Saturday, April 15th 2017

Kai is always such a delight to have in the yard. She happily bounced outside with the rest of her group and made her rounds to say hello to everyone. After greeting all of the dogs, Kai trotted around the yard to check things out and sniff anything that caught her interest. There was lots of activity to keep her entertained as Poppy and Scout were chasing a ball around. Kai wandered over in my direction to see what I was doing. She gave the camera a sniff and then sat down at my feet for some cuddles. What a lovable girl! We snuggled plenty and Kai enjoyed a nice back rub. Then she decided to show off her talents, and proudly sat down to pose for a picture. She was also quick to lie down and give me a paw in return for another scratch behind the ears. Kai was lounging against my legs when suddenly her friend Farley hopped over and pounced towards Kai, encouraging her to play. Kai wasn't sure at first but Farley continued to race around. She gave in and play-bowed at him, and then the two of them went bounding off together. Farley was twisting around like crazy while Kai attempted to jump on him. They both seemed to be enjoying themselves and attracted quite an audience of the other dogs.

Kai ran out of her kennel excitedly this morning when I went to grab her for extra attention then happily bounced down the hallway towards the playroom. Once we settled in she decided to go take a look around and smell all the toys and the couch before coming to see me. I gave her some ear scratches and back rubs before she went off to explore once again. After she was satisfied with everything she’d seen she came back over to me and rolled onto her back for some belly rubs. We sat like this for a while then she started rolling around on her back trying to get me to give her more belly rubs. When she’d had her fill of all the extra love she went back to her kennel for a nice little nap before groups. 

Colin and I had a huge snuggle session in the yard today. I sat down on the stool while he rested his head on my legs. I pet his head and rubbed his ears, which he loved. After a few minutes, Colin really wanted to explore the yard. I got up and walked around with him while he sniffed all the fences. He found a ball lying around and picked it up and brought it to me. At first he wouldn't let me take it but I knew that he wanted me to throw it for him. I quickly grabbed it when he dropped it and threw it for him. Colin stood there staring up at me, like he didn't realize I threw it. As soon as I said Go Get It!, he raced over to it and picked it up. We played only a few times because he got bored of playing fetch. He went to go hangout with some of his friends Ordi and Emcy. These two were sitting by the fence, casually watching the others in the yard. Colin sat with them for a little while but quickly decided to come cuddle with me some more. When it was time to go inside, Colin was super happy. He cuddled right into his bed and took a little nap. When it was time for dinner, Colin wasn't too hungry at first so when I put down his food, I sat with him in his kennel for a few moments, rubbing his ears. He loved it so much he rested his head down and it looked like he was slowly falling asleep!

Poppy was practically buzzing with excitement when I let her outside for group time. She raced around to say hello to everybody in her group, bumping shoulders with Farley before bouncing off to see what Scout was doing. Their husky friends Magic and Justice came to join them and Poppy was all over Justice. They sniffed each other over and then Poppy followed him around while he explored the yard. She was content to stick with him for a while, until Scout caught her attention. Scout was chasing a ball around the yard. Poppy decided to head over and run around with him. I held the ball out for Poppy to sniff, and she got ready to race after it, when suddenly Scout came flying out of nowhere and snatched the ball up. He hurried off with Poppy on his tail. They didn't make it very far before Poppy was trotting back to me, as if I could magically produce another ball. I did find her another toy and Poppy pushed it around with her nose before she decided she would rather cuddle with me. I must have found just the right spot while petting her back as Poppy was dancing around with her back feet. She enjoyed a nice scratch behind the ears, also, before heading out to lounge around in the sun before we went inside.

Lola had a very exciting day today. She enjoyed a lovely walk this morning with her friends Justice and Tennya, and had so much fun racing around the trail with the two of them. Lola spent her day in the kitchen and whenever she wasn't outside, she was receiving plenty of attention from everyone going in and out. When it was her turn for groups, Lola raced down the hallway and hurried out the door to meet up with the other dogs. There were three other Goldens in her group and the bunch of them all wandered around each other and said hello. Then Lola and Henry ran off to explore the yard together. Henry really adored Lola and followed her everywhere while Lola happily sniffed around. Once Henry ran off, Lola bounded over to see me. She absolutely loves her cuddles! Lola sat down on top of my feet and snuggled right up against my legs. If I stopped petting her for any reason, Lola would nuzzle my hands until I kept petting her. She's such a sweetie. Once Lola was content with all of the cuddles, we headed over to see what her friends were doing. Lola played a bit with Achilles, and then it was time to head inside.

Henry is just a bundle of happy energy. All of the dogs love playing with him. Today, he met up with three other Golden Retrievers in his group and when Henry saw Lola it was love at first sight. He bounced up to her and started sniffing her face, giving her a lick on the nose, and followed her around with his tail wagging while Lola politely ignored his efforts. Eventually Henry decided he would find someone else and hurried over to cuddle with me for a bit. He was fascinated by the camera and I could hardly take any pictures without him trying to get his nose in the way! Once Henry had enough snuggles, he headed out to explore the yard. While sniffing around by the fence, he bumped into Molly and Paisley. Right away Henry pounced on Molly and the two of them went racing off together. Molly is very light on her feet and was spinning circles while Henry did his best to keep up. Paisley came bouncing over, having recruited another dog, Achilles. The group of them started running around the yard and Henry had so much fun tumbling around with his friends.

