Abducted [!! DISCONTINUED !!]

.·:*°6°*:·.

    I played catch with Kiva a little, then left to heat up the leftovers for dinner. Kiva followed me, and I figured it'd be best to just let her do what she wanted since today was so stressful.

    "I think, Kiva," I said as I set down our dinner plates on the table, "I'm going to have Aleks help me shop for you. There's still many things I need to buy, probably things I wouldn't have even thought of."

    Kiva looked up at me as I talked, a look of deep concentration on her face as she listened. I continued to talk during dinner and as I cleaned up our plates afterwards, mostly meaningless or silly things, just to see her eyebrows furrow and her head tilt the slightest as I'd speak.

    "Alright, Kiva. Come. Follow. I really don't know which word is best to use. . ." I left the kitchen and entered the living room, patting my thigh to encourage Kiva to follow along after me. I smiled and praised her when she did, petting her dark mane.

    Sitting down on the couch, I called Aleks to inquire about pet care.

    "Well, have you bought food specifically for humans?" Aleks asked.

    "No," I admitted guiltily, "I've just been feeding her what I eat. She seems to have preferences already; she likes seasoned beef and not unseasoned eggs or cooked vegetables."

    "Well, try feeding her raw vegetables. Those are supposed to be better," Aleks advised. "Also, you should look in to buying proper pet food."

    "I definitely will," I said. Anything else I should know about? I've got her a bed, a water dispenser, some clothes and toys. Got her vaccinated, though that was traumatizing for poor little Kiva."

    "Have you gotten her groomed or started training her yet?" Aleks asked. "If not those are good ideas. Humans typically have their nails trimmed short, excess body hair removed, and their manes cut to their owner's liking. And training is definitely a must, whether at home or in a class."

    "I'll look at getting her groomed and then signed up for training sessions," I replied. "Is there any supplies I'd need?"

    "Well, for keeping her clean, I'd suggest a pair of nail clippers, pet shampoo, conditioner, face and body wash," answered Aleks. "As for training, a harness and some treats--several different kinds--to reward or entice her with."

    "Why different kinds of treats?"

    "Because some treats aren't as tasteful or preferable to the humans," Aleks explained. "Like my boy loves sweet treats, so I only give him one if he's been extra good and I want to show him I'm very pleased, or he's having a lot of trouble and I need to get his attention."

    "Ahh, I see. Humans are kind of like higher maintenance, more intelligent and capable dogs, yeah?" I concluded.

    "I suppose so. Never underestimate a human, though; a friend of my cousin's had a human escape her house because she thought she was too stupid to get out. It had stacked a still on top of a chair, opened a window and pushed the screen out."

    "Wow," I murmured. "I'll be sure to keep a sharp eye on her. She's only attempted escape once, but the door and latch were locked. Oh, by the way, what places do you recommend for grooming and training?"

    "For grooming, it's really more of a matter of preference, though there are some places that are cheaper or more thorough and careful than others," Aleks informed. "I'd suggest you just search some, check their ratings, and maybe just try them to see which you like best. If you regularly groom her yourself, you won't have to take her to a groomer often. "