Thursday, Septmeber 22nd, 2016

Cats:

Allie spent the first part of her afternoon wandering around the cat room, investigating all of the new smells. She sniffed the other cats' sutie doors and made her way up onto the windowsill. I left her to get acquainted with her surroundings and came back a little while later. When I returned, Allie was in her cubby, sitting nicely on her bed. She got up for some chin scratches and decided that this afternoon was a good time for a nap and curled up on her bed to relax. Allie only got back up this afternoon when I came to give her some dinner. Allie hopped right out of bed and sat in front of her bowl, eating happily. I gave her another pet before leaving her to her meal. 

Max and Sadie were so pumped up to go outside for their walk right away. They were both bouncing around their kennel with excitement as soon as they saw me walk in with leashes in my hand. When we started to walk on the trail they both calmed down and continued to walk with me - they were both behaving so nicely. During groups outside Max was ready to play right away while Sadie wasn’t as wound up as Max right from the start. They ran out the door and Sadie made her way over to the gravel to begin to sniff around. She only sniffed around for a moment before she got distracted by the other dogs and really wanted to say hi to them. She ran over to the group and began to sniff each one with a big smile on her face; she was so happy to see everyone and was being so nice to them. Max began to run around right away, since he was just as happy to see everyone as Sadie was. He ran over from the other yard when he saw Sadie with everyone to say hi to them as well. But instead of giving everyone a sniff like his sister, he was too excited and began to run around and got everyone playing. He ran into the further yard and started racing around the grass as all the other dogs including Sadie followed behind him. When he noticed Sadie chasing after him he turned right around and pounced on her. These two love to wrestle with each other and began roll around on the grass as the other dogs huddled up around them cheering them on. But when Max got distracted by the other dogs barking he jumped off and began to playfully jump all over them as well while Sadie ran off and began to sniff along the fence in the further yard to smell all of the leaves sticking through the bushes. Max continued to play with all of the dogs then ran over to the pool to get wet and cool off. He took a sip out of the hose as it was filling up until it was completely full and jumped in the water as Sadie ran over to see him. She tried to squeeze in as well but just wouldn’t fit in it with Max in there taking up the entire thing.

Tsavo and Cai came in this morning for daycare and they are always such a pleasure to have here with us. When I took them on their walk this morning Cai was so unbelievably happy to see me and jumped up right away to give me lots of kisses. Tsavo waited until he calmed down and was done jumping to walk over to me. She brushed her head on me and gave me some kisses of her own after. During groups they were both super eager to get onto the yard with all of the other dogs, Cai rushed ahead of Tsavo in the hallway so he could be the first one out and once they were in the yard, Cai ran over to all of the dogs with so much energy and began to race around them. Tsavo stayed near him and walked over a little bit after to say hi to the others as well. She gave everyone a sniff as they all did the same back to her. When I walked over to the further yard I called them over and all of the dogs came running over to see me. At least I thought they were coming to see me until they all began to play right as they stepped foot on the grass. Tsavo was so interested in the other dogs today and didn’t take her eyes off of them. Cai is such a sweetheart and is always in the mood for some cuddles and pets at anytime during the day. After he was done getting some love he bounced back over to Tsavo and the other dogs to start playing. Cai ran over to the huskies right away and they began to jump back on him but running away right after, Cai would chase them until they left the grass yard then turn around to find someone else to play with. Tsavo was playing with Max today, who initiated it and got Tsavo playing right away. They began to bounce around and run in circles with each other as the other dogs chased after them. After they were done playing they walked over to the pool to get a drink of water and cool down, Tsavo even stepped in the water as she watched the other dogs continue to run around before going back inside.

Kimi was in such a good mood this morning. She spent the day in the staff room with a few other dogs and relaxed all day in there. She found a nice cozy spot on one of the beds and snoozed with the others by her side. During groups she went outside with all of the playful dogs and the huskies. Their energy seemed to rub off on her because right as she walked outside and saw them all playing  she ran over to them to see what they were doing. She kept her distance at first and watched them as they began to run around with each other in the gravel yard, but once they began to wrestle on the ground she ran straight up to them and started jumping up and down to cheer them on. They stopped once I called them over to the other yard and all of the dogs ran over, Kimi stayed back for a bit to have a chance to walk around and explore before playing. She started to sniff along the building and along all of the rocks and once she was done moved over to the grass that was along the fence to give that a sniff. After she was finished exploring for a bit she decided to run over and join everyone else in the yard and start playing. She slowly walked over and began to jump around all of the dogs when they were wrestling again.
Once they started to run she decided to join in and chase them across the yard then back over to me when they were finished. She wandered around the grass for a bit occasionally sniffing the ground, watching the other dogs intently as they roamed around and played. I called her over to me and began to pet her. She turned around so I would scratch her back and began to wiggle her bum with enjoyment.

