A while back, it was this tiki man.
I picked him up for 50 cents at a garage sale ages ago, and set him up on the bookshelf to remind myself I wanted to plant succulents in him. (To look like hair. Clever, right??)
Miss Rita noticed him the next day and was completely barking at him. Like, the "INTRUDER!" bark.
I got him down to show her he was nothing scary, and she started doing that silly thing where they leap at something, almost touch it, and then leap away again.
Which is why these pics are just a blur.
It kind of reminds me of that old-west thing where Indians would "count coup" during battles with their enemies - run up and try to touch them to show bravery. She doesn't look very brave while she does it, but she does run up, touch it, and then run away, which I guess is pretty brave if you're convinced the thing is evil. (I wonder what Rita's Indian name would be?? Maybe "Barks at Strangers.")
After a bit of convincing from me that it was all good, she realized it wasn't going to attack and was able to live peacefully with it.
Either that or she made it some kind of god and submitted to it.
I finally got around to planting "firestick" succulents in him.
Not sure what Rita is doing here... possibly kissing him.
I'm happy to report she leaves him alone in his new spot out in the backyard. (I leave him alone too - which is why succulents are pretty much the only plants I can grow! They rarely need any attention, and that works for me!)
Do your pets ever react strangely to new things in or around the house? (please tell me she's not the only one...)
Thanks to BlogPaws for hosting Wordless Wednesday! Stop by their site to check out all of the other blogs in the hop.
BOL Rita you are so funny! Succulents are the only plant I can keep alive without help!!
ReplyDeleteAren't succulents the best?
DeleteGlad Rita learned to adjust to life with Tiki man! Ruby doesn't seem to notice much, but our cats react to new things in house.
ReplyDeleteSo, they are scaredy-cats when new things come in? :)
DeleteDon't tell Rita, but I heard on the TV a while ago that Tiki stuff is all the rage these days, so she may have to endure more of it.
ReplyDeleteOooo, I didn't know that. Those folks should have charged more than 50c!
DeleteI've got to confess - I can understand Rita's concerns. That Tiki thing doesn't have the most comforting face LOL
ReplyDeleteI know - he does look like he has anger management issues.
DeleteShe is so funny. Everything is different around here on a weekly basis, so no freaking out.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thing!
DeleteToo funny. I love the tiki man very kitsch
ReplyDeleteI know - so kitsch. Maybe Rita's just not big on kitsch.
DeleteGreat post! You really captured it well with all your photos! My guys don't get scared of new things, but they definitely go over and check it out. I don't think they would notice a new knick-knack on a shelf though. That's really good observation skills!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it's the German shepherd in her that notices new stuff. Gotta be on the lookout for things that could be a threat!
DeleteTudee our rescue Chihuahua does what you so brilliantly described every time I bring a new toy or other object into the house. I think it's because she gets attention
ReplyDeleteHaha. Yes, probably the first time was legit fearfulness, but after that - it's just an act for the fuss made over her. :)
DeleteThat tiki man is creepy! I don't blame Rita at all for being weirded out by him! LOL! :D
ReplyDeleteHe definitely is not the kinda guy you'd want to run into at night in a dark alley.
DeleteIt has been a while but Hailey has done the same thing!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Rita's not the only one!
DeleteThat's hilarious! And no, you're not alone. My pug gets stranger-danger vibes from inanimate objects from time to time as well. He recently got spooked by a calendar with a photo of a dog on it. That has been sitting on my desk all year, mind you, but it caught him wrong and off we went with the barking.
ReplyDeleteJean from Welcome to the Menagerie
That is hysterical! Our beagle was like this if big objects were in places they shouldn't be. Like, once someone had abandoned a BBQ in the park by our house - she went nuts over that thing. And once she did the stranger-danger thing when there was a car parked on the side of the road by our old apt. where there was no parking. Or maybe she was just trying to enforce the parking rules.
DeleteMabel got spooked by my snow boots that I had left in the kitchen!
ReplyDeletehugs
Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel
That is really funny. Dogs are funny.
