Monday September 26, 2016

Cats: 

I spent some time with Allie this afternoon while she was curled up in her suite. I invited her to come out but she was quite content and cozy in her bed, so instead I gave her some chin scratches and cuddles. I encouraged her to play with some different toys but she had no interest. She had much more important things to do than play with silly kitten toys...today. I continued to give her a few cuddles and left her be to watch the day go by out the window beside her suite. I wish I could be a cat some days and just curl up in my bed.

Dogs:

Birdie trotted out the door right next to me when it was time for our group outing this morning. She accepted a little head scratch before running out into the yard to get down to business. Birdie can always be found with a toy in her mouth or at her feet, and today was no exception! Today’s selection was the blue and orange ball, and she scooped it up as soon as she laid eyes on it. Birdie did all of her running and playing with the ball in her mouth! She even let out a few playful barks to her friends, all with the ball secured between her teeth. When the other dogs started to really wrestle or run around, Birdie would spring into action and chase them around until she decided it was time for a break. Birdie let go of her ball for a few minutes, and another dog came and scooped it up. We all finished off our group time by playing a game of fetch together. Oh boy was birdie ever excited to come out of her kennel and see me for her extra attention. She was waiting with her nose pressed up against the door and as soon as I opened it she bounced out and headed straight for the door up to the front. However, today I decided to switch it up and take her out into the yard for a good long game of fetch. Birdie’s excitement grew as she saw me walking to the door to go outside. She was immediately right by my side and raced outside once I opened the door. Birdie loved getting the entire yard to herself and was quick to start running laps around it. Once she was done giving the yard an overall search, Birdie came over to me as she saw the blue ball that I was hiding. As soon as I threw it she was off like a bullet into the yard and racing after the toy. I thought we’d play a nice game of fetch but she seemed to want to play keep away. Birdie never ended up giving me the ball back but enjoyed running around me instead. She loved jogging right up by my side then darting away as soon as I’d go near her. Later on I tried to sub in a Frisbee for the blue ball but she was determined to keep it.

Max and Sadie certainly know how to start their week off in the best way: playing with their good friends. They were beyond excited to head out into the yard to see everyone. Max took an instant liking to a new, young husky in the group named Anja. If Anja went one way, Max followed. This made for a great game of chase, considering how fast that little husky can run! Max only stopped running when he saw Justice and Sadie standing on the other side of the yard. He whipped through the gate and slid right into his sister. Sadie had been enjoying some relaxing time sniffing along the fence, accompanied by Justice and Magic. Max seemed to convince her that it was now time to play, and the pair went galloping back towards the game of tag. This time, Anja, Rosie, Justice, Max, Sadie and Magic were all zigging and zagging around the yard together. Sadie hung back a little bit and played referee, barking and hopping around all of the commotion. Max, on the other hand, was right in the middle of the action. He absolutely loved Anja and Rosie’s energy, and could have chased after them all day. When he needed a break, Max made his way through the gate into the gravel yard and said another hello to Justice. I called Sadie over to me for a few pets and cuddles while Max nuzzled Justice’s ear.

It was fantastic having Anja out in the yard today! She and Rosie could not get enough of each other, and spent their entire group time wrestling and running around. Anja wasted no time and as soon as she set foot out the door she was running as fast as she possibly could. Rosie was always hot on her tail and did her best to catch up and tackle her. Every now and then some other friends would jump in on the fun with the inseparable pair. Anja was thrilled when Magic, Justice, Max or Sadie decided that they’d like to play, too. Rosie was always the centre of Anja’s attention, although she seemed to enjoy having others joining them. At one point, Anja and Rosie stopped at the agility tunnel and stared at each other, standing on opposite sides. The girls waited, having a show down as to who was going to make the first move. All of a sudden, Anja sprung into action and jumped up onto the tunnel, which prompted Rosie to bolt away across the yard. Anja hopped down immediately and flew after her playmate. This sparked a big game of chase that included all of the dogs in the group.

Hudson is an absolute hoot out in the yard. This boy never stops running, jumping, bouncing, and having so much fun. Hudson started his group time by doing a very quick lap of the yard to take in a few new smells. Once he’d seen all he wanted to, Hudson set his sights on his very favourite friend, Finnigan. These two boys wrestled and played almost the entire time we were outside. Hudson generally led the game, and spent half of their wrestling match sitting on top of Finnigan and either pawing or mouthing him playfully. Finnigan would then break free and bolt only a few feet away, where Hudson would then tackle him all over again. Hudson took a short break from playing when he saw Birdie hanging out, chewing on her ball. Hudson was interested in Birdie’s toy and used it as an opportunity to take a little breather. He walked slowly around Birdie, eyeing her ball like a prize to be won. Once he’d fully caught his breath, Hudson pounced and snatched the ball from in front of Birdie. This began a whole new game, of course, and Birdie took off running after Hudson and the precious ball. Soon enough, Hudson was leading the way, followed by his friends Birdie, Rex, Finnigan and Max. The group chased one another around and around until Hudson dropped the ball. He turned to find Finnigan to see if he was up for another wrestling match, while I threw the ball on the other side of the yard for the other dogs. Hudson is just a bundle of fun!

