egbert + ripi: a pet’s eye view

perspective from a pigeon and a dog

Archive for May, 2007

guard bird

May 30, 2007 at 4:35 am · Filed under simple things, bird's eye view

people always assume that egbert does all of the guarding around here, being a german shepherd mix, and all.

well that is not true.

my people like to call me guard bird sometimes, because i warn them when someone is coming close or something seems amis. i know all of our neighbors and friends, of course. i can even tell when clients of other neighbors are around and i don’t sound the alarm.

but, when someone is approaching that doesn’t fit these categories, i sound the alert - a basso, brief kind of hoarse bark that gives them a one time warning. my people are quick and know the drill. they always check it out.

so listen to your other animals - not just the dogs. think about the guard birds.

duboce park

May 29, 2007 at 2:04 am · Filed under dog's eye view, out and about

duboce park was my first park when i moved here.

to be honest, i was less that a year old and fresh from new mexico and had no idea what a dog park was all about. nor did i have any idea what urban life would be like.

my first time to duboce was crazy. i had never seen so many dogs in one place. i went wild - barking like crazy as i ran laps around the other dogs that were hanging out. it was insane. there must have been at least 40 dogs there.

so that was my intro to duboce park. it’s been over 13 years and i don’t live in the neighborhood anymore, but my people still include it on my route. i try to make an appearance once a week. we call it my ‘old duboce’.

once ripi took off and my people couldn’t find him. he showed up a couple of days later at duboce trying to land on the people and dogs. luckily a neighbor called animal control and we got him back. but that is another story for another day.

so if you ever want to chill in a great dog park with laid back dogs and laid back people, check it out.

google map to duboce park

i am not a dirty bird.

May 28, 2007 at 2:16 am · Filed under simple things, bird's eye view

i love to take a bath.

if i could, i would take one everyday.

every week my people put out a big bath pan on some towels so that i can splash as much as i like.

first i peck at the water to check the temparature. don’t get me wrong - i am not picky. i just want to know what to expect. i walk around the perimeter and then i jump in. i wiggle and dip, wiggle and dip to get the water over my head and down by back, rinsing off the dander and dust.

next i hop out and strut about while my people look at the water in dismay and take it away for a refresh. i sing and dance and march in circles on the towels waiting for the new bath.

finally, it comes and i hop straight in and soak. i peck and dip a little, but mostly i soak. love to soak. sometimes during the week, when egbert isn’t looking, i soak in her water bowl. i’ve been busted a couple of times by the folks and egbert won’t drink until it is changed. sorry egbert, but it is so worth it.

finally, i hop out and flap and flap and flap and flap until i get most of the water off. then i find some sun. i spread my wings and dry out. drying out