Sometime around 8:00pm every night I take Qila (our alpha and only male) and Jenny (our alpha female) for a walk. We typically walk between one and two miles on our evening walk. It’s always a nice, reflective, relaxing time that gives me an opportunity to compose myself and prepare for bed. Not to mention emptying the dogs’ bowels and bladders so they’ll let me get a full night’s sleep.
When we return it’s time for the next to last or our going to bed rituals: feeding the bunnies their fresh food. The rabbits get 1-2 cups of fresh food per day. This is usually parsley or cilantro but may be mitsuba (which we grow), apples, carrots, or banana or, very rarely, cabbage. We avoid crucifers like cabbage because they contain substances than can accumulate in the bunnies’ joints over time. But the bunnies do love it.
Usually feeding the bunnies their fresh food is a fairly stress-free matter. But if we give the bunnies carrots, apples, or banana all hell breaks loose. The dogs absolutely demand that they be given a ration as well. So we’ll cut pieces of carrot, apple, or banana for the dogs, go over to the rabbits’ crate, put the dogs into a sit while they bark, cry, and even scream for their rations, give the rabbits their fresh food, and then solemnly give each dog their carrot, apple, or banana—oldest to youngest. Jenny, Qila, Tally, Mira. By the end Mira is usually jumping to get her treat but we usually cut her a little slack since she’s still just a baby.
Around 9:00pm to 9:30pm we perform the last of our go-to-bed rituals: each dog receives a cookie. We put out the lights, climb the stairs, go into the bedroom, put the dogs into a sit, and give each dog a cookie. Jenny, Qila, Tally, Mira. My wife kisses each cookie before giving it to a dog. Mira is sent to her crate, each of the older dogs take up their preferred positions. Qila is at my side. Jenny lies in front of the door. Tally is at the foot (or on) the bed.
Then it’s lights out until morning. Hopefully.
