Apple and Sky started their morning by pulling their coats on over their jammies and heading out for a walk with their friend, Mac. Later, during group time, Apple and Sky did a little bit of everything. Sky was very happy having his back and bum scratched while we watched Apple, who was very busy with her friends. Apple started off by "refereeing" the other dogs as they ran around, but it didn't take long before she hopped in on the action. Apple, Merida, Bruno and Mac zigged and zagged across the yard, through the gate and back again! They were going so fast I could hardly tell which dog was in the lead. As the group flew by, Sky started feeling frisky and took off running to catch up. Apple and Sky took a break from the chase to sniff around and for snuggles every now and then.
Bruno, Bruno, Bruno. What a guy! Before we could even step out the door, Bruno was bouncing down the hallway beside me, almost high enough to snag my mittens right out of my hand. He could hardly contain his excitement as we headed into the sunny yard, so I knelt down and gave him lots of attention, which got him even more fired up. He sprung up off the ground and went to see what his friend Mac was up to. Bruno and Mac sniffed each other and bounced around a bit before taking off running around the yard. He was joined by Merida, Apple and Sky for an intense game of chase. When he needed a break, Bruno stopped and ate some snow before rolling around on his back to cool off.
Although he may be small, Xiao Bao sure is fiesty! He met up with Merida in the yard and he play-bowed and barked until she agreed to play with him. Xiao Bao ran as fast as he could in his adorable little jacket and twirled around with Merida. Soon after, they parted ways and Xiao Bao went for a trek in the deeper snow. He leapt with all his might through the powdery snow and took a few bites to quench his thirst as he went. Once he had made it back across the yard towards me, I couldn't help but scoop him up for some snuggles before letting him back down to go see his good friend, Nanook.
Nanook truly is a snow dog. He loves to lay down in the snow, no matter how deep, and either roll or pull himself along on his belly with his legs stretched out behind. As he was scooting through the snow this morning, he came across a pink kong that was buried in the snow. He was very very happy with his find, and he rolled around in excitement. Nanook tossed the kong for himself and pounced on it each time it landed. After every few tosses, Nanook got the zoomies and took off running around the yard before coming back to his kong. Nanook + snow + kong = pure happiness!
Kouza and I started the morning with a leisurely stroll on the trail. She likes to take her time, taking careful steps and keeping her nose down so that she doesn't miss any of the good smells. During group time, Kouza wandered the yard, being careful to follow her nose to every nook and cranny. As she explored, she came across the pink kong that Nanook had been playing with earlier. She loves her toys, so this was an excellent find. I tossed it for her a few times and she was very excited to find the toy each time. We concluded group time with some back stratches and love.
If you're looking for a toy in the yard, there's a good chance that Molly has it! Before I could find one to give her, Molly found the black kong and was laying down nicely with it. She chewed on it for a little while until it was time to roll on the kong. Each time she got up, Molly was quick to turn around and grab the kong once more. She doesn't seem to want to share her toy, but she definitely wants the other dogs to want it! It was too funny, I tried to get her to run with her friends, but instead she picked up her kong and moved it into the middle of the yard where the other dogs were playing. She plopped down on top of it and rolled around so that the other dogs could watch. Eventually she approached me and dropped the kong at my feet, waiting for me to toss it. We played fetch until it was time to head inside.
Tsavo has found love at Tails & Trails once again. She met Duke, the german shepherd today, and it was instant attraction! Tsavo pawed gently at Duke, inviting him to play. He obliged, of course, and the pair were off and running. It didn't take long before a few more friends joined the game. Syrus and Kane bounced across the yard to join Tsavo and Duke in their game. As they approached, Duke split away from the group and Kane took off after him. Tsavo and Syrus wrestled around and chased each other across the yard, eventually joining back up with Kane and Duke. The whole group swapped wrestling partners so that everyone had a turn playing with one another. Duke bounced between wrestling with Kane and Syrus, and Tsavo eventually took off in a game of chase with Magic.
It's always so lovely when we have husky family reunions. Syrus was excited to see his dad, Tycho, again this morning for their walk. These two boys are unbelievably similar in so many ways! We went for a fast-paced walk along the trail and I watched Syrus and Tycho the whole way, and I noticed that Syrus is a little bit taller than Tycho! I couldn't believe it, considering Syrus' mom is quite petite. It's so interesting to see how the puppies grow up and become individuals with unique characteristics and personalities, although Syrus does remind me a lot of Tycho :). Later, Syrus had a blast zooming around the yard with his group, wrestling with friends Duke, Tsavo and Kane.
