Jack and I just went and saw fireworks on the top of the Highlands parking deck (yes, I have sweaty armpit in the photo, & yes, I know how utterly disgusting that is). He did pretty good, but we were absolutely swarmed with people and kids. I never realized how freaking annoying everyone ELSE is, when you have a dog. People (mainly the kids) would just come up and get all over him. Of course, he was about to have a come-apart, since there was so much action. He was so excited, that I could barely restrain him. HE did good - it was everyone ELSE that caused the problems.
Plus, I kept hoping that when I said the word "pitbull," people would scatter like roaches. No such luck. &=P One guy even lamented, "Oh, raise him right!" Look at that baby face - the only fighting this sweetheart will ever do is against...well, I can't even think of anything. I would say fleas, but we don't have fleas.
I can't tell Ralph about this, either, or he'll totally kill me dead. We're not even supposed to be around other people, yet. I can completely see why, though. &=\
The longer I have Jack, the more I learn SO MUCH about dogs, animals (in general) and other people. Like, the fact that people were just coming up to us and getting all over him and in his face was REALLY FRUSTRATING. I mean, eventually, he and I had to get up and move to another area, because the people were just driving him nuts. He's a baby, and he's in training. He's immature to everyone else's antagonizing. Every time I would pull on his leash to restrain or correct him, everyone would gasp and give me that whole, "Oh, don't do that! You're hurting him! He's just a baby! He's just excited!"
Look, I'm not paying YOU $750 to tell me how to handle my dog. The next time you've been working with dogs for 30 years and have been trained BY the best to BE the best, then we'll sit down and talk.
I realize, now, that you don't need to just assume that you can walk up to someone else's animal and start loving on it. It's like Ralph always says - it's not LOVE the animal is lacking; it's discipline. And, the animal doesn't get that with you getting down in his face and baby-talking him. That just drives him nuts and makes him want to act like a retard.
Anyway, fireworks were okay. Every year, I forget how to work my camera for the fireworks. I didn't get a lot of good pictures, so blah. I had my Ipod on the whole time, too, because I don't like the anticipation of the sound - too much anxiety for me. They're like canned biscuits and balloons.
Also, I was really having to keep an eye on Jack. I had his leash tied around my leg, but some of the kids kept running around, taunting him, and all it did was get him even more riled up. At one point, I thought maybe it wasn't Jack who needed to be kept on a lead so much as the kids.
WOW. If you have kids, please learn how to handle them. I know a really good trainer...
(This is him watching fireworks for the exact amount of time it took for me to snap the photo.)
*Sigh* It was definitely an experience that we won't be repeating, until he gets a lot older and more mature. But, we did get to see his Aunt Terri and Uncle Travis tonight, so that was nice! &=) I didn't get a picture with him and Terri like I wanted to, because once it was over, we made a beeline for the door, before everyone started coming after us, again.
Anyway, I'm about to go party with the Birmingham couch-surfers - no surprises tonight, though. Last time was too much. *gross*
Jack is absolutely passed out in his crate, snoring. We walked there and back, and he was panting his little heart out, so I gave him water when we got home. He's going to be sleeping like the dead tonight! &=)
Hope everyone had a decent holiday. I spent all day doing laundry, cleaning house, going through all the papers and bills I collect, sleeping and watching Simpsons. And, I'm pretty sure I won't be out for long tonight, either. I'm not into pulling all-nighters anymore. Bah. That crap's for kids.