Keegan had such a good time outside today!  He played a little bit with a dog-named Pelley but was mostly interested in cuddling.  He came and sat right beside me on the picnic table and was more than happy to receive some pets.  He was glued to my hip for most of the time outside always there to steal some attention whenever there was time.  During his extra attention, Keegan got some well deserved liver treats and played some tug-o-war with a cow toy.  He put his head into the toy bin a few times to pick out a new treasure.  He would prance around with it showing it off to me in the playroom.  He went willingly back to his kennel for some rest after his big play. 

Bruno played quite a bit outside today.  He and a dog-named Keegan sniffed around the yard together smelling all the new scents.  He took a liking to a pug named Pearl today.  He was especially gentle with her and they walked around sniffing and occasionally playing the whole time.  He even tried to go back into her kennel when we were heading inside.  He also got some attention from me outside and was happy to have me chase him around the yard.  With the weather so nice today Bruno is very excited each time his group goes outside.

Bruno couldn’t wait to get to the playroom this morning for his extra attention and was wiggling and running back and forth before I opened the door to let him in. The first thing he saw was a cute little white teddy bear so he ran towards it and picked it up in his mouth before running over to show me. We played tug of war with it for a little while before he gave it up so I could throw it. He ran after it excitedly then sniffed it before coming back over to see me for some cuddles. I started petting his head and then he flopped over onto his side for me to give him some belly rubs. After that he ran over to another spot on the floor where he started rolling around for a little while, before coming back for some more cuddles with me. 

Pelley had a great time in the mud outside today.  As soon as we got outside she went straight for the puddles.  She stuck her whole head into each one making sure there was nothing at the bottom.  She also made sure to come over and give me some kisses right after with her face still dripping mud.  Pelley made food friends with a dog-named Flora.  She was even excited for her to be let out of her kennel.  She waited inside at the door until I let her out and wouldn’t go outside without her.  She tried very hard to get Flora to play with her but Flora was more intent on sniffing in the yard.  Pelley was a little let down at first but quickly became content walking alongside her. Early in the evening, Pelley and I spend some time together in the front reception area. Pelley started off by exploring the whole room, sniffing every inch of it. After, she noticed a long stuffy toy sitting on the chair and she leaped up to get it. She jumped off and dragged the toy down with her. Once it was on the ground, Pelley didn't think the toy was very interesting anymore. She walked over to behind the desk where I was sitting for a moment and she leaped up on my lap. She sat very quietly as I worked, and gently used her nose to sniff all the little things that were on the desk. 

Did Sophie W. ever have another energetic and wonderful day! She was always go go going as fast as she could and always found something to do. When it came to her outdoor play group she had a variety of new and old friends to play with. However she first needed to settle before I let her out because she was running circles around her kennel. She was definitely playing a game of twinkle toes as she waited for me to come get her. She bounced all over the place with anticipation before I finally got her. Once I let her outside she was just ecstatic. Sophie W. raced out the door like a bullet and quickly met her friends in the yard. I had brought out a few toys from inside that she soon became obsessed with. Sophie W. basically kept her eyes on the toys as much as she could. Once she had selected one, she was ready to play tug of war with whoever would join her. This continued for quite some time until Sophie wanted a new toy. I think Sophie must have gone through at least 10 toys whether it be a ball, rope toy, stuffy you name it she had it. The two of us played tug of war with a variety of different toys but Sophie W.'s favorite game was keep away. Even when I’d pretend to throw the ball, she'd race around the yard and would then somehow notice that I still had it. Sophie ended up quieting down a little bit and became more interested in the friends that were in her group. She loved sniffing and playing with anyone that would play with her. At one point, she and her friend Jynxx ended up in a quick game of tug-of-war over a toy pig. Eventually Sophie wanted some cuddles and treats which was how we decided to end the play group. She let me know whenever I wasn’t paying enough attention to her because she’d nudge me right in the leg and wait for me to begin petting her once again.

