Thursday, November 3rd, 2016

Francis and Nunu have been enjoying their time with us. Today was very wet and rainy, creating so many smells on the trail. This pair had their nose to the ground the entire walk, pulling me as hard as they could trying to get from scent to scent. I have mastered controlling this strong duo, resulting in a good walk as they were so focused on moving forward rather than zipping side to side. In the yard today, Nunu was very excited to see me. She came waddling over, howling up at me as she got closer. Once she was by my side she was happy to nuzzle into me and accept some pets and cuddles. Francis was very busy getting to know a new group mate, Cai. Cai and Kyah were busy playing with one another when Francis insisted on joining in. Kyah and Cai were happy to have a third friend join in their games, leading to a great wrestling match followed by a chase around the yard. Francis was happy to bolt after these two as they continued to frolic with one another all around the yard.

Cai had a good day today. It is great for him to spend some time away from Tsavo, as this promotes him to be more independent and find his own stride in his play groups. He was thrilled to see his old pal Kyah in his group today. These two have met numerous times, and always seem to play around with each other. Today was no exception, as Cai quickly made his way to her the moment he got in the yard. Cai was quick to begin dancing in circles around her, trying to charm her into playing with him. Kyah was very pleased to have such a warming welcome, and was quick to pounce right on him. The duo began to dance around with one another, locking their arms around each others necks, standing high on their hind legs.  The pair continued to dance around until Kyah decided to tuck out of his hold and zoom off across the yard. Cai was hot on her heels, quickly joined by Francis. Cai continued to zip around the yard after Kyah, trying his hardest to capture her so they could continue their wrestling. Cai was happy when Kyah came to a stop and gave him some more opportunity to wrestle around and play before everyone divided off to sniff.

Bella and Jake had such a great day today! There were fewer small dogs in today than the average Thursday, which seemed to get Bella more motivated to play around. The moment we got into the yard, Bella and Jake bound into the grassy yard and instantly started playing around with each other. Bella loves to grasp Jake in her mouth by his neck and try to drag him down. Jake doesn’t mind this at all as he enjoys any attention he can get. The pair continued to romp around until Resa bolted in on their games, asking for a chase. Jake was very happy to break away from the wrestling to zoom around with his regular pal Resa. These two make for a great pair when it comes to running around as they are very similar in size, creating a very equal match. They took turns being in the lead and being the chaser. Both running at full speeds with smiles on their faces and their ears flapping in the wind. After lots of laps around the yard, Jake and Bella split off. Of course, Bella made her way to me, looking for lots of cuddles and kisses. Meanwhile, Jake had found himself a ball in the yard. Jake kept himself so busy with this great red ball for the remainder of his outdoor time. He was pouncing all over the yard after it. He especially enjoyed when I would bounce it off the ground, sending it flying the air so that he had to leap after it. This duo had such a fabulous day today! 

Chloe knows what she wants the minute you put her out in the yard. I put her out in the yard and then shut the door so that I could go back indoors to get some more of her groupmates. She stood up on her hind legs and began starching at the glass window, begging me to get outside with her to throw a toy. I was quick to get outside and begin playing around with her. She was thrilled to find a nice Frisbee in the yard. Chloe spent some time digging and digging at the Frisbee, trying her hardest to pick it up off the ground. I had to assist her in the end, picking it up and trying to hand it to her but she snatched it out of my hands before I could even fully stand up. Chloe then spent most of her outdoor time running around and around the yard, constantly looking at me. I offered her a hundred times to “drop” or “leave it” but she was very resistant in giving her toy up. Chloe is the definition of “throw but don’t take”. Finally, I got a hold of it and we had a great tug match. Chloe puts up a good fight, tugging as hard as she can, oinking and squealing as you try to tug. We had so much fun in the yard today, playing lots of different games with her Frisbee.

Kai is such a funny girl. She split her time in the yard today between myself and the other dogs. She seemed very unsure as to what was better, cuddles and attention or bouncing around with her friends. She thought it would be best to do both. She loved new comer Gunnar, offering him the nicest hello and invite to play. Gunnar wasn’t too sure of playing as today was his first day with us, but this didn’t get Kai down. She continued to walk around the yard with him, keeping him great company as he got to know the yard better. Gunnar seemed very pleased to have a girl like Kai wandering around with him, as it seemed to make him feel more confident and secure. Once Gunnar did a bunch of laps around the yard, he seemed much more settled. He then made his way over to me with a big smile on his face. As he got closer, he play-bowed, and then darted in the other direction. Kai took this as an opportunity to play and decided to leap after him. Kai is so funny when she runs, bounding with all fours off the ground. Gunnar was happy to have someone chasing him, so he picked up the pace and continued to motor around the yard. The pair was soon joined by another group mates Outlaw and Tsavo. These four had a good time dancing around together before splitting off for some more sniffing and exploring. At this time, Kai was happy to make her way to my side where she gladly accepted pets and cuddles. Meanwhile, Gunnar danced and pranced around the yard looking for me to chase after him, resulting in his group mates chasing after him.  

