch, the tighter pencils, the inks, and the colors.

Read the comic.

Pet Diary: Dirty Dogs

2013-06-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

If you suffer too much sense of accomplishment in your housework, then get indoor/outdoor dogs who dig.

Though our house primarily has bare wood floors (scarred by dogs claws), I vacuum rather than sweep. Sweeping is great for dirt, but just sends dog hairs floating into the air and settling elsewhere. So, I use a vacuum cleaner that can handle pet hair and bare floors. Generally, I vacuum on Sundays; the whole house takes the better part of the day to do.

Every time the dogs come into the house, no matter the weather conditions, I clean their paws. I try to maintain this routine for two reasons: a consistent habit is easier for them to follow than a sometimes-yes/sometimes-no happenstance, and water is not the only thing that might be on their paws. On rainy days, of course their paws are soaked and need wiping (and sometimes more than just their paws need drying). On dry days, though, sometimes their paws are covered in dirt (and, again, sometimes more than just their paws).

Cisco and Juni do sometimes dig in the yard... and sometimes they come into the house wearing a good portion of the yard. Juni, an orange-and-white dog, has sometimes resembled a German Shepherd with her dirt-brown coat with dirt-black legs and face. The dark dirt is easier to see on Juni than on Cisco, but there have been times that even his mottled black coat has looked noticeably dark brown and gritty.

Though I try to clean their paws (and whatever else needs cleaning) when they enter, I do not fully remove the dirt, mud, or water from the dogs each time. So, they contribute heavily to the dirt that gets tracked throughout the house. Of course, they also shed. Usually, by Friday, the stairs and certain sections of the halls have little tumbleweeds of dog fur sitting amidst scattered dirt. I genuinely look forward to pulling out the vacuum cleaner on Sundays. I sometimes sweep during the week, though the floating dog hair reminds me why vacuuming is better. Trying to keep the house clean and relatively pet-hair free is a constant (and losing) battle, but it is the price of having two large, active, indoor/outdoor dogs.

I felt particularly defeated a couple of recent Mondays, though. Three weeks ago, I went through and vacuumed the house, taking all day to do a thorough job. The following Monday morning, from their first outing, the dogs came inside absolutely coated in fresh dirt. Juni, particularly, shook so much dirt from herself that she actually spattered the wall and I had to wash it. I had to wash a wall because the dog -- whom I had tried to wipe clean -- shook next to it. Later that morning, I employed a broom and followed everywhere the dogs had been. The sheer volume of dirt that day was incredible.

The very next next week, they did almost precisely the same thing: undoing Sunday's vacuuming with Monday's dirt. I wondered why I even bothered. I actually felt grateful for the constant rain of this past Monday. Wiping soaking wet paws was a welcome change from battling the onslaught of dirt.

Art Supply Review: Noodler's Ink: Bulletproof Versus Waterproof

2013-05-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Noodler's ink line provides great fountain pen inks with a dizzying array of colors, creative labels, and some "bulletproof" inks. "Bulletproof" is used to describe a Noodler's fountain pen ink that resists bleaches, alcohols, solvents, UV light, and other ink removers. The purpose is to have an ink that can withstand forgery attempts, so artists seeking a waterproof fountain pen ink are sometimes surprised and disappointed to find that the ink touted as "waterproof once permitted to dry upon cellulose paper" smears when wetted. The issue here is the two different concepts of "waterproof."

In the way that Noodler's uses it when describing the ink, "waterproof" mean that the ink cannot be removed from the paper by water. An artist's definition of "waterproof" says that the ink should not be affected at all by water, including that it should not smear, smudge, or bleed when wetted. With normal application, a Noodler's "bulletproof" ink is not "waterproof" by the artist's definition. An artist who inks a drawing with a Noodler's "bulletproof" ink and then paints with watercolors (or other washes) might experience smearing or streaking of the ink.

The reason for this is that the ink that directly touches the paper does bond and is "bulletproof" and waterproof, but there is more ink that sits on top of that bonded ink. Those layers of unbound ink are free to wash off with any applied water. So, the bonded ink stays on the paper, but the unbound ink smears or streaks.

