Chou Tales

River Rat · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject: Chou Tales

I am so much enjoying the intelligence of a labradoodle. I have never had a dog who was so bright and had so much personality. Recently Chouette came over as I was sitting in my easy chair and looked up at me. I said, "You're welcome to join me, but wouldn't you rather get your purse or your beaver first?" She looked over at her beaver, went and got it, and then jumped up and started blissfully kneading my side while chewing contentedly on her toy.

Or a couple of days ago I had had her out in the car with me most of the afternoon. When we got home she piddled and then started to come with me to the door. I said, "Don't you need to do a 'hurry up'?" She thought for a second and then went over to a likely spot on the lawn and immediately followed my suggestion. THEN she came back and we went in.

Or yesterday, 11 year old GD was in the back seat of the car with Chouette, and she had a balloon. She started blowing it up and releasing the air loudly in Chou's face. Chou really didn't like it, so she reacted by going over to the opposite corner of the seat, as far away as possible, turning her back very pointedly on Rosalena, and determinedly looking out the window. I have never seen her do that before and it was hysterical. Rosalena got offended and said, "Okay, don't play with me. See if I care!" These doodles are really like little people, aren't they?

Leslie
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lmtoth2 · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:02 pm Post subject:

I am cracking up here Leslie reading your story...Dexter has "shunned" us in the car before when he's mad at us...he will hang his head over the back seat and refuse to look at us. They are most definitely little furry people Smile

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Leslie M

River Rat · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject:

Honest to gosh, where do they get it from? Chou was all scrunched up, creating as much distance as possible from Rosalena and refusing to acknowledge her presence.

I laughed out loud when I read your Dexter story, too, and I just shared it with DH. Aren't they wonderful? I think my friends think I've taken leave of my senses, to be so wrapped up in a mere canine, but they have such incredible depth and personality! And they seem to understand so much of what we say, too. It's uncanny.

What makes Dexter lighten up - does he gradually forgive or what? Chouette finally relented and put her head in Rosalena's lap, but not before she had taught her a lesson!

Leslie
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Linda · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject:

I was missing you and Chouette, Leslie! I am sure you have been busy painting! Love the story, it is sooo cute! Such personalities these pups have!

Tink · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject:

Isn't it wonderful to live with such intelligent and personable animals?

Thanks for sharing a very cute story.
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Hickory, Ava, Hana, Misty, and Chip (happy master of his Harem)

River Rat · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject:

I've missed you guys, too, but I've been super busy getting my garden in and also getting two paintings ready for a group show. If you're interested they're the first two here:

http://leslieficcaglia.org/labellefrance.htm

There seems to be so much to do in the spring. I still have two rows to weed so I can plant, but I set out my French tomato plants and I have peas and beans and such coming up nicely.

I am amazed at how intelligent and personable these doodles are. I had heard that they were special, but I didn't realize how very special they were!

Leslie
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annabelles mom · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject:

awwwww I always love Chou stories !
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Mary & Annabelle
Zippity Doodle, Zippyity ay, My O My what a WonderDoodle Day !

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MaxandMe · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject:

I too love the Chou stories

and today as much as my dad hates to admit it, he swears Max is part human! and i agree

I find when I talk to my doodle like they're people they understand me

I love doodles!
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Forum BLOG ARTICLE LINK http://blog.labradoodle-dogs.net/

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

cocoandjane · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:34 am Post subject:

Leslie, Good to hear from you!
Chouette sounds so much like Coco....Abby is adorable and does such sweet, silly little things....but Coco is definitely the really, really, smart one....understanding complicated sentences and instructions!!

She can also be a bit persnickity....Abby on the other hand, is most laid back and compliant, doesn't have to get huffy....like Coco does!

I understand being busy with the garden....I am putting in three varieties of tomatoes....got any pointer's as to what to use as an organic pesticide for them ??
White fly and what else gets them? I can't remember! Aphids ?

Good luck with the show!! Sounds like a lot of work, but FUN!
Hugs to Chou!!

Cool

River Rat · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 4:59 am Post subject:

Jane, isn't it funny the way their personalities are different? I can see the range on the forum, and it's interesting. Chouette does sound more like Coco than Abby but then, Abby's young. Chou didn't have much of a vocabulary as a puppy.

What kind of tomatoes are you growing? And are they favorites or experiments you're trying for the first time? The only problems I ever have with my tomatoes are hornworms. A couple of years ago we had a population explosion of 'em, and very few of the parasitic wasps to deal with them. We picked them off by hand and fed them to the chickens, who were very grateful for each luscious tidbit. But once we started rotating crops better we haven't had issues at all. Now the eggplants are another story; they're prey to flea beetles when the plants arer small, and then Mexican bean beetles. I need more marigolds!

Leslie
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*\Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ *\

MaxandMe · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:39 am Post subject:

in and around your tomatoes you can plant basil, onions and garlic

also if you cut up milk cartons , then put around tomotoe plant till they grow a bit taller...stops bugs/disease/critters from getting to them

if you plant nastrutiums...they're used as sacrificial plants since the bugs go to them and leave tomotoes alone

marigolds planted around perimeter attract nemotodes underground as well as break up the host cycle.

IF you're not sure just type in "companion planting" as a search

i'll also go look for my book on this...did companion planting for years and loved having organic food with 0% pesticides
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Annmarie, Max,& Peanut
Forum BLOG ARTICLE LINK http://blog.labradoodle-dogs.net/

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

River Rat · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject:

Annmarie, I alternate basil, marigolds, and Victoria blue salvia between my tomato teepees. I used to do it between every plant, but I'm trying a different setup this year. And my summer squash are growing between garlic and nasturtiums, and on silver weedbarrier paper, all to deter squash vine borers and squash bugs. Last year I at least got some zucchini, and even managed to freeze some before the vines fell prey to the bugs. That was using the nasturtiums and silver paper, as well as radishes, which are supposed to deter them too. I have marigolds in among my beans, too. I'm growing white coco beans for cassoulet, and Pelandron and Fortex for fresh eating and freezing.

When I put out young plants, as in my tomatoes and, today, peppers and eggplant, I put a small straight stick up against the stem, which has usually foiled cutworms, but they just seem especially determined this year.

Normally I try to do my garden row rotations so that veggies that like each other are near each other, but this year I'm just trying to fit it all in so I may be putting some things next to plants they don't like. Between getting the rows prepared and everything planted, plus we're trying to put a drip irrigation system in finally, it can get overwhelming!

Any other advice re zucchini would be welcome!

Leslie
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*\Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ *\

cocoandjane · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject:

thanks for the tips, girls!!

I haven't put them in yet....I don't even remember the varieties I bought...I will let you know this week....doing a search as you suggested, annmaire and leslie, YES...all this juggling inside and outside work is
OVERWHELMING!!

I love it though!
Cool

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Jane

Coco and Abby, too!!

MaxandMe · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject:

Okay here's a decent link or two
it's easier to list links than to go thru my book and past experience and type it out Wink

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants

http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/vegetables/vcomp.asp

http://www.gardentoad.com/companionplants.html
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Annmarie, Max,& Peanut
Forum BLOG ARTICLE LINK http://blog.labradoodle-dogs.net/

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

cocoandjane · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

thanks for the links!
Cool

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Jane

Coco and Abby, too!!