SQUIRREL!!!

There are DOG ON LEASH AT ALL TIMES rules in our park.

I took Mattie off her leash early this morning to see if she would stay with me like she does with leader.

I saw the squirrels she saw the squirrels and what happened next was, I think, Mattie's idea of fun. She chased and treed squirrels on the playground for about 10 minutes then a golf cart came and I was scared she would be frightened (she was onced chased by golf carts when they were trying to catch her at Hospira) leash back on and home .

shhhh. sleeping leader

I'll have some kind of a picture by Tuesday.   It will be my homework for the weekend.     Mattie wants her walk every day.    She has some subtle and not so subtle ways to ask..
she has picked two times  to get noticed.    Before the meal and after the meal.    She knows there is couch/NBC nightly news time and she'll sit quietly to be scratched and talked to by the leader.     As Brian Williams finishes....leader gets up.    This is her first chance.    She jumps, she dances, she follows  feet.    If the feet go into the kitchen, there is still a chance...if the feet go into the back bedrooms the chance might be gone and she returns to the couch or her front window.
The leader re-emerges from the back dressed in shorts and here is another chance....it's either walking time or he's going to play basketball.    She hovers, jumps and sometimes just sits and looks sad....when she remembers to do that....it works.    She should remember that.    
After the meal....if she has waited patiently this long, she gets naughty.     She  will sit and watch everyone eat and if no one still walks her...she jumps on the couch and starts sticking her head, nose, and teeth in places they shouldn't be.
Earlier this week, all of her skills failed.....she looked up, it was 8:30ish pm and there was snooring.    She looked a genuinely panicked and went from him to me and back to him and finally it was just so very sad I picked up her leash, she jumped (literally) for joy and we didn't come back until the moon was out.
I should add....I do walk her too, but she is most happy with her leader.    He calls her beautiful girl.
I tell her nice girls don't eat rabbits....which is...for the spring at least... the sole focus of walking.   That, and squirrels.

Six doors down....

So six doors down our street and NO the doors aren't cool like these, just normal suburbian doors,  but six doors down is the mailbox and back entrance to our local city park.

With the grand success of Mattie's off leash endeavors last weekend, it led our leader to believe she would linger close by his side while taking our new little dumb dumb out on  a leash for a potty break.   From what I heard, it didn't quite work out that way.   Apparently instinct or habit if you prefer took over and she dashed...full out stretched out ran all the way to the mailbox, put on the doggie brakes and looked back to find the leader still in the front yard with the little man Steve.   He yelled "get back here" and she dashed....full out ran all the way back, passed up the pottying pug and her leader and went straight to the door  and in order to avoid a scolding she wanted to show she had proper door etiquette and was waiting with heavy breathing for someone to open the front door and let her in.

She is genuinely amazing and we love her. 

Would you stop if you ran over one?

Happy Monday to me.

I was driving to work and one of these fellows was weaving in my two lanes.   I saw it coming...I slowed down...I even stopped my car and honked.   Should I move left...cars coming; should I move right, car coming; can't see it where did it go?    Car behind me now and I have to do something...SO

I drive slow....very slow.   It will see the wheels moving and get out of the way I'm going so slow.

THUMP.   Quick look in the rearview mirror.   Now the car behind me has put on her flashers and is getting out of her car for possum assistance.

I go to work....I ran over the back half.   I ran over half a possum and  I do feel very bad...but it's his fault for being out in the daylight and weaving too.

Then my co-worker comes in and says this crazy possum and a lady w/a big stick kept her from getting to work on time.    She said the police were there too.    I don't think there is  a hit and run possum law but I did call and confess to a trusted party and found out I was safe.   Someone at work said it's just a big rat.

I don't like rats.   

I would stop for a cat.

I would stop for a dog.

We've stopped to move a turtle across the road.

We've shooed baby possums from our garage.

We've been the parents of 3 hamsters, 2 gerbils, 1 lovebird, 1 rabbit and I drove guinea pigs to their new home when I discovered I was allergic to them.

I love animals...but I didn't stop and render aid to the possum.

Tomorrow is Tuesday.  

We love our dog (s)

Today we took her off the leash at the enclosed dog park on Riverside.   She was AMAZING!   I am so proud.    So proud we took her to Auditorium Shores and tried it again.    She was AMAZING x 2.
Right when I was getting worried because she picked up her speed, was trotting A W A Y from us ( Mr. leader....pack leader) noticed she was going for a squirrel.   She raced it up the tree, stopped to look back and see if he was still there and looking at her and  then she stayed...yes stayed by the tree until we were there.   
She comes when you call her name, she wanders and then looks back to find you....she is OUR DOG and my heart is filled with love.

She has what I'll call Southern Dog social skills.   Never rude when approached.   Plays politely when asked.      She is still not quite sure of herself w/others.      Stevie went too.   He's a wopping 4 months old this week.    He stayed on his leash, and out of trouble.   That's all the compliments for him today.   

Can we just play catch?

I'm not asking for specialized skills like this fantastic herder, although we have watched her herd Ollie away from her leader man.    We just want to play catch.

Nope...

kind of hoped by now we could do this

bought  new tiny balls yesterday

stevie likes them

mattie runs very fast to beat stevie.

mattie looks at it and walks away

ollie stands out of the way and yawns