An artist wishing to ink a painting with a Noodler's "bulletproof" ink could first ink the drawing, let the ink fully dry, and then rinse the paper before painting. This would remove the excess ink that would smear and leave the bonded ink drawing. Unfortunately, this technique is not always practical, particularly in the case of watercolor sketchbooks. Another workaround may be to dilute the ink sufficiently so that there all ink applied to the page can adhere to the page. The key drawback with this solution is that finding the right water-ink mix to make this work might be difficult.

If you use Noodler's "bulletproof" inks with your washes or paintings, then please share how you work with the ink.

Pet Diary: Old Man Cisco

2013-05-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Considering how fast, agile, and bouncy he can be when excited, Cisco constantly amazes me by how much he acts likes a stiff and tired old man at other times.

Whether it is a good idea or not, our pets have couch privilege and bed privilege. The couch seems to rank as Cisco's favorite place. He spends much of the day there, sleeping, resting, or keeping an eye and ear on the surrounding goings-on. Sometimes, he hops onto the couch with the ease one would expect of a healthy and active large dog. Other times, he lands one front paw on the couch, then another, and then slowly, carefully, hauls the rest of himself up, making a huge show of getting onto the couch.

Cisco also makes a big show of getting off the couch... when I want him to do something that he might not want to do. He stares at me. He ponders my call. When he finally believes that, yes, I do genuinely want him to come, he gradually lifts his head. He ponderously sits upright. He considers some more. Then he takes a cautious step of the couch, and another. After much deliberation, he finally drags himself off the couch and shuffles toward me; moving is just so hard for the poor old boy.

When Cisco feels motivated, though, he rises and leaps off the couch, head high, ears perked, tail wagging, all in seconds that could be counted in the single digits. He pesters Juni into playing Eat Your Face, bowling into her, nipping at her neck, and deftly leaping away from her rebuff. Outside, he races with speeds and agility I still have not witnessed from any other dog. He leaps onto his hind legs with joy.

Once the fun ends, the cavorting puppy disappears and Old Man Cisco slowly hobbles to the couch, where he heaves his tired form up and flops into nap position.

Deer Me: Guest Comic by C.D. Woodbury

2013-05-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

C.D. Woodbury has graciously granted me a new "Wombat Wonder" comic. It made me laugh and I bet that you'll laugh, too.

Thanks so much, C.D.!

Pet Diary: Only One Water Bowl

2013-05-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact this house has three water bowls, plus an additional one outside, the pets often act like they must compete for water.

One water bowl sits in the kitchen; that one is primarily for Linksys. It is situated in a corner that is large enough for him, but a bit tight for the dogs. They could use it if they really wanted to, but they have better options and use those (well, one of those) instead.

One of the two other options, intended for the dogs, is under the breakfast bar, just around the corner from the kitchen. This is the largest of the bowls, with a very broad diameter. Despite being intended for Cisco and Juni, the one I see using this bowl the most is Linksys. He seems to particularly prefer to use this bowl when I am setting food for the dogs next to it, though that could be just when I notice him. I rarely see the dogs use that bowl, and its little-changing water level suggests it gets little notice.

Instead, the dogs insist upon using the water bowl in my office. They love to lap from it. Apparently, draining that bowl dry and licking at the bottom for any remaining drops -- where I can hear the whole production -- is better than drinking from a bowl in another room. Multiple times a day, I get to hear,
"Shlurp shloop slurp slop shlup shlup shlop shloop slup slup slurp slop slurp shlurp shlurp.
Pause.
Shlurp shloop slup slup shlop shlep shlurp shlurp slurp slurp slurp-slurp-slurp."

Even Linksys likes to share this bowl, particularly when it lets him get between Juni and her food, making her twitchy and ready to snap.

I figure that Juni prefers that bowl because it is close to me; she only eats in company. Cisco probably prefers that bowl because Juni prefers it; he does enjoy stealing from her. As I already noted, I think that Linksys likes that bowl because using it lets him annoy Juni.

I wish that they all would drink elsewhere, at least more often. The "shlup shlep shlop" wears on my nerves more than a little.