DeleteThat's too funny. My dearly departed mutt from years ago used to get his hackles all in an uproar whenever we walked past a Wynken, Blynken and Nod statute at the park. Cracked me up every time. Sam is mostly too dim to care a whit about new things. His focus is more along the lines of "is that a new bag of treats for me?" 😇
ReplyDeleteThat's really funny. And that reminds me - Rita hated the big frog statues when we went to Calaveras County (as in the Twain story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County).
DeleteNo you are not alone!!! My Pekapoo puppy Pookie (say that 3 times really fast) barks at shadows which freaks me out because I am sure my late husband has not left the house. He will also bark at anything new like a pile of stuff on the floor that he hasn't seen before.
ReplyDeleteanncluck(at)att(dot)net
Well, I'm glad we're not alone! But the shadow thing - that would freak me out too!
DeleteShe is so observant, if she noticed that when it was all the way up on the shelf with many other things! Mine aren't that observant, things have to be really obvious, like in the middle of the room and very big, for them to notice and possibly freak out over. I love that jumping back thing they do - it's too cute! Luke does that outside sometimes, when I can't even see what he's jumping away from. LOL
ReplyDeletehaha. That's funny - Rita does that a lot too - like when we are at the beach and she comes across a bird feather sticking up out of the sand. She jumps back every. single. time. I was just thinking today while we were jogging that I wish I could be quick enough to get a slow mo video of it!
DeleteI LOVE the tiki man with the firestick plant! Perfect!! Let me know if he's ever in your garage sale and I'll take him home, lol!
ReplyDeletehaha! Just as soon as I kill the succulent I planted in him, he'll be out at our next garage sale. :)
DeleteOMD that is funny!! Dakota is sort of like that! I have to agree with Rita though, that thing IS pretty scary! Sorry!!! DakotasDen
ReplyDeleteI know - he is a little on the scary side. Rita is wise.
DeleteThe Tiki man IS scary - our doxies would be terrified I'm sure. :) lol! Sometimes a flower pot scared them though... wimps!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Rita has also been known to be afraid of really benign things - like bird feathers.
DeleteThat is too adorable. It is funny what they will pick up on. Booker T could care less but Cassius notices if I even move the broom in the kitchen and starts barking. He definitely doesn't like things out of place. Live the "hair" as well.
ReplyDeleteOh, Rita hates the broom. I would definitely hear about it if I didn't put it away in the right place!
DeleteLOL Jeffie was the same way. He didn't like anything new or even simply out of place. Rudy is a little bit that way, but zero barking. Rosie? She could care less - unless it interferes with her meals, treats or napping! Love those firesticks in there.
ReplyDeleteAww, another thing Rita and her furry angel-love have in common!
DeleteSilly girl! I love the hair you gave the tiki dude.
ReplyDeleteThanks. He is rocking that style. :)
DeleteNope, she's not the only one. Toby has this problem with completely random objects too. At least Rita had the excuse that Tiki Man has a face!
ReplyDeleteSo glad she's not the only one!
Deletehello rita its dennis the vizsla dog hay i do not blaym yoo wun bit for beeing suspishus of the tiki man!!! they fownd wun wunse on the faymus dokyoomentry the brady bunch and it did not wurk owt wel for them at all!!! ok bye
ReplyDeleteLol about the Brady bunch being a "works famous documentary". You're a riot, Dennis!
DeleteHAAAAhahahaha You always make me smile or chuckle, but this time I laughed out loud. Especially the photo where she's doing a play bow in front of Tiki Man! Oh, and I love his "hair". LOL!
ReplyDeleteHobie was terrified of balloons and kites. Hector was terrified of the camera with the zoom lens!
Charlie and Cooper aren't afraid of anything.
Glad C&C aren't afraid of anything. (Although I suppose that could have its downsides too!) And glad to hear you can always find a smile or laugh here! :)
Deleteha! Cole and Chelsea did that. Chelsea, my lab daughter "suddenly" noticed a plaster angel sitting on a ledge one night. Bark! BARK BARK! stare, growl. I had to take it down, like you did and let her figure it out. It had been there for years. LeeAnna
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny. :)
DeleteIt is a bit scary but how neat that Rita noticed it way up on the shelf. Dogs are amazing.
ReplyDeleteI know - they are amazing!
DeleteDogs can sense bad juju man. I swear. I'd be scared to let any dogs around my storage units to be honest. I don't wanna know what's behind all those doors!
ReplyDelete