Tsavo had a nice break from her brother today. She does so well in groups when she is separated from him, as this gives her the opportunity to be more of an individual. She was so excited to get out in the yard and greet all the dogs in her group. She was quick to wiggle from dog to dog, saying all her hellos as fast as possible. Once she introduced herself to everyone she broke off from the group to do some sniffing and exploring. Tsavo spent a lot of her time today sniffing and exploring around the yard. The rain brings out so many smells, which keeps the dogs very busy. After some time, had passed Tsavo decided to make her way to me where she politely asked for some pats by nudging my hand with her nose. I was happy to give her some cuddles in the yard. Later, Tsavo was happy to join in on an all-around group play. She was right in on the dancing around and was happy to take part in a chase as well. This was a great way to end her time outside. 

Max and Sadie looked so adorable when they arrived this morning in their orange jackets. This pair should wear outfits all the time! I couldn’t get enough of how cute they looked, so I didn’t take them off until later in the day. We had a great walk this morning. This pair was so excited to get out on the trail and sniff all the smells that the rain had brought to life. We quickly made our way along the trail, with them leading me along the path. In the yard, today Sadie was feeling extra frisky. She danced around the grass yard the moment she got outside before leaping on to her favourite rock and then the picnic table. From there, she bolted across the yard and practically flew on top of the tunnel, showing off her sturdy balancing skills. All this action from Sadie got Max’s attention, leading him to zoom across the yard after her. Of course, this lead to the pair pouncing all over one another followed by racing around the yard after each other. Sadie was tired out from all her self-induced playing that she politely declined playing with Max after a couple laps around the yard. Max was happy to then make his way to me where he was very fascinated by my gloves. He spent quite some time sniffing them over, before nuzzling his head into my side asking for some extra attention. 

Khal was just delighted to greet Husky ladies Rosie and Ivy out in the yard today; in fact I think the girls were more excited to see Khal! They aimlessly followed Khal around the yard and he found this quite amusing. He would freeze as they approached him but I could tell he was excited because his tail was wagging frantically back and forth as they jumped up on his back to entice him to play. Although he didn’t take them up on the offer to wrestle, he was still thrilled to have their company as they roamed the yard together on this wet morning. Khal is a very obedient and friendly boy; once he knew that I was giving away free head rubs he happily followed me around and nudged my hand for pets. Back inside we went to warm up but it wouldn’t be long before he was swept away again for some extra attention and training. I brought Khal up to the reception area this morning after walks for some one-on-one time. We hung out together, figuring out what Khal would like to do best. I showed him a few toys, which he sniffed but politely left where I’d put them on the floor. He then came over to me and leaned up against me for some pets. I was happy to oblige, and we sat together on the floor for some cuddles. When Khal decided it was time to get back up, I hooked him up to a leash and we went around the field for a stroll. We went back out to the front yard a little bit later in the day for some training. We worked on focusing and Khal’s leash manners around another dog. We walked down the driveway, and Khal was a perfect gentleman as we passed Leah and the other dog. We did a few loops around the yard, taking turns sitting and waiting for the other dog to pass, or passing the other dog as they sat, and finally walking past one another simultaneously. Back in the reception area, Khal was a very good boy on his leash and sat patiently while two other people passed through with their dogs.

Mocha had a great day today; she was extremely brave as she ventured out into the yard and decided to explore the far yard with her sister Issy, who flew out the door in excitement. Mocha was greeted by good pal Kimi and the gentle giant Viggo. She was pleased to see that everyone was fairly calm in this group and she felt comfortable roaming around even as they came up to say hello. She even took a seat in the far yard to watch Sophie and little Pepper play a quick game of fetch, which sparked her interest as she watched them run back and forth. Issy was too busy sniffing out the yard to even notice the game of fetch surrounding her. She always seems to have an agenda and is a determined little one. Once she made her usual rounds of the far yard, she darted across the yard and flew by me in the air to find a comfortable spot by the door to hang out until it was time to come back inside. This of course prompted Mocha to follow behind her; these two sweet girls know that when they get back inside they get a special treat! Kimi got spoiled today as she got to spend her time in the staff room with friends including Charly who I am sure kept her entertained all morning long with her silly antics! Kimi was very excited today to get out in the yard, every time I approached the door, I could see her ears perk up and bum start wiggling hoping that it was her turn. Finally when it was her turn, she flew out the door and into the yard to see old husky friends Justice and Issy, those are some familiar faces she thought! She was also curious to meet Viggo today and I could see that she was giving him to the invite to play. Justice then picked up on her energy and also gave her a nice play bow; she was the life of the group today that’s for sure! 