I love the way Birdie's personality matches her name so perfectly. The way she flutters around the yard makes me smile every day. Birdie was very ready to get playing as I opened her kennel for the mid-morning outing. No surprise, she went bouncing down the hall with her ears flapping up and down and sped right out the door without a worry in the world. The moment she got into the yard she instantly began buzzing around looking for something to get in her mouth. To her disappointment, there were no toys in the yard at first. I headed indoors to grab some goodies out of our bin, and she was thrilled as I made my way back in the yard with my arms full. I offered her a couple things, and she decided the red tennis ball was the best option. I launched it across the yard and before it landed on the ground she was there, waiting for it. She snatched it up and began parading around, showing her treasure off to all her friends. Two of her group mates, Cascabelle and Rupert, are also toy crazy. This pair eyed down her prized possession and followed her around for a while. I got Rupert and Cascabelle off her tail by offering them a Frisbee. To my surprise, Birdie dropped the tennis ball and came bolting over to the Frisbee, which she grasped right out of my hand. She got herself involved in a chase by grabbing this from me right in front of her friends. This trio bolted around the yard, with Birdie in the lead. Birdie wasn’t even going to think about giving up the Frisbee, so her friends gave up and found other toys to play with. She then continued to dance and bounce around the yard with the pink Frisbee in her mouth. It wasn’t long before Birdie lost her privilege to have the Frisbee as she began to gnaw on it. I traded in the Frisbee for the Jolly Ball, which kept her greatly entertained. After what felt like an eternity of her zipping, zooming, bouncing, and leaping around the yard with toys, Birdie made her way over to the pool to catch up with her friends. She was happy to leap in and get her paws a little wet. After wading around in the water, cooling off, she made her way inside for an afternoon nap to recharge her batteries before her next outing. Birdie joined me in the playroom this afternoon for her extra attention time. She bounced around the room until she saw that I was holding her favourite thing: toys! I gave Birdie the squeaky hamburger first, and she wasn't quite sure about it. She hopped up and down, pawing at the burger, making it squeak. Eventually Birdie settled down and chewed on the toy. I then showed her the tennis ball in my pocket, and she leapt back up and sat in front of me. I threw the ball across the room and she had a blast chasing it. It bounced off the wall, sending it in an entirely different direction. I went to throw the ball again, but Birdie decided that we were playing keep-away instead! We ran around the room being extra goofy until we were both out of breath. 

It’s a pleasure to have Teddie and Kizmet back with us for a week of boarding. The pair was eager to get going on their walk this morning, as soon as they said goodbye to mom and dad. The moment we got around the bend the duo went wandering off into the grass with their noses to the ground, investigating the trail. Their walking mate, Rupert, was very pleased to show them all the flowers along the path which Teddie and Kiz made sure to check out as well. We had a very speedy walk along the trail, as this trio is very quick on their feet. Once we made it back inside, Teddie and Kizmet were thrilled to see their comfy beds waiting for them in a kennel. After gulping up some water, they plopped themselves down on their cushions for a nap before group time. When I let Teddie and Kizmet out for groups they were sure to do some serious sniffing before paying attention to me or the other dogs. The pair spent the first portion of their outing with their noses to the ground, picking up on all the new smells. It wasn’t long before these water-loving siblings made their way to the pool. Kizmet was very graceful, slowly stepping in the pool, wading around, grabbing a drink, then hopping out. Teddie on the other hand, leapt in and instantly plunked himself down in the water. He was submerged all the way to his neck. Teddie was so content with himself, lying in the fresh cool water. After some convincing, he got out and did some more exploring. Meanwhile, Kizmet had found himself a young cute girl to flirt with. Kizmet loved Birdie, and her outgoing personality. He followed her around for a while before she gave in to his request to hang out. Birdie fluttered around Kizmet while he stood about with his tail wagging a million miles an hour with his ears perked up. Teddie came over to check out what his brother was up to, which led Birdie to take off. Teddie and Kiz then spent the remainder of their outdoor time sniffing around and dipping their paws in the pool again.

