Discipline

Azuki is an unruly pup. Matt likes to point out that it's mostly my fault, since I spoil that little bugger and do not discipline her enough. I'd like to point out that it is perhaps 80% my fault but the other 20% lays squarely with the man himself, since he likes to talk tough but still spoils Azuki all the same. He is just not home as often to spoil her!

In any case, here is an example of her unruliness:

1. First Azuki jumps onto Matt and attacks him with her tongue when he is trying to read:


2. Then she wiggles around and tries to find a comfortable position:
3. Finally finds a somewhat acceptable cuddling position and poses for the camera:




There are a few rules that we are consistently with, however. For example, we make Azuki wait a few seconds, or a few minutes, until she is allowed to eat her food or a treat. Azuki always responds to such discipline by obeying quietly and pathetically, giving us the most pitiful and guilt-inducing face that one can possibly conjure up:

This is her doing her "I'm-so-hungry-please-let-me-eat-my-dinner" expression:



This is her "How-can-you-stand-it-to-let-me-wait-when-I-am-this-cute" face:


I am sure if Azuki didn't have THAT FACE, she wouldn't be able to get away with half as much. But the fact is, she does have a very innocent-looking face, and it seems as though she knows very well how to WORK IT.

Isn't she a little manipulative little lady??

Dust Snack

Azuki likes to "help out" while Matt and I clean the house. The other day, she attacked my dust cloth while I was attending chores. After I fended her off, she got really quiet for awhile and I looked over, and found her trying to eat little dust balls that had formed around our vaccum cleaner.



I had to pry her mouth open to get the dirt off. Here you can pretty clearly see a dust ball caught between her teeth and hanging out of her mouth:


Ah. The joy of having a dog.

Passed Out

As I have said many times before, Azuki regularly over-exerts herself and then pass out from sheer physical exhaustion. As a result, Matt and I often catch her in rather unconventional sleeping postures in the evenings. While most dogs sleep INSIDE their doggie beds, our pup sometimes likes to hang out of hers:



Here is a view from the posterior:


This is her "I'm so tired please stop flashing the camera in my face" face:



Why is she so tired? Oh I don't know, it could be the fact that she ran around for 30 minutes in scorching heat, her body heaving heavily up and down while she pants desperately for air. Moderation is not one of Azuki's virtues.

The strange thing is that when we come back from our hour long walks, Azuki will get really excited all of a sudden and start to run around at home like a mad dog. This always confounds us, especially because sometimes she is so tired from being crazy outside that we have to carry her half way home from the park. But once at home, almost without exception she will go completely berserk, attacking her toys, running up and down the sofa and around our circular coffee table. It always ends with her attacking our hands, making growling sounds and showing her teeth all the while (which is like, so not threatening. It looks very cute and funny actually).

Then, if we have to leave the apartment to do laundry or drop off the trash, she gets really excited too because that means she gets to run up and down the carpeted hallway in supermode. One time she ran so hard and so fast, and neglected to slow down during a corner turn that she actually banged into the wall. And then she shook herself off, and took off running again.

Do you see a theme here? If you still do not, I'll spell it out for you--it's called having mental problems.

People often ask me what I am doing nowadays now that I am back in the US. No one can understand why I am not making a living like the rest of the world. Or popping out babies, which is apparently the only socially acceptable alternative for any self-respecting woman in the modern society. My idle life seems to incurs outrage, even personal offense. Friends are usually polite but skeptical, and family is down right exasperated, like Why can't you just do SOMETHING, ANYTHING?? type of attitude. Just today I was on the phone with my mother (hi mom! love you!) and she was like, are you still just hanging out with the dog all day?

Matt is the only one who totally understands that taking care of Azuki IS a job, a serious responsibility. I know it sounds pathetic and totally stupid, but then I would invite you to live in my house for just two days. My friend Jen did when she stayed with me in New York for the weekend and both morning she awoke with Azuki STANDING ON TOP OF HER BOOBS, licking her face. Every time she tried to sit down somewhere Azuki would jump right up and be right up next to her, starring and wagging her tail. Every time she tried to go to the bathroom, she heard little scratching noises at the door and eventually, a small head would emerge and be starring at her while she is trying to have a private moment. On the toilet. Let's just say that Azuki is an in-you-face type of dog. The type that sort of TAKES OVER your life instead of the blending in, becoming a mere part of your life.

So what exactly DO YOU DO all day, you ask? Well, I take lessons from our pup, actually, and take advantage of the free time that I have now to enjoy each day, like it's my last free day on earth.