Runtly. The ever so entertaining Jack Russell Terrier has acclimated quite nicely to his new surroundings. He no longer fears the honking geese or cawing crows and if he gets the chance, he gives new meaning to the phrase, "wild goose chase".
Since the area, he now knows as home, is close to one of the university hospitals, there are ambulance sirens on a daily basis. Since we succeeded in traumatizing him, shortly after his arrival into our lives, by taking him outside to watch the winning basketball team (in a honking bus), their parents, (in honking cars) and the fire engine with sirens full blast, go past our house, sirens will always remain on the top of his 'do not like' list.
Riding in a car is second on his list of 'do not likes', unless it is just a short ride around the apartment complex. Once the vehicle turns onto the main road, he becomes a panting, shivering mess. A recent jaunt to the vet clinic for his annual shot proved we would still have to sedate him for a long journey. By the time we got home, he was laying on the floorboard in a fetal position, panting like he had just run the Kentucky Derby. I think I may have even heard him repeating a mantra of "find a happy place, find a happy place".
Runtly is a great conversation starter and thus we have made many new acquaintances by way of the dog. Everyone loves the Runt and one of the leasing agents refers to him as the site's official mascot. Since just about every other tenant also has a dog, Runtly has made many new canine friends himself. Jack Russell Terriers are fast, fast like lightning, and the dog park has given him the opportunity to show them all just how fast he can be. So far there is only one other dog who can meet his speed. Her name is Lola, a beautiful mix of what looks to be pit bull and grey hound. She is twice as tall as Runtly, but she can turn on a dime and gives him a run for his money every time they meet at the park. She is by far his favorite......Runtly loves Lola.
It will never cease to amaze me how he seems to know what time of the day it is. When it gets close to quitting time for my husband, Runtly finds his red collar ball and patiently waits. That time of the day is fetch time and no one plays it better than "Dad".
Having been raised on hardwood and tile floors, Runtly has discovered the advantages of carpet. Carpet allows for lots of traction and hairpin turns can be made leaning so far sideways his side nearly touches the floor. Runtly has also discovered he can belly crawl the entire length of the apartment. My husband says there is a reason for that.......but I shan't speak of such things.
Runtly loves to help with things around the house. If the vacuum comes out of the closet, he is sure to follow every swipe and drop numerous toys in front of it. When the clothes dryer door is opened, he immediately finds the dryer sheet and proceeds to see how many pieces it can be shredded in to. If someone sneezes, he jumps in their lap and tries to lick their face..... we figure it is his way of saying "bless you".
If something needs worked on, Runtly wants to work on it too. This was most evident the other day when I realized the clothes dryer vent tube had come off the vent. Apartment living also means compartment living and there is no room to spare in the laundry closet. I could not get behind the dryer and my arms were not long enough to reach the tube. I rummaged around and found a pair of long tongs in a kitchen drawer. Why I brought these with me is still a mystery because I rarely used them at 'home'. I pulled a chair next to the washer and dryer, wallowed myself on top and across both appliances and proceeded to gingerly grasp the the tension ring that holds the tube on the vent. It worked! As I began to make a maneuver with the skill of a heart surgeon, Runtly landed right in the middle of my back. When I turned my head to yell at him, he licked my ear and face. Since he wasn't moving, I continued on with my task. The next time I glanced back at him, he had discovered, from his vantage point, that he was face to face with a stack of folded clean towels and was plucking them off the shelf one at a time.
Yes, Runtly is 14 pounds of fun and love. I've watched him change the heart of a man, who thought he did not like animals, into someone who is crazy about this small bundle of mischief and even referred to him as a 'blessing'. I can't argue with that, to watch them play together is ever so entertaining.
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