Art Supply Review: Kaweco Sport Ink Roller Fountain Pen

2013-05-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

I tried the Kaweco Sport fountain pen and immediately loved it. However, some fountain pen inks that I tried were too dry for my fountain pens. I read that refillable rollerball pens handled these dry inks well, so I opted for the close cousin of my beloved Kaweco Sport fountain pen, the Kaweco Sport rollerball pen (a.k.a. ink roller fountain pen).

This small and lightweight pen has the same body and feed system as the Kaweco Sport fountain pen. The difference is in the tip; rather than a fountain pen nib, it has a rollerball nib. Its body feels as comfortable and natural in my hand as that of the Kaweco Sport fountain pen (which makes sense, since they have the same body), but the shorter rollerball tip requires that the rollerball pen be held at a slightly higher angle than the fountain pen. Consequently, writing with it for an extended time does not feel quite as natural and comfortable as with the fountain pen, though still much better than with the average disposable rollerball pen or ballpoint pen.

I discovered that the Kaweco Sport rollerball pen does indeed handle the dry fountain pen inks that the Kaweco Sport fountain pen found challenging. However, the rollerball pen does not seem to like the inks that the fountain pen uses readily. I guess that, just as too much viscosity is bad in a fountain pen, too little is bad in a rollerball pen. While this means that I cannot readily use the same ink in both pens, it does mean that I have a good chance of being able to use any given ink in at least one of the pens. I can use wetter inks in the fountain pen and drier inks in the rollerball pen.

Like the modern Kaweco Sport fountain pens, the Kaweco Sport rollerball pens have plastic bodies and are generally good knock-about pens. Being slightly under 4.25" capped and possessing a double-threaded screw-on cap that can fasten securely, these pens are great for tossing into pockets, purses, or bags for carrying around. They are sold without clips (clips can be bought separately), but their octagonal caps prevent the pens from rolling. Most of my Kaweco Sport fountain pens do not have clips, though I do keep a clip to apply to whichever pen I take with me when traveling around, so I can clip the pen to my sketchbook.

I definitely recommend the Kaweco Sport rollerball pen for anyone interested in trying a refillable rollerball pen.

Pet Diary: Drool

2013-05-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Drool is one pet-owner reality that is, fortunately, not much of an issue among my pets.

Cisco reminded me of that yesterday. Neither he nor Juni generally drool much. Their lips might get sloppy after eating, drinking, or getting excited, but neither dog generates a noticeable amount of drool.

However, yesterday morning, Cisco stood attentively outside the door, waiting to be allowed inside. Hanging from both sides of his mouth were long threads of slobber. I do not know what caused them, but it was a very unusual sight!

Deer Me: Alicia And Nichole Muis on Mother's Day

2013-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Deer Me: May 2013 Wallpaper on DeviantArt

Alicia Muis gives her mother, Nichole Muis, a bouquet and card for Mother's Day. I figure that a child might just shove the flowers right up her mother's nose in her enthusiasm to share.

This is available as a downloadable desktop wallpaper on my Art Page.

PhotoShop. May 2013.

Art Supply Review: Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen

2013-05-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Kaweco Sport fountain pen was the first fountain pen that I tried and it could easily have been the last. This small and lightweight pen fits naturally into my hand as no other pen had before or has since. Though fountain pens in general feel better for writing than other pens, the Kaweco Sport fountain pen in particular feels perfect to me for writing.

Most of the modern Kaweco Sport fountain pens have plastic bodies, though there is one with an aluminum body, and are generally good knock-about pens. Being slightly under 4.25" capped and possessing a double-threaded screw-on cap that can fasten securely, these pens are great for tossing into pockets, purses, or bags for carrying around. They are sold without clips (clips can be bought separately), but their octagonal caps prevent the pens from rolling. Most of my Kaweco Sport fountain pens do not have clips, though I do keep a clip to apply to whichever pen I take with me when traveling around, so I can clip the pen to my sketchbook.

These are my favorite pens for writing and sketching. I even use them for inking sometimes. As fountain pens, fountain pen ink, of course, should be used in them. I have sometimes experimented with other inks and the pens have been quite forgiving of when I use something inappropriate; they are quite easy to clean.

I definitely recommend the Kaweco Sport fountain pen as a good starting point for anyone interested in trying fountain pens and I always keep at least two inked for ready use.