Fall is definitely in the air, and Rex seemed to really enjoy the brisk morning air during our walk. He trotted alongside his friends, Teddie and Kizmet, mostly walking with his nose pushing a path through the long, dewy grass. When Rex lifted his nose, he was all covered in little water droplets! He shook off and continued on his way, this time heading to the end of his leash to walk beside Teddie. A little later in the morning, Rex was very eager to go out into the yard for play time. He made his way around and said greetings to all of the other dogs in his group. As he was making his rounds, Rex saw that his friend Birdie had a very appealing ball between her paws. He stood in front of her and let out a woof, as if to ask if he could have a turn. Birdie then picked up her ball and took off running, so naturally Rex followed suit. After a few laps, Rex decided that Birdie could keep the ball for now, and went to see what Finnigan and Hudson were up to. This pair was all wrapped up in a wrestling match, so Rex continued on his way until he met up with Tanner and Max C. Rex was happy to join in their play and hopped around with his pals. These three boys ran around the yard together, stopping to paw playfully at one another. Rex ran through the tunnel and back again alongside Tanner and Max. We finished our time in the yard together with a little game of fetch with the prized ball that Birdie had been playing with earlier.

Finnigan had yet another excellent day today. This guy loves to play with his pals, especially Hudson. Lucky for Finnigan, these two started their day with a brisk morning walk on the trail together with Leah. Considering how much those boys like to play, they walk like perfect gentlemen together. Once group time rolled around, Finnigan was rested, refreshed and ready to get down to business. He wasted no time after flying out the door to find Hudson and leap up onto him. The boys rolled around on the ground for a minute, wrestling and trying to come out on top. Hudson wound up sitting right on top of Finnigan, and they stayed that way until Finnigan was able to break free and bolt across the yard. Finnigan spent almost his entire group time wrestling around with Hudson, except when he saw myself and a few of his friends playing fetch on the other side of the yard. Finnigan came flying over when he saw the ball in my hand, and sat with his ears perked up and ready to run. If there’s one thing that Finnigan loves more than wrestling, it’s toys! Hudson managed to catch the ball on the first throw, and he wasn’t ready to give it up quite yet. Finnigan was determined that he could also get a hold of the ball, and shot after his friend and their prize. Rex joined Finnigan in their game of chase, and eventually I caught up with Hudson enough to grab the ball and toss it for another round.

Tanner had a fabulous Monday. He started his day with a trail walk, accompanied by two other dog friends. He trotted along happily, stopping to smell in the long grass and by the trees along the trail. When it came time for groups, Tanner was feeling quite refreshed and ready to head out to greet his friends. Tanner met a new pal immediately after entering the yard, and these two were basically inseparable for the rest of our time outside. Tanner’s friend Max was absolutely smitten by him, and made every effort to get him to play. Tanner wasn’t quite sold on the idea of playing at first, but after a reassuring pet from me, he was off and bouncing around in no time. Max would run up to Tanner, paw at him playfully, and Tanner would hop up on his back feet and pounce on Max. At one point, the boys were dipping and dodging each other around the agility tunnel, and Rex hopped in on the action. The three of them started doing laps around the tunnel, changing directions randomly to keep things interesting. When Tanner was tired and ready for a break, he made sure to come and hang out by my side, where he received lots more head scratches and cuddles.

We had a couple of new additions to the small dog group today, and Pelley couldn’t wait to meet them. She said hello to her husky friends Vega and Joe, and then went straight over to the newbies. Luckily, Pelley met up with Resa first, and she played bowed to Pelley right away. The next thing she knew, Pelley was in the middle of a very fast-paced game of tag around the yard with her new friend. Soon enough the husky puppies saw the action and came barreling into the yard to join the fun. Pelley looped around the middle of the yard so that she could meet up with Vega as she ran around the big rock. The girls stopped as soon as they got close to one another and started to wag their tails in excitement. Vega then ran as fast as her little legs would take her, and Pelley followed in hot pursuit. When it was time to take a break, Pelley wandered around the grass yard before heading through the gate into the main yard where most of the other dogs were hanging out. It was a little bit too chilly for the pool today, so Pelley decided to cool down by sitting with myself and a few of her other pals to feel the breeze in her hair.