Oh boy is duke ever happy that he's back here at Tails and Trails! This morning he just couldn't wait to see what his walk had in store for him as he was waiting with his nose pressed right up against his kennel door. As soon as I opened the door to get him I was greeted with a big hug that almost knocked me over! Duke started bouncing all around me and soon enough he calmed down enough for me to put his leash on. Once we got outside Duke couldn't wait to meet a new friend. He raced out of the hallway and right up to his friends. After giving them a good overall sniff, Duke headed out into the field, always making sure that his friends were following him. For the most part of the walk Duke spent his time at the end of his leash trying to go as fast as he possibly could. He was definitely determined to go for a jog during this walk so it was quite a fast paced one at that! Every so often Duke would come say hi to me but just as soon as he'd get to me he'd take off like a bullet once again. By the end of his walk he was ready for a little morning nap. Duke was up and ready once again when it came time for his outdoor play group. He jumped up at his kennel with the same excitement as for his walk. When I let him out this time he made sure to take his time and sniff all of the new and old faces around him. Starting right from in the hallway Duke wouldn't let anyone pass by him without making sure that he had said hello to them first. He was a bit funny out in the yard for his group. He'd run to each and every girl in his group and just sniff them. He ended up doing this consistently for each girlfriend that he had in the group and there were a lot today! Duke got to spend the day with a whole bunch of our husky girls as well as a few other friends. I tried getting Duke to play with a couple toys but his main focus was the girls. Every so often he'd either come see me for a quick pet and made sure to always give me a kiss before he left.

Nymeria was quite a playful and loving little girl throughout day. Right from her first outing she made sure to give me kisses. As soon as I let her out, Nymeria ran up to me and gave me a kiss right on the nose before running outside. Once she got outside she made sure to greet her new best friends, all of our husky girls. She spent her entire morning outing following behind each of them and constantly trying to play tackle with one of them. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Nymeria came over to me for the remainder of her group so that we could cuddle. When it came time for Nymeria's big outdoor play group, she was just as playful as before. Of course once I let her out she made sure to give me a kiss before heading to see her friends. Once she got into the yard her playfulness was at an ultimate high. Nymeria trotted around the yard in search for her friend Vega. Once she found her it was game on as she ran up and play tackled her to the ground. The two of them were so cute playing together. She'd be lying on the ground while Nymeria bounced around her. When she wasn't playing with Vega, Nymeria enjoyed hanging out with her other husky friends for a little while. They didn't actually play much but Nymeria was just interested in following him around. Towards the end of the group, she came back over to me for some extra love. She ended up getting quite lucky as I brought a rope toy over for her to play with. The two of us played tug-of-war for quite some time before I gave up and let her have the toy. She raced around the yard with it in her mouth, waiting for me to join her in another quick game before it was time to go inside.

Nymeria was dancing with excitement when I went to get her for extra attention today. Since the weather is so nice, we headed to the leash out front so Nymeria could play outside. Once she was secured, Nymeria immediately started racing from tree to tree to check everything out. She found a pinecone and carried it around for a bit, before she discovered an actual toy. I tossed the Frisbee for her a few times. Then Nymeria decided it was time for cuddles and happily flopped over in the grass while I snuggled with her. 

Khal was a peppy boy throughout the day today. I was greeted this morning with a very handsome smile that was shone towards me as I went to say good morning, and this smile continued throughout the entire day. This morning, Khal went out on a nice walk with a new friend named Summit. Khal and Summit seem to be becoming best friends quite quickly. Even when I had simply brought Summit down the hallway, Khal was ready at his kennel door, waiting for me to let him out to see his new pal. Excited as could be, Khal greeted Sumit and off they went. The trail was still quite wet this morning but that didn’t slow Khal down in the slightest bit. Khal was quite happy to be splashing around in some of the deepest puddles. Every time he’d have just finished splashing around, he would pop up and race to the end of leash and try to convince me to join him for a run. When it came to his outdoor group, I was excited to spend some one on one time with Khal. After I got him completely wound up, the two of us went racing into one of the grass yards outside. Khal joined me for a short run around the yard before coming to snuggle up beside me. He was definitely interested in some extra love today and kept pawing at me for some extra petting. I gave Khal a good long head and chin scratch before he decided it was time for him to have a sniff around the yard. Khal immediately trotted off with his nose focused on only one thing; new spring scents. He made sure to sniff every part of the yard, from the rocks, many patches of grass, the fence line as well as any things else that he could find. Towards the end of his group time, I had Khal interested in a bright red ball that I had found in the yard but turns out he only wanted to sniff it and not actually chase after it.

Khal loved being a desk dog this afternoon. He sat very nicely beside me for a little while, with his head resting on the chair. I pet his head while he was sitting, and he even got a few liver treats for being such a good boy. Afterwards, we played in the reception area for a bit. Khal wasn't a huge fan of the toys, but instead he really wanted to go outside. We went for a short little walk out front in the grass. Khal didn't mind the rain at all so we walked for a good 10 minutes before coming back in. Khal got lots of cuddles before it was time to go back. 

Harlow and Rumple are the cutest cats and I couldn’t wait to go spend some time with both of them. Harlow got up immediately as I walked in the door and ran over to say hello while Rumple was still sleeping in the cat tree looking very relaxed. I sat down with Harlow and he came and rubbed himself against my leg before climbing up into my lap and settling down so that he could be pet. Rumple watched from above every now and then getting a chin scratch or ear scratches when he would wake from his nap. After a little while of relaxing with Harlow I took one of the toys out of the bin and started waving it around. He was so excited and started pawing it and chasing it around. Our time together ended with some more cuddles for both of them and then a catnap in the sun.