Friday, March 28, 2014

Kimber's Nerves

Kimber is our 24/7 source of amusement.  She's adorable, smart and funny.  She makes me laugh every day!  She has this nervous tic that we've noticed a couple times, and we've finally caught it on video.  Though the topic is not really pithy enough for a full post, I found this just too funny not to share!

This video was taken while the moving company was boxing up our things and moving them into the truck.  There were strangers in our house, loud noises and large things being lifted over her head.  On top of that, she was stuck in her kennel.  Lots of nervous energy and nothing to do with it:
Kimber doesn't get this nervous very often, but when she does, it's almost as if she just doesn't know what to do with herself, so she decides to bury her bones in the least efficient way possible!   Haha!  She uses her nose to dig in her kennel and looks as if she actually thinks she is making progress.  I promise she knows how to dig with her feet!  I've seen her do it before!

Once we hit the road, we ran into some pretty nasty weather conditions.  There were strong winds, blowing snow, limited visibility and bumpy, slick, icy roads.  It was a loud, bumpy ride and once again, Kimber was stuck in her kennel with no way to release her nervous energy:
(Please excuse the GPS shot at the end.  We were keeping track of altitude.  
The weather got worse the higher we climbed.)

Kimber has always been a good travelling dog.  Whenever we're just driving around town, we usually give her full reign of the back seat.  She's free from restraints so she can walk, stare out the window or take a nap.  Her favorite is definitely sticking her head out the windows when we have them rolled down!
Kimber's Head Out the Window - Provo, UT - April 2013
She's usually pretty good on long road-trips too.  Whenever we are travelling with Kimber at highway speeds for an extended period of time, I like to keep her in her kennel.  I got this idea from a Ceasar Millan: Dog Whisperer video.  At first I was considering a dog seat-belt, but Ceasar's advice was to use her kennel if at all possible.  It would reduce the risk of choking or getting tangled in restraints, and would provide a familiar environment that would feel safe to her.  It also saved me money because I just used the kennel we already had, and I didn't have to buy her a restraint.  She seems pretty comfortable too, although I'm sure she would rather be able to roam and look out the window.
Mommy-Daughter Road-Trip (34 hrs) August 2013
I know moving across country can be a stressful experience for pets, but we have been blessed with a very easy-tempered dog who travels very well.  As long as we stop every 3-4 hours or so to let her stretch her legs, eat and potty, she's a happy traveler; the perfect dog for a military family!  Having strangers in our house and driving over a rumble-strip or ice make her nervous, but even then I think she deals with stress pretty well.  She stays quiet and keeps herself occupied.  But... it still makes me laugh every time I see her do things like burying her bone with just her nose!  Never a dull moment.

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