Sharpclaw: Lily As Cat Or Rabbit (3)

2013-05-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sharpclaw: Lily As Cat Or Rabbit 3 on DeviantArt

Through May 12, I am still asking whether Lily's design is better as a domestic cat or a rabbit. The more I sketch her as both, the more I get an idea. Opinions are welcome here on this post.

Thanks!

SketchBook Pro. May 2013.

Pet Diary: Cisco Loves Us Both

2013-05-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

There are two who mean all the world to Cisco, apparently: Juni and me.

When I depart and return, Cisco whines and tap-dances his anxious greeting. When Juni leaves, Cisco whines and lunges upon her in greeting. He seems to miss only us and celebrate only our returns.

Cisco does still enjoy interacting with other people and other dogs. He just seems to need Juni and me both to feel safe and stable. During April in particular, I noticed that Cisco seems as clingy to Juni as he is to me.

In the first week of April, I took Juni to the veterinarian for her annual exam and shots. Upon our return, Cisco greeted both of us eagerly, but focused mostly on Juni, rather than on me.

S.O. had activities that kept him away for most weekends in April. The only indication (I could perceive) that Cisco made of noticing his absence was that Cisco stayed on the bed (on S.O.'s side) all night long every night, rather than eventually hopping down. I do not think that this was Cisco missing S.O., as much as him enjoying the extra space on the bed. Cisco greeted S.O.'s return after each prolonged absence in the same way he normally greets any return of S.O.; he gave an alarm bark and then settled in some isolated part of the house.

In the second or third week of April, I took Linksys, the cat I had originally gotten for my broken dog, to the veterinarian for his annual exam and shots. Cisco seemed unconcerned that the cat had been gone.

A few times recently, S.O. has taken Juni with him on errands; she loves car rides. To greet their return, Cisco has given his typical alarm bark, but has also mixed it with whining. I guess that the alarm bark is for S.O., and the whine is for Juni. He eagerly rushes to her as soon as he can reach her, just as he does with me when I return.

At least Juni can share my burden of being Cisco's world.

Deer Me 430: "Dreaming" Ends

2013-05-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

And that ends the latest Deer Me story, "Dreaming."

Honestly, I felt concerned about posting "Dreaming." It was Deer Me's first (intentionally) non-humorous story. I hope that you did not find it too mopey, and enjoyed this different side of Viana's psyche. At least now you have a better idea of why she likes pummeling Thomas. So mature. 9.9

There is going to be an interlude before the next story begins; I aim to build a bit of a buffer before starting its run. Unlike during previous hiatuses and interruptions, though, I also aim to post updates on how things are going. So, continue to watch this space for news.

As ever, thank you for reading Deer Me!

Sharpclaw: Lily As Cat Or Rabbit (2)

2013-05-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

Sharpclaw: Lily As Cat Or Rabbit 2 on DeviantArt

I started a poll, asking whether Lily should be a domestic cat or a rabbit. Unfortunately, though I know people voted, something is wrong with the poll; it wiped out the submitted votes!

So, instead, I ask that you either leave a comment below or send me a message with your opinion on whether a rabbit or domestic cat suits Lily's design better.

Thanks for your help!

SketchBook Pro. April 2013.

Sharpclaw: Lily As Cat Or Rabbit (1)

2013-04-29T08:43:00.002-07:00

Sharpclaw: Lily As Cat Or Rabbit on DeviantArt

I have a quandary.

For years, I have been fiddling with the Sharpclaw characters and story, trying to solidify my ideas sufficiently to actually create the comic.

The story is now coming along, as are most of the characters... but Lily is giving me trouble.

Most of my work of her is as a rabbit, but I recently tried her as a domestic cat... and liked the result. I have some drawings in which I like her better as a cat and some in which I like her better as a rabbit. For the story, either works fine. It comes entirely down to design preference for her.

And I cannot make up my mind, apparently.

So, help me! Through May 12, I am running a poll on whether Lily should be a cat or a rabbit. Please vote your preference.

Thanks!

SketchBook Pro. April 2013.

Pet Diary: Cisco's Powerful Bark

2013-04-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Cisco has a powerful bark; he can even play kettle drums with it.

