The Daily Parker

Politics, Weather, Photography, and the Dog

Today's Daily Parker

We're trying an experiment. Parker is spending the whole day at Inner Drive Technology World Headquarters.

Also, just because this came out the way it did, I challenge both all of my readers to provide an appropriate thought balloon for the hardly-working office puppy:

I must say, also, that the experiment has gone very well today. So far, he has barked precisely once, and that was because I had a raisin bran muffin that he felt was rightfully his. He lets me go out of the office now (before he would whine as soon as the door closed), and none of our neighbors even knows he's around until they see him. The landlord, Charlie, also doesn't know Parker is here, more to the point, though on the two occasions when we've run into him in the atrium in the past week, Charlie has also expressed surprise at how quiet and well-behaved Parker is.

Charlie has not seen my office rug, of course. He might have a different opinion if he did.

Today's Daily Parker

We have a routine. At 5:30 every morning, Parker dances on my head, and I shove him back to the foot of the bed. At 5:45, the alarm clock starts playing Morning Edition, and Parker dances on my head again. Flash forward to 6:30, and we're at the dog park, usually all three of us, where Parker has a tremendously fun time with all the other dogs.

Then we head back to the house. He's a pretty smart dog, and he can tell when we're getting ready for work. Sometimes Parker gets locked in the bedroom, but other times he comes to the office with me. I believe he has not only a strong preference, but also an understanding that not every day is an Office Puppy day:

Sorry, P-Dog. Today I have to meet with people, so he has to stay in the bedroom. Don't worry, though: two liver treats softened the blow.

Today's Daily Parker

I've managed to stanch the bleeding from today's server crash, but sadly I only have enough brain power left to phone in today's Daily Parker. This "Flying Nun" look is awfully cute, though:

At the moment, he's asleep on my office floor, right next to the slightly-chewed part of the carpet. But it's time to go to the dog park, so I think I'll have to wake him up.

Today's Daily Parker

The dog is criminally adorable. During Studio 60 last night, first he helped with the laundry:

Then he disemboweled a plush toy:

(We're not sure why half of him slid off the couch, but he's not sure either.)

Today's Daily Parker

Wow, did we have an exhausting weekend. Anne had to go out of town, so Parker and I had a "boys night out" with one of my business partners. Only, when my colleague and I first planned to get together over beer and ribs (our traditional "BNO" activity), he had completely forgotten about the pumpkin-carving party at his home. Change of plans: Parker dutifully got into the car and off we went to my colleague's house, where he and his wife were entertaining seven two-year-olds and their parents.

I forgot my camera.

Too bad, too, because Parker loved the kids, loved my friends, and kept a respectful distance from their two Labradors. The adults stayed up past midnight, and for reasons completely lost on Parker and the other toddlers, some of us decided to stay there for the night.

So, after a day at the office, two trips to the dog park, and meeting a large and screaming handful of Parker-sized humans, this is the result all day yesterday:

Before sleeping on the pillow, he was under it for a moment, which only lasted until I went to get my camera. The moral of all this is, of course, always have a camera around the dog.

So that's what it means

Today we're catching up on four-week-old Netflix movies, a pile of magazines, and needed sleep. Parker has accompanied me throughout the apartment, giving me a new understanding of the phrase "puppy dogging." Same thing yesterday. I went into the lab at one point and less than thirty seconds elapsed before Parker repositioned his nap closer to me:

It's really adorable, but I expect it wastes a lot of energy (which is maybe why he's napping?). I get up, cross the room, and he watches to make sure I'm not going anywhere else. Living room to get another magazine? Prairie-dogging over the couch. Washroom down the hall? Fifteen-second pause, then follows. Kitchen? Arrives before I do.

And as an added bonus, while I was typing this entry, the adorable puppy curled up in a ball at my feet just pooted.

Pyoo.

Perfect office dog

Parker, ecstatic not to spend the morning in a crate, has transformed himself into a model office pooch today:

Of course, the chewie probably helps:

Today's Daily Parker

Parker has discovered birds:

Also, a definition. I've arbitrarily defined "Daily" to mean "once per weekday," and also (because I'm a total geography nerd) defining "day" as starting at midnight Universal Coordinated Time (which is 7pm Central Daylight Time). Today, being Saturday, is a bonus TDP, you lucky dog.

Parker is going to the office later today, too, so there may be yet another bonus TDP if you check back later.

Today's Daily Parker

Today Parker is (probably) 18 weeks old, and he's growing fast. We've noticed his ear cartilege firming up a bit, so right now he often has a one-up-one-down look that Anne finds particularly precious:

Here's a comparison shot from six weeks ago:

Also, he slept more than 7½ hours last night, a new record. Sadly, though, he spent 5½ hours in his crate yesterday, also a new record, the poor dear. But when we discovered an exposed wire on a power cord that (fortunately) wasn't plugged in, we realized his free reign of the bedroom had to come to an end. We mitigated his confinement with a peanut butter-infused Kong, which distracted him long enough for us to make good our escape before the crying started.