Abbie and Jock had a nice and relaxing time out in the yard for group time today. The pair was in ultimate sniffing mode and kept their noses to the ground in their respective parts of the yard for the first little while. Abbie stuck to the gravel yard, keeping very close to the fence and listening to the trees rustling on the other side. Jock, on the other hand, made his way into the grassy yard and decided to watch the puppies, Pelley and Resa as they ran around the yard like crazy. I said a proper hello to Jock, at which point the others decided that they should come over and do the same. Jock said hello to the puppies and Pelley, as usual, but was particularly interested in the new girls, Mimi and Resa. Resa wandered back out to where Pelley and the puppies were, while Mimi stayed near Jock and I. He walked right up to her and gave her a sniff, which seemed to get him in the mood to play. Jock started to kick his feet out behind him, stirring up the grass. Mimi wasn’t quite sure what to think, so she stood and watched him for a minute. Abbie saw her brother starting up a ruckus and hopped into the grass yard to see what was up. The pair bumbled around with the other dogs for a little while before getting back to their exploring.

Abby and Dudley are just the sweetest little pair, and spending time with these two every day is such a pleasure. It was a little chilly this morning, so Abby and I spent some time snuggled up together on a new armchair in the reception area. Dudley took his time to wander around the room and check out the toy bin. He then heard Julie coming out of the office and took a few minutes to inspect her and her wheelchair. Abby decided to hop down and say hello as well, so I got down on the floor and gave Abby and Dudley as many pets as they wanted. Abby was so full of beans in group today, I couldn’t believe it! She started out quieter and calmer, like usual. But after a little bit of enticement she began dashing around the yard chasing me. I hade a great time zipping around with her on my heels, following me around the rocks and even jumping over the agility jump after me. I picked up a rope toy and began shaking it around and she was thrilled to see this dangling around. She began leaping around, practically flying off the ground, trying to grab it. I lowered it down to her level and we started a great game of tug. Despite miss Abby’s tiny size, she really is strong and feisty. Abby pulled and pulled until I finally gave in to her and let her win the match. She went running off with the toy in her mouth, which encouraged her group mates to run after her. All of a sudden Abby was in the middle of games with Kado, Dudley, Cara and Jag. This whole group of dogs was zooming around with one another, occasionally pouncing on each other’s sides. Abby made her way out of the action and over to me, sitting on the picnic table with another group mate. Tyson, another yorkie, fascinated Abby. Tyson was wearing a little sweater, which Abby thought was rather interesting. They did numerous loops around one another while sniffing and checking each other out.  Abby seemed so excited to be such a part of all the action today. She finished off her time in the yard hanging out with her brother Dudley. Dudley was a bit quieter today than usual. He and Abby must have swapped energy levels. Dudley was much happier to hang out by my side and on my lap accepting pets and cuddles during group time. HE did join in on a bit of the action midway through groups. Dudley met up with his pal Koda, and began dancing and prancing around with him who got him involved in a big group play. Dudley was much more keen to play one on one with Koda than he was to play with a larger group of dogs so the pair broke out of the group play to enjoy some one on one wrestling time. By the end of group time Dudley and Abby were hanging out side by side enjoying some pets from myself.

Fez and I enjoyed a nice slow walk this morning with a new friend, Oban. Fez really loved the cool air on his face, as he stuck his nose up in the wind and shut his eyes his ears would blow back. Fez had a lot to sniff under his paws as we walked along the trail, but was always sure to wander back to my side and follow along. Fez was very happy to roam around the yard with numerous other labs. Despite his age, he is still full of spunk. Fez trotted around the yard with some pep in his step, sniffing everything underneath his paws. He found a great patch of grass, which he decided to snack on while his friends circled him checking to see what the big deal was. As Fez continued to sniff around the yard he came across Cascabelle, a young spunky female lab. Fez was very fascinated by her as she galloped across the yard, radiating positive energy. Fez picked up the pace and made his way over to her side to check her out. Cascabelle was more than happy to check Fez out too, which soon led to a play-bow then an attempt to play. Fez couldn’t quite keep up to the fast games, which Cascabelle quickly noticed so she slowed down and began walking around him wagging her whole bum. Fez loved the attention and the opportunity to be silly. The pair enjoyed one another’s company for a while until Fez decided he would much rather hang out by my side where he could receive lots of pets.