Cisco is not a small dog. He weighs about 60 lbs and is lean and solid. He has a pretty deep chest, and that chest contains a strong set of lungs. When he barks, one cannot miss it.

Cisco and Juni are part of our home security system. They are not attack dogs, of course, but they do generally let us know when someone is near the front door. Cisco alarm barks for visitors, deliveries, when the neighbors confuse him by generating a lot of noise, and when S.O. comes home. (When I come home, Cisco whines and tap dances in anticipation.) Juni might join the alarm barking (and sometimes instigates it, if she notices a visitor or delivery first), but not always, not for as long, and never as loudly.

Cisco's bark gives me a headache, frankly. It really is loud. I particularly dislike when he and I share the couch and something triggers his alarm bark. He sits upright and alert on the couch and starts barking right there. He may sit on the couch and bark for several seconds before getting off the couch, barking, and rushing to the door, barking. I have had the misfortune of sitting with my ear directly level with Cisco's muzzle during such an alarm bark.

We have a couple of kettle drums in the house, one right next to the couch. It is not unusual for the waves of Cisco's bark to play that kettle drum when he is on the couch. Still, he impressed me with it the other day. Cisco was standing at the front door, facing and barking at the door, across both the dining room and living room from where I stood. The kettle drum stood just before me... and played. Cisco's bark waves -- bouncing off the door and traveling the length of two rooms -- played the drum.

That dog has one powerful bark.

Pet Diary: Use It Or Lose It

2013-04-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Cisco has lost his dog park manners.

When I first got Cisco, he and I visited the local dog park frequently, generally three to five times per week. Each visit lasted for at least one hour, often two or three. He handled other dogs quite well, easily befriending individuals. The bigger the crowd, the harder he found it to connect, unless a bunch ganged up on one dog. In those cases, Cisco did join in the bullying, I admit. Still, overall, he was good with other dogs.

After we started to foster dogs, we visited the dog park far less. Cisco had a playmate at home, for one thing, and I could not confidently trust that every foster dog would enjoy the dog park... or return to me, if allowed off leash. Still, we sometimes went.

After adopting Juni, I tried to resume regular dog park visits, but often found them unrewarding. At first, Juni bullied other dogs and avoided me. Early trips involved trying to track where she last had been and having to corral her well before we left, just to eventually get her leashed. She got better about staying near me (edible bribes worked wonders, when she finally noticed them) and about not bullying other dogs. She still barked and acted bossy, but I no longer feared any physical harm resulting from her actions.

However, Cisco and Juni ganged up on other dogs all too often. As I noted before, Cisco would join a bullying crowd. Now, he regularly hung out with a bully; their pack of two could readily pick on lone dogs who found Juni's gruff demeanor intimidating.

Often not feeling up to the drama of a dog park visit, I opted for more regular dog walks around home instead. We continued those when the weather got really nasty and the dog park became a giant mud puddle. Slick and hilly roads with no sidewalks were still better than tromping around in slicker mud and wet grass.

With spring and the sun's return, I feel more willing to try dog park visits again. After all, Juni had been pleasantly surprising me with increasingly good behavior while we still went.

Juni's behavior continues to impress me. During our recent visits, she frequently interacted fine with unfamiliar dogs. She sometimes still barked and acted bossy, but only rarely. Mostly, she seemed happy to sniff the grounds, run around, or stay close for treats. Cisco was likelier than Juni to get into another dog's face and bark rudely. There were times he even ruined peaceful moments between Juni and a stranger by rushing up to the new dog and barking loudly.

Our time away from the dog park seems to have made Cisco forget his old social skills.

Pet Diary: Cat Toy Joy

2013-04-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Quite unexpectedly, we found a toy that Linksys likes immensely.

For the past three years that we have had him, I have found our cat difficult to entertain. Not only am I not terribly savvy about cats, but he seems to express little interest in conventional cat amusements, like chasing laser pointers or playing with toys. Worse, when he does get excited about a toy, it is typically a small plush toy or ball that he takes outside of S.O.'s office... and straight to where a dog may then assume ownership of the toy. I have found more than one mangled or drool-coated cat toy lying on the floor that obviously met its end by canine jaws.

