So! Much! Fun!

This weekend was a big one for both pups. Duncan had his first CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Out on the Town class Saturday morning. The class is designed to take dogs out in public places to work on their manners and distraction-proofing. This week we went to Baileywick Park to get the dogs familiar with each other and to remind them that they’re supposed to pay attention. Poor Duncan, we both kept forgetting that I had treats to give him – after all, I’m used to him doing what I ask without getting a cookie for it. We both enjoyed getting outside, though, and it’s good for Duncan to have something to do. After all, come May 9, we’ll both be pretty much house-bound with Reyna for several weeks. The next class is at Briar Creek Shopping Center, I think, so the dogs can work around crowds of people.

After class, I dropped Duncan at the house and loaded Reyna in the truck for a trip to PetSmart. I like to get her out occasionally, too, just to remind her that she has manners. Plus, it’s good for her to get a bit of exercise and socialization. Reyna looked very snazzy in her new RuffWear harness and received several compliments. She met a little girl at the store and promptly fell in love. The child’s head was right at Reyna’s kissing level, and Reyna took full advantage of that. The girl’s mom kept telling her to “ask the doggy’s mommy what her name is” but she clearly didn’t understand. Every time her mom said that, she offered a new name. I remember “Taz” and “Socks” out of the several suggestions she made…

John invited the pups over Sunday afternoon, and they had an absolute blast. John and his wife, Michele, have about 10 acres of land. They have a large pasture, three Horses!, wooded trails and Chickens! Guess which part Reyna was most interested in. That’s right, the Horses! I had the pups in the pasture for most of our visit so that I wouldn’t have to worry about them running off. Turns out I didn’t have to worry about that at all – Reyna wasn’t leaving those Horses!, and Duncan wasn’t leaving Reyna. The Horses! were in the paddock next to the barn, and Reyna couldn’t get in there to play with them, so I didn’t have the series of heart attacks that I had at Mom’s during Christmas. Both pups kept trying to kiss the Horses! through the fence, and then Reyna decided to try jumping up to kiss them over the fence. That didn’t work too well.

After letting the pups run around the pasture for a while, John took us on a tour of the rest of the property. The pups enjoyed tromping through the woods, and Reyna even forgot about the Horses! for a few minutes. And then…ooh, Chickens! They were nice and safe in a coop, which was a very good thing, since Reyna seemed just a bit too interested in them. After dragging her away from the Chickens!, we headed for the house to sit on the steps and watch the pups check the place out. Reyna couldn’t decide if she wanted to rest in the shade under the deck or go see the Horses! Horses! She and Duncan kept making loops between the barn and the house, with short rests between trips.

John decided to work on my truck for a bit (it’s been having a few issues), so I went back in the pasture with the pups to make sure they didn’t get in the way. Reyna played with the jolly ball Michele brought out for her, and then barked at the Horses! for a bit. Two neighbor dogs decided to visit about that time, so the four dogs ran along the fence playing chase. Everything was fine, until the smaller dog decided he’d just pop into the pasture to play. Michele finally had to lock him in a stall until we left. I told John that Reyna might have been fine with the dog, but she can be a bit unpredictable. And while I don’t mind her playing with new dogs, I don’t like it when the other owner isn’t around or even aware of what was happening. It’s just not a risk I like to take.

While we were there, John mentioned that he was concerned Reyna might be overdoing it, what with all the jumping and running she was doing. Definitely a valid worry, and one I shared. But Reyna clearly felt good, she wanted to run, and she felt able to run. It was so wonderful to see her running at full speed, playing and grinning that happy doggy grin. Twice, she actually ran along the fence line from the barn to the far corner and then up the corner closest to the road. I realize that description is pretty irrelevant if you’ve not seen the pasture, but trust me, it’s a long way. Reyna hasn’t run like that in such a long time. She was a little stiff Monday morning, but seemed fine by the time I got home from work. If the weather and schedules work out, we may be able to go back to John’s again this weekend. And this time, I’ll have my camera with me.