Pelley is so much fun to hang about with. I love spending additional one on one time with her for her extra attention. This morning Pelley was thrilled to head out the front door and do some investigating of the front field. She found lots of great smells and even a rope toy. Pelley then made her way over to Tayler, who was sitting on the grass playing with Rupert. Pelley instantly nuzzled into Taylers side, and happily accepted some cuddles. She and I then made our way into the fenced in pen where she loves to sniff around and explore with the additional bonus of a pool. I filled the pool up just for her, and she was thrilled. It took a whole five seconds in the pen for Pelley to make her way into the water and fully lay down. After showing off her bubble blowing skills, Pelley hopped out and shook off all over me. She’s lucky she’s so darn cute! Pelley then sat by my side and pushed her bum against me, requesting some scratches and pats. Pelley loves to be scratched above her tail and patted down her sides. She slowly collapsed into a lying down position where she gladly accepted a bunch of belly rubs before heading back indoors. Come group time, this little spit-fire was ready to get going. She instantly made her way into the grass yard where she met up with her good friends Vega and Bea. This trio didn’t waste any time and got right to playing around. Pelley led all the games by taking the initiative to leap on her pals inviting them to chase her. Vega was more than happy to zoom around after her, while Bea was very content to wrestle around with miss Pelley. Today Pelley did a bunch of showing off for me, leaping over the agility jump and zooming through the agility tunnel. Her puppy friends Vega, and Joe, were often right on her tail when she was demonstrating these fancy moves. After zipping around the yard, and expelling all her breath, Pelley made her way to the pool where she splashed around and cooled off until it was time to head back indoors.

Abbie and Jock had a nice day today. This duo was happy to have a big comfy blanket on their cot. I found them snuggled up side by side before group time. After some minor convincing, the pair got out of the bed and came outside. Abbie and Jock spent the first portion of outdoor time, sniffing and exploring. Abbie is always curious as to what the other pups are up to, but it does take some convincing to get her to part ways from her brother. I let her hang about in the gravel yard with Jock for quite some time today, and finally got the duo to follow me into the grassy yard after all their investigating was done. Jock was pleased to be in the grassy yard where all the action was going on, so Abbie perked up too. The pair trotted along with all the games, watching intensely what the puppies were up to. As the pups get older they become more and more feisty, which Jock seems to think he can control. Despite him being a bit smaller than them, he does a great job getting them to settle down when they get too rambunctious. His babysitting only gets Abbie more and more excited. As Jock was calming the young ones down, Abbie began zooming around nudging and nosing Pelley and Bea looking to start some games. They briefly gave in to her request, until Abbie decided she would much rather hang out by my side and accept pets and cuddles than play around with the goofy youngsters.

This morning I was pleased to see Maya and Rocky head out for their walk. Maya really gave Tayler a challenge, by instantly playing with her walking mate the moment they got out the gate. I couldn’t help but laugh at Tayler trying to untangle the leashes from around her legs. Maya stood there with a big smile on her face. Poor Tayler! Maya and Rocky were pretty calm, cool, and collected today come group time. The pair chose to hang out by the door in the gravel area. I have come to the conclusion that Maya won’t play because she insists on keeping her brother company, who much prefers to lay low in the shade by the door. So today, I picked Mr.Rocky up, and brought him into the grassy yard where all the action was going on. It didn’t surprise me that Maya came zipping into the grassy yard and instantly began zooming around. She was looking for anyone to chase her. It didn’t take long for Pelley to join in on her silly games. This duo did a couple laps around the yard at full speed, while Rocky stood between my legs watching his crazy sister. Rocky then decided to head back into the gravel yard, which led to Maya ending her games and following him. Maybe next time we will put Maya and Rocky in different groups so that miss Maya can play without feeling guilty about leaving her older brother alone. After they made their way back to the gravel yard the pair relaxed side by side. Rocky wasn’t too impressed when the little puppies began wrestling right next to him, so he moved over to my feet looking for protection. He was pleased to receive pats and cuddles, until Maya nuzzled her head between Rocky and myself looking for her fair share too. Of course she got some attention before heading indoors for an afternoon snooze.

Dudley was full of energy in the yard today He surprised me very much by leaving his sister's side to meet up with Kado, a fellow shih Tzu, in the grassy yard. Dudley absolutely adored Kado from the minute they met up. Dudley was nuzzling his head into Kados and then rubbing his side against his, looking for a playmate. After no response, Dudley pounced on Kado, which got the games going. Kado was quick to stand up on his hind legs and Dudley quickly matched the position. The pair was then standing up with their arms wrapped around one another, dancing around. It was so cute to watch. After their boxing match, Dudley dropped to the ground and zoomed off looking for a chase. Kado wasn’t too sure about this, but he slowly trotted after him anyway. Meanwhile, Samson came zipping out of nowhere and zoomed right after Dudley. Dudley was thrilled to have someone keen to chase him. This duo zoomed around the yard for a bit until Dudley was out of breath. He then retreated to the pool to cool off and grab a drink. By the pool is where Dudley met up with his sister, Abby. Abby was very busy exploring today. For some reason, she was super interested in smells around the pool and in the gravel yard. After a little bit of convincing, Abby followed me into the grassy yard. She was quick to jump up on my lap and begin to kiss and nuzzle into me. I picked her up like a baby and we had some nice cuddles before her brother began pawing at my legs asking for attention too. Abby and Dudley then hung out by my feet accepting good scratches and pets before we head indoor.