Teddie and Kizmet are big fans of this nice fall weather, despite the fact that the pair doesn’t have access to the pool. I was given a bit of a stink eye from Teddie during morning groups today as he continuously hopped in and out of the empty pool, while staring me down. I told him it was just too chilly today! After accepting that there would not be water in the pool, Teddie made his way into the grassy yard where he began to explore. Teddie is always great at finding something very fascinating to smell, which he tends to devote a large portion of his time to. He will paw and dig at a specific area, creating a little hole. After enough time he tends to roll on it and then dig some more. As he was rolling around Kiz caught a glimpse of him and made his way over to his brothers side to check out what the big deal was. Teddie decided to hop up and storm off as if he had been caught doing something bad. Kiz took over for Teddie and began sniffing and digging at this same area. Once content with his findings, Kiz made his way to my side where he was glad to accept pets and cuddles. He then weaved his way between my legs looking for more pats and scratches. Teddie thought if his brother got all this exta attention that he should too, so Teddie pushed himself against my side as hard as possible until I gave him pets and cuddles too. By the end of group time the pair had done enough investigating to fulfill their needs. They met up with a couple other labs in the group for some brief socializing before heading back indoor for a nap.

Ranger was very glad to be here this morning, and enjoy a walk right off the bat. Ranger got to explore the backfield alongside one of his senior pals, Merlin. This duo combined makes for one curious walk. I let them lead the way, with their noses to the ground, taking me where they wanted to go. I found myself in the middle of the backfield, watching Ranger snack on flowers while Merlin gnawed on a root. We slowly made our way back onto the path and head back indoors. Ranger was keen to come out of his kennel for his mid morning group. He sauntered down the hall and followed his friends out the door and into the yard. Ranger spent the majority of his time in the yard with his nose to the ground. He thought the agility yard was very fascinating, and insisted on sniffing and exploring the whole yard one step at a time. A couple of times, his group mates checked him out, saying their hellos. Ranger was always polite enough to stop sniffing and greet his friends, but was quick to get his nose back to the ground and continue his investigating. Before we head back inside I met up with Ranger in the gravel yard and gave him a good cuddle. He was kind enough to return the favor by slurping me across the face numerous times.

Cara and Brodie are full of sugar, and spice, and everything nice. This duo was so spunky in the yard today. They alternated being the spunky one and the sweet one, each getting there fair share of games and rest. Cara is such a chatty little girl, always ensuring to let all her friends know how she is feeling and never afraid to ask me to play or give her attention. Cara loved getting in on whatever action she could. If she saw me playing with one dog, she was by my side pouncing in on the games too. She loved playing tug with myself an Abby, and ended up winning over the tug toy. After this game she and Abby made their way onto the picnic table where they danced around and played a fun game of levels. Abby was on the table while Cara was on the bench and then they switched positions. They continued running up and down and all around the table together with their tails wagging, having an absolute blast. Soon enough, Brodie saw her games going and insisted on joining in too. Brodie came pouncing across the yard and leapt right on top of his sister, which she wasn’t too sure about. She flung out of his grasp and began sprinting in circles around him. This got Brodie very excited and he began zooming a round the yard, with some of his buddies on his tail. By the end of playgroups Bordie was pretty tired from joining in on whatever games he could, so he and I had a nice one on one cuddle session on the picnic table. This didn’t last long, as Cara insisted on joining in too. I was pleased to have this duo snuggling up by my side on this chilly fall day.

Dexter is such a nice boy. We started our day off with a nice morning walk, accompanied by Anja a younger Siberian husky. Anja wanted to play with Dexter throughout the entire walk, and he was very patient with her shenanigans. Although he was super focused on all the smells along the trail, every once in a while he would give in to her and the pair would zoom around me. I ended up standing still with leashes above my head, moving my arms in a windmill motion. Once they finally settled down we continued on along the trail. Come mid morning group time, Dexter was keen to get exploring. He wandered down the hall, stopping at every kennel to check out the other dogs. Once he made it into the yard and realized there were numerous other dogs outside his eyes lit up. He instantly flew into the agility yard with his ears flapping in the wind. It took no time at all for Dexter to have the zoomies. He was flying around the yard with his bum tucked, with a big smile on his face. His group mates were watching his silly antics, not sure what to do. Kodiak, a lovely Siberian husky, gave in to his shenanigans and the pair ended up dancing and prancing around the yard. Dexter was leading Kodiak in and out of the agility tunnel as well as weaving around the outdoor kennel playing tag. After numerous laps around the yard Dexter made his way to my side where he pounced on me looking for some pets and cuddles. He was pleased to receive a good ear scratch, but took off to continue playing before I could even start scratching his second ear. Dexter finished off his time in the yard zipping and zooming around with Rucca, Bailey, Kodiak, Mylo and Maggie. This group was so perfect for Dexter, he was just as excited to get out and continue these games during the next outing.

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