Reiko's Journey

Jinsei No Tabi

A life’s winding path and all the experiences along the way…

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Big Foot Spotted!

“Nothing beats a slice of cheddar!”

Reiko has decided that my foot is an excellent charcuterie board for her new favorite snack, cheddar cheese niblets. She now approaches and takes her cheese off my foot without hesitation.

She has been asking me to add some cold cuts, cornichons, fruit and nuts and present her with a proper plateau mixte. I told her to get real; she’s lucky she’s not on kibble.

Hedgie the Hedgehog is pleased with Reiko’s progress.

My foot is now so well accepted that she will sneak up and sniff while I am at my desk and elsewhere even though there is no food reward.

It’s possible my feet just smell like cheese anyway. There, I said it before you could.

If I hold the cheese on a flat palm, she will come and sniff but has yet to take it from my hand. Baby steps.

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35 responses to “Big Foot Spotted!”

  1. Julia Avatar
    Julia

    🤣 Cheese foot! I am glad she is getting more comfortable with you. Hopefully, she’ll be taking cheese out of your hand so one.

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      We just got started on hand signals so maybe I’m seeing something that’s not there, but it seems like she has begun to respond to simple hand signals calling her over to me for snacks. Hope so!

      Reply
      1. Julia Avatar
        Julia

        I hope so as well!

        Reply
  2. lois Avatar
    lois

    Hey Reiko–remember this at Halloween: Trick or treat, smell my feet. Give me something good to eat. You’re welcome! 😹

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Trick or treat, smell my feet. Give me something good to eat.

      The next line was : “If you don’t care, I don’t care, I’ll pull down your underwear.” Some folks said, “Make it big or make it small, make it the size of Montreal.”

      Reply
      1. lois Avatar
        lois

        How did I miss that second verse 😬

        Reply
        1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
          Reiko’s Journey

          You were probably too busy stuffing your face with Halloween candy. Always laser focused.

          Reply
  3. Tails Around the Ranch Avatar
    Tails Around the Ranch

    Yup…it takes lots of courage to take from a hand. But I’m sure she’ll eventually relent. That or you could up the cheese variety. Go bold…go French. 😂

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Maybe a nice Gruyere? Perhaps a Laughing Cow, la vache qui rit?

      Reply
      1. Tails Around the Ranch Avatar
        Tails Around the Ranch

        Better than plebeian cheddar from Wisconsin. It is quite tasty enough for grilled cheese sandwiches for hoomans. 😂

        Reply
        1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
          Reiko’s Journey

          She’s getting Sargento Medium Cheddar from Ralph’s market. With coupons it’s quite affordable and as you say, I can make a mean grilled cheese with it. Maybe I should offer her some tomato soup on the side?

          Reply
  4. suziecreamcheese Avatar
    suziecreamcheese

    From my extensive reading because I have a very smart and slightly crazy dog, they actually respond to hand signals better than vocal commands. I’m so happy for her, she’s definitely landed in the right place, even if you do have stinky cheese feet. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Some would say that’s my best feature.

      Reply
      1. suziecreamcheese Avatar
        suziecreamcheese

        I don’t want to know who got close enough to make that statement

        Reply
        1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
          Reiko’s Journey

          You heard that song lyric “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,” right? Well, my cheddar toes do that to all the girls. 🧀

          Reply
  5. Murphy’s Law Avatar
    Murphy’s Law

    Reiko will warm up to the rest of you on her own time schedule. She’s mastered her fear of your feet, which I’m sure wasn’t a minor challenge for her.

    Patience and lots of love and cheese will win the day. You have both come a long way in a short period of time. Reiko and you were meant to be together. No doubt about it. Kudos to you for understanding that she’s deaf and for making the effort to communicate with her. Clearly no one else did.

    Apparently this will come up with some weird name. I don’t know why!

    ginger🦋

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Weird name? Like “Ginger?” Looks OK to me. Reiko is teaching me patience which you’d think I’d have learned by now. But no…I struggle with patience even at this advanced age.