Issy and Mocha came in today for daycare and we were all so happy to see them just like always. They spent their day in the staff room with a few of their friends. Issy made a comfy spot on a cot with blankets while Mocha slid underneath the table to sleep there for a while. During their group outside Issy was super eager to go out, while Mocha was quite happy indoors. After a minute of calling her name she finally decided to join her sister and she got up and trotted outside behind them. Everyone in the staff room joined them out in the yard along with some other play mates. They made their way into the agility yard and Issy just couldn't wait to start exploring. She walked slowly and was sniffing the ground at the same time. She stopped every once in a while to smell around a certain spot that seemed to interest her and she would dig through the grass with her nose just to get closer to the smell. Mocha decided to join Issy out in the yard at first; she wandered over and began to walk around the pool area where some of the dogs ran up to her and started to play around her but was more interested in exploring the rocks along the fenceline. When I went over to see her she wanted lots of cuddles and attention, which I happily gave her. Issy continued to explore for a bit longer before walking over to some of the dogs to say hi.  Issy was in a big group with them for a bit but when they started to play, she walked all the way back over to the pool and hopped in when no one else was in there, where she cooled off for a bit before going back inside.

Percy and Teddy are always so much fun to have here during the day when they come in for daycare. Teddy ran out ahead of all the other dogs and decided to run over to the further end of the agility yard to take a nice sniff around the grass before he started to play. Percy was jumping around the door when he first got outside. He was so excited to see everyone and ran up to each dog to give them a little sniff before heading over to the yard to wander around. The two of them began to explore on their own, Percy loves to sniff along the fence and dig through the rocks with his nose. He likes to see all of the hidden treasures he can find whenever he digs through them, some times he even manages to find a toy buried along them. While Teddy never likes to just stick in one place, when he explores he runs around the yard and stops in certain areas to take a look around and sniff, especially around the grass. When I saw a ball on the ground I knew that Percy and Teddy would love it. I waved it in the air and it got their attention immediately. They ran right over to me from opposite sides of the yard and bounced around at my feet. Teddy doesn't like playing fetch but he sure loves chasing the dogs as they're on their way after the ball. When I threw it Percy ran as fast as he could and caught it each time. Teddy chased after him and once Percy ran back over to me Teddy continued to run around us and bark with excitement. Percy was being so protective of his ball and didn't want anyone else to grab it from him so he waited until none of the dogs noticed and dropped it at my feet for me to throw again. Once he got tired he found a nice spot on the grass and chewed on the ball on his own. Teddy ran off to go and socialize more when they both decided it was time to go and take a dip in the pool. 

Spencer is such a nice boy, he's always so excited to see everyone when he comes in in the morning and runs straight down the hall to go in his kennel right away once I open the door. During his group outside he hung around with all of the other daycare pals that he loves. he wasn't extremely playful today but he sure stuck around with all of the playful dogs to socialize even if he didn't get in on the action. Even when he's not right in on the action, he's a social butterfly and hangs around all the other dogs.  When he first walked out into the yard he started to explore. Spencer loves to sniff around and always has his head down with his nose attached to the ground to smell everything he can before going back inside. He started along the fence at the beginning of the yard and sniffed along the rocks and whenever he came across some weeds that were sticking out he couldn't help himself but to munch on some of them a bit before continuing his journey. He walked to where the fence ended and decided to wander around somewhere else, he walked over to the pool and started to sniff around it as some of the dogs walked over to say hi. Teddy was extremely happy to see Spencer today and started to jump around him, but you can't expect anything else from Teddy since he always loves a chance to run around. Spencer stopped sniffing when Teddy ran over and he lifted his head up to say hi back. Spencer started to get a little hyper and bounce around with him as well but as soon as Teddy ran off in the other direction to play, Spencer stayed right where he was and watched him. After much contemplating he decided to give it a shot and ran over to the other dogs that were by the agility tunnel. He watched them, then continued on to explore and sniff around the tunnel. He poked his head in and just as he was doing this Percy ran over and knocked him out of the way to run through it. Spencer seemed curious and ran through it after him. He must have enjoyed it because after that he started to run around with both Teddy and Percy in the yard. After a good run, he decided to take a break and joined Mocha, who was sitting by the door. The two of them sat comfortably together until it was time to go back inside.