Now that the holidays are over, it's awesome to have our regular Thursday daycare crowd back together again. Percy was super excited to see his friend Teddy, and they didn't waste a second before springing into action. Percy found his must-have toy which he carried around everywhere he went, whether he was playing or not. Teddy flew past Percy, doing laps of the yard, which launched Percy into a game of chase. The boys ran and ran around the yard, taking in the beautiful day. Percy took a little break to catch his breath and to see what the other daycare friends were up to. He trotted over to see Finnigan, who was playing with his new friend, Merida. Finnigan and Merida played a game of "chase chicken" as I like to call it. Finnigan and Merida play-bowed to each other in turn, but neither would make the first move to start the real play. I knew they both wanted to run, so I jogged over and joined in the pouncing. My presence was enough to send Finnigan and Merida flying through the gate and into the main yard! They ran laps around the yard together until Teddy and Percy game to join in. Finnigan and Merida parted ways so that Finnigan could take a turn playing chase with Teddy.
Merida approached a big, fluffy friend named Cai. Cai was very intrigued by Merida, and he sniffed her from head to toe. He seemed to like Merida, so he hopped from side to side in front of her, waiting to see if she would agree to play. She did, and Cai took off in the lead across the yard. The pair ran around together for a little while, until Cai veered off towards Teddy, Percy and Finnigan and the two sets of playmates joined forces. Cai was happy playing with the group but decided to take a quick break to explore along the fence line and around the tunnel until it was time to head inside.
I had a few independent explorers in the yard today. Kimi, Lobo, Issy and Mocha are always ready for a leisurely group time, during which they follow their noses wherever the smells take them. Issy wandered to all corners of the yard, through the tunnel, and back into the main yard. She met up with a few friends here and there, mostly just to say hello. Mocha found herself a dry, sunny spot to sit in the main yard, so I went to see her for some pets. As I was scratching Mocha's ears, Finnigan came over and put his paw out as if to say "come on, Mocha!", and he pounced around to see if she wanted to play. Mocha opted out, but she did get up to stretch and go for a stroll around the yard, where she found her friend, Lobo. Lobo was watching as the other dogs ran around, "woooo-ing" occasionally as they passed. He was approached by Cai, who was looking for a new playmate. The boys hip-checked one another and Lobo let out another loud "wooooo"! before deciding to go see his daughter, Kimi. Kimi spent most of her yard time wandering around near her Grandma, Issy. It wasn't until it was time to go inside that Kimi decided it was time to play! She got the zoomies and ran back and forth between the main and agility yards again and again. I tried to explain that it was the next group's turn to play outside, but she was determined to play. I ran around with her for a few minutes until Kimi let all of her wiggles out.
The big girls, Athena and Aphrodite, joined us once again at Tails & Trails. The girls burst through the door, ready to check everything out. They sniffed around the yards together until each of their noses led them in different directions. Athena's nose led her over to see me, and I of course, gave her lots of love and snuggles. Aphrodite found her little brother, Hercules, and his new friends wrestling around, and she was very excited by all of the fun. Aphrodite hopped along with Hercules and his pal, Brokk, following the action wherever it led. After spending some quality time with me, Athena met a new friend, Glory the bloodhound. Glory was a little bit shy, but Athena assured her that she wanted to be friends. After a few minutes, Athena and Glory were play-bowing to each other, ready to play! Glory placed a gentle paw on Athena, and Athena rolled on her back, being silly! Occasionally, the two sets of playmates would cross paths, and Athena and Aphrodite made sure to check on Hercules. Hercules is a little ball of energy! He didn't stop wiggling from the second we went outside, until the second he was finished playing in the playroom. He wrestled and played chase with Brokk the husky puppy, and with Stella the german shepherd. I swear, he could have played all day!
Max and Sadie spent some quality wrestle time with Kane in the yard during group time. Once they had spent a few good minutes blowing off some steam, the work began! Susan and I stood on one side of the fence, while Tayler stayed in the yard with the dogs. Susan and I chatted in order to attract Sadie's attention, while Tayler kept watch on the dogs, practicing calming them down and proper play manners. Sadie was intrigued by the voices on the other side of the fence and parted ways with her playmates. We worked as a team to try and teach Sadie that fences aren't for climbing, and when the work was done, Max and Sadie spent some quality time together in the playroom. They wrestled under Susan's supervision so that they played nicely together.
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