Bella and Jemma were two of the most playful dogs out in the yard today to no surprise. Other energetic pals including Kodi and little Vega joined them and boy did they have fun. Although there were lots of dogs in this group and you would think that it would get overwhelming, it was quite the opposite. Everyone had the same level of energy and really had a good time. Jemma immediately found the treasured pig ear and snatched it up before anyone else could. This prompted Charly and Birdie, who are toy obsessed, to chase her around the yard because they love the thrill of the chase. Although Jemma is fast, it was hard to outrun the others but she enjoyed the chase nonetheless. Bella was definitely the star of the group; she got everyone going and literally had every single dog chasing her in excitement. I could hardly keep up with this little girl as she would play from one dog to the next, start an epic chase around the yard or stop to dig holes in the mud with her pal Birdie. It was a wet and raining morning so it was inevitable that these pups would get dirty but Bella would deliberately stop and splash around in every single puddle. This enticed Kodi to join in because we all know how much this big white guy loved the mud! After trying to keep my eyes on Bella as she made her way around the yard, I turned around to see Jemma rolling around on her back as the others were wrestling with her from above. This was probably the best moment of her day, interacting and playing with all of her friends is what she looks forward to most. Jemma and Bella didn’t want to come back inside, they could have spent their whole afternoon out there but I assured them they needed some rest before their next outing so they could do it all over again. Jemma the smart cookie snatched the pig ear on her way in and Bella ran after her inside!

Bella was such a wiggly girl when I went to get her for some one-on-one time. I gave her lots of greeting pets and she wagged her tail so hard and fast that her whole body followed suit. She walked with me up the hall, eager to reach our destination. We made our way out to the lounge, the outbuilding in the front yard, where there’s a big comfy couch and some toys. Bella followed her nose around the room, taking in all of the smells and having a look at all of the toy options. She opted for a bone, and carried it over to the couch, where she curled up to have a chew. I gave Bella a back rub and an ear scratch as she gnawed on her bone, and she enjoyed it so much that we kept it up for the rest of our time together.

Three of our favourite daycare lads Percy, Teddy and Spencer joined Boris and Tasha today and they were all excited to see new faces, this meant some good ol playtime in the yard. Boris was very interested in Spencer and tried his best to get him excited to play with him as he jumped up and down on his back. This excitement got the herding dogs going, Teddy and Percy started their laps around the group but of course it was easy to break Percy’s attention by offering him the rope toy. If there is one thing he loves more than herding its toys! Boris couldn’t keep his attention off Spencer, perhaps its Spencer’s long and luxurious hair that got him so interested but once Tasha saw the excitement in Boris she couldn’t resist but run over to play. She really feeds off his energy and never wants to miss out on a good wrestle. Spencer didn’t mind that Boris was encouraging him to play; he enjoyed it but was too busy sniffing out the yard to be bothered to play. He is a busy boy and had to make sure he made the most of his time outside. As I followed this group along in the yard, I could always see Teddy in the corner of my eye running around us as his big tongue flopped in the wind. He is such an easy go lucky boy and can have a good time with any friends he is paired with. He is another dog that really feeds off the energy of a group; therefore any increase in excitement will only further make him run faster! It is so great that we can also pair Tasha and Boris with new faces, they adapt very well and we all know how much young Boris loves to play yet we are also always reminded at just how energetic Tasha can be when he is around as well. Percy, Spencer and Teddy especially loved the energy they were giving off today and they five of them really tired themselves out just in time for some afternoon naps.

Tasha had a good training session today. As per usual as soon as I walked towards her kennel she started bouncing off the walls. She burst out of her kennel with so much enthusiasm and sprinted towards the front playroom. Resa our little foster dog that hangs out up front heard Tasha racing down the hall and wanted to join in on her excitement! She chased Tasha into the playroom where the two of them playfully pounced at one another before I was able to catch Resa, it was time for Tasha to work a little bit. Maybe they could play together another day. I started with Tasha's basic's but she was vibrating from so much excitement and being a little pushy about the treats I was giving her so I decided I would work on her patience and "leave it" command. Tasha didn't think this was very much fun at first and would try to dart at the treat as soon as I would place it on the ground, and didn't understand why I would place my hand over it and say "no". It didn't take long for Tasha to catch on though, that she had to wait for the treat and soon enough waiting was almost as much fun as pouncing on the treat after I said "okay". 

Boris had a very interactive training session with Leah, myself and another dog this afternoon. This other dog is working on his leash manners, and so it made an awesome distraction for Boris as he worked on his own leash skills. Leah walked with Boris up and down the driveway, starting off with a regular structured walk. Boris always does a great job at focusing and heeling while walking one-on-one, so after a little warm up we put his skills to the test. I waited until Leah and Boris reached the end of the driveway, and then set off towards them with the other dog in training. Leah stopped every now and then, asking Boris to sit and wait for her to continue. He did a great job, but was very interested as the other dog and I got closer. With a few reminders, Boris sat and waited patiently by Leah’s side as I made my way past. We took turns doing this, either sitting and waiting or being the passer-by. It was great practice for Boris on his manners and his focus!