A few weeks ago, I won a basket of cat goodies, including a range of cat toys. These included two different feathers-on-sticks, one with just feathers and one with feathers and tinsel. We knew that Linksys likes feathers, but I have never seen him react to a toy the way he has with the feathers-and-tinsel toy. He loves that thing. He lunges for it. He watches it intensely. He runs in circles for it. He even wrestles it and carries it around, when no one else plays with him.

After he started playing with that toy, he started seeming more cat-like in other ways. He seems to purr more readily than before, and get into laps more quickly. He even climbed into a box the other day, just to be in the box. While he is still certainly Linksys, he just seems more... **cat** than before.

I am glad that we now have a toy that he likes so much, and that the dogs seem not even remotely interested in.

Pet Diary: Taking Turns

2013-04-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

I may have mentioned this before: Cisco and Juni take turns being the dominant dog.

Cisco and Juni often engage in pretty rough-looking play, but they seem to love it and never show signs of pain or injury as a result. Often during play, Juni throws herself onto her back, and then she and Cisco chew on each other's necks. This is not Cisco throwing Juni onto her back or her rolling over submissively, from what I can see. She does it deliberately and, despite the prone position, does not appear to be submissive.

Each dog does get pushy in certain instances, though. Cisco seems more attention-driven, while Juni still resource-guards her food. If Juni is getting petting or is even just closer, then Cisco will readily push past her. She does not fight; she simply steps out of his way, deferring to him. If Cisco (or, more commonly, Linksys) gets near her food, though, then she gets defensive. Typically, she just rushes to and then stands near the food, though I have seen her curl her lip and even heard her growl or bark (generally at Linksys). Cisco usually just slinks off (though he may return to scavenge in her absence).

In most respects, the dogs seem content to peacefully coexist. Despite their rough play, neither seems consistently dominant to the other. Instead, they take turns, depending upon the situation and how much one dog cares about something. I feel quite lucky to have two dogs who have so easily sorted their pack order.

Pet Diary: Horizontal Surface Cat

2013-03-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Poor Linksys was used as a horizontal surface multiple times this past week.

On Tuesday, Linksys and I were sharing the couch. I sat on one end, reading, while Linksys snoozed near the other end. Cisco decided that he wanted to join me. So, slowly, deliberately, fully aware of the space available, he hauled himself onto the couch, and then settled on the far side of the couch. In doing so, he plunked his butt onto Linksys. I hauled my previously sleeping and now startled-and-flattened cat out from underneath.

On Wednesday, I took all three pets -- even Linksys -- outside to the yard. The dogs wrestled each other while Linksys sniffed around the grass and chewed a few blades. Early in the dog wrestling, Juni trotted over to Linksys, flipped herself onto her back, and rolled over him. Linksys dragged himself out from under her as Cisco rushed over to chew on Juni.

On Thursday, Linksys sat on the second-to-top stair. I saw him on the stair as I headed down, but assumed that his tail was curled around him, as it often is. I set my foot down on his tail and he informed the world, including the dead.

This week probably illustrated one reason many cats like heights. Poor Linksys.

Art Supply Review: Noodler's Lexington Gray Ink

2013-03-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

While not normally a fan of gray ink, I wanted to try a bulletproof Noodler's ink other than black and opted for Noodler's Lexington Gray ink. I am much more impressed than I expected to be! Rather than looking like washed-out black, this is a nice, rich warm gray with a very subtle blue undertone. A blue tint might sound odd in a warm gray, but it looks quite pretty. It writes very wetly -- helping the pen feel smooth across the paper -- and dries quickly. This is a very nice ink for both writing and drawing.

I have read claims that this ink is simply Noodler's bulletproof black ink mixed with water in a one-part ink, ten-parts water solution. This may or may not be true; my experience disagrees with the theory enough to justify buying a bottle of the ink itself when I want Lexington Gray ink. Even if it is, as claimed, heavily diluted bulletproof black ink, paying the manufacturer to make the mix right is worthwhile to me.

Speaking of mixing, its wetness and saturation make this a good mixing ink. Even a small amount of black ink can easily overpower any color with which it is mixed. Lexington Gray ink is light enough that it does not share the same aggression in mixing and can contribute to new colors, rather than making black with different highlights (as too often happens when mixing with black ink).