      Reply
      1. Murphy’s Law Avatar
        Murphy’s Law

        What’s even weirder is that it came up correctly in your blog, but everyone else it’s coming up rebel (and the name goes on from there) Have no idea what’s going on Tom. Way above my pay grade.

        Reply
        1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
          Reiko’s Journey

          FYI. The “rebelsecretly…” screen name showed up on my admin page when you subscribed to this blog and it still shows as the active screen name although “Murphy’s Law” shows when you comment. Very odd.

          Reply
    2. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Ginger…if you go to this site, it will tell you how to solve your problem:
      https://wordpress.com/forums/topic/wp-generated-names/

      Reply
      1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
        Reiko’s Journey

        Ginger, I’ve removed your subscription to this blog for now. Let’s see if that fixes things. I can sign you back up once the problem is resolved. We can talk by email too to try and figure this out.

        Reply
  6. Tynecastle Avatar
    Tynecastle

    Looks like she was not kicked by feet, but possibly badly manhandled.
    Slowly, slowly, but in time she will be eating of your plate like all dogs do.

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      I was at the dentist this morning for my 6 month check up and told the hygienist about Reiko and how pleased I was that she took some cheese off my foot. Then I realized I should probably have provided some context for that remark. The hygienist said, “Oh that’s nice” in that tone of voice that let’s you know they think you belong on the crazy train.

      Reply
      1. Tynecastle Avatar
        Tynecastle

        Tee Hee…

        Reply
  7. Xena and Lucy Avatar
    Xena and Lucy

    Progress! Yay! One step (foot) at a time.

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      It’s a game of inches. No…feet. Snorf!

      Reply
  8. doesitevenmatter3 Avatar
    doesitevenmatter3

    YAY! 🙂 Yippee! 🙂 Hip hip hoooooray! 🙂

    Lucky for you (and your feet), dogs enjoy the smell of humans…even feets and farts. 😛

    “Is that limburger, Dad? Or just your foot?” 😉 😀 🧀

    Keep up the good work! I’m so so SO proud of both of you!!! ❤️❤️
    (((HUGS))) 🙂
    PS… “Blessed are the cheesemakers.” – Monty Python 😛

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Hey Reiko, you like jelly? ‘Cause I got some toe jam right here. Snorf.
      Grate comment, Carolyn. I’m so fondue you. I’m feta up with these puns so just have a gouda day.

      Reply
      1. doesitevenmatter3 Avatar
        doesitevenmatter3

        I cheddar not make any cheese puns. You seem to have covered all the gouda ones.
        So, how about a cheese joke?! No? Well, I’m gonna’ tell one anyways…
        Q: Did you hear the cheesy weather forecast?
        A: Rain with a light bries! 😀

        Reply
  9. Bitey Dog Avatar
    Bitey Dog

    It’s so good to see Hedgie! 🦔

    (So, if Reiko isn’t eating kibble, what is she eating?)

    Reply
    1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
      Reiko’s Journey

      Reiko gets two meals a day, the total amount calculated in terms of k/cals for her size and weight. One at 6AM and one at 5PM. The meal is a mix: equal parts Cesar packet (she is especially partial to the filet mignon) and Blue Buffalo Chicken with Garden Vegetables. Basically Turf ‘n Turf. Since the ingredients are held in the fridge after opening, I warm the meal in the microwave for a little bit. She approves and licks the bowl clean each time. I feel absolutely ridiculous doing this, but I am nothing if not compulsive. The kibble just sits there and mocks me.

      Reply
      1. Bitey Dog Avatar
        Bitey Dog

        Mmm, those meals sound delicious. No wonder she isn’t overly interested in treats.

        Reply
        1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
          Reiko’s Journey

          Inasmuch as my Thanksgiving dinner was half a microwave burrito and eggnog, I would agree. Tonight I made chili. She ate steak and chicken.

          Reply
      2. suziecreamcheese Avatar
        suziecreamcheese

        Perhaps a snuffle mat would entice her to try the kibble. Maverick turns his nose up to kibble in a bowl but thrown on the floor, it’s a delicacy

        Reply
        1. Reiko's Journey Avatar
          Reiko’s Journey

          Good thought. I never looked into snuffle mats but it could work.

          Reply

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