Halloween hike with Paisley

It's been looking like rain for more of the day than it's actually been raining. Still, it was wet enough to put off most of the dogs from wanting a lot of outdoor time. Della seems to believe that she's so sweet that she'll be in danger of melting if she goes out in the rain. They've all been pretty content indoors all day, but I was bored and needing to stretch my legs. I wasn't up for a training walk with one of the pups, I just wanted a nice walk. The most eager and willing volunteer was Paisley. Besides, she had been rolling in something nasty, so I figured it wouldn't hurt if she got wet, maybe some of it would wash off.

We ended up going three miles and it really only sprinkled on us for the last mile or so. It was good bonding time with Paisley. I practiced touching her as we walked. She's fine with me at least 85% of the time, but acts like a freak for that other 15%. I think she's the new Max. I can't fix her, but we can learn to live with her and her demons. 

Most of the wildflowers are done, but there's still plenty of color.

The sumac seemed particularly bright and colorful against all the muted earth tones.

Cleanup in Candyland

The Halloween candy family of pups have been living in just half of Daneland because Paisley and Kinley were using the other half during the day. But Kinley has been inside since she was spayed last week and I stopped putting Paisley outdoors during the day because it became difficult to get her in at night. The side that the puppies have been on had become difficult to keep clean because of all the leaves and sticks on the ground. 

Today I opened the divider and gave the puppies and their parents the full space. I raked up most of the area they had been using to make it easier to scoop poop. I also cleaned up a lot of limbs from the birch trees that had come down in last winter's snow and ice storm. I swept out the shed and washed all the blankets, which they had dragged outside into the dirt. I think I'm going to keep the door closed on the shed from now on to retain heat and keep them from dragging the blankets outside. They will have to learn to use the doggie door if they want in and out during the day. 

Spending time with them was the primary benefit of the day. Even Twizzler is coming around me quite readily now, seeking out touch and attention. At this point KitKat is the only holdout and he's becoming more approachable at least, but he still tends to keep his distance. I reunited Twix (the doggie daddy) with the group today was well. He had been inside since being neutered last week. Two more of them have surgery on Tuesday.

That's Pixie with the ball, Twizzler in the rear and KitKat in the middle.

Turtle and momma Reese

They enjoyed playing in the new open space.

Reese and Twizzler

This is Twix, the doggie daddy. They were glad when he rejoined them today.

Pixie

Twix

Twizzler coming up for some attention.

Twizzler and Turtle

Pixie and Twizzler

Action shots

I'm very happy to see Twizzler coming around like this.

KitKat can't be far behind.

That's Turtle in the back, Pixie on the left, and Twizzler on the right.

Here's a couple of videos of other dogs playing while I was inside Daneland with the pups. It's mainly Kinley (Saint Bernard), Reyna (white German Shepherd) and little Elvis. Della breaks it up at the end of the second video.

A very doggie day

It was a very doggie day. 

I took Pixie and momma Reese over to Green Dogs early afternoon. Pixie met a potential foster home and Reese met a cat. Both meetings went well and they met other dogs that they weren't related to for the first time as well. Both dogs were very good with it all.

Pixie

Reese

She wanted nothing to do with the cat. 

I had to force the meeting and she just wanted to avoid it.

Della came along with us for this meeting and afterwards I took all three dogs on a hike at Pleasant Grove. That was a first for the two fosters. Even being on a leash was a first for these dogs. We covered 3.25 miles but it felt like more to me because of all the leash wrangling. It was a beautiful day to be out there but it wasn't exactly a nice easy stroll through the woods. The foster girls didn't really pull, but they didn't know how to walk on a leash or on a trail. After the first two miles they seemed to get the hang of it and the last mile or so was pretty good. It was good exercise for them and even more so for me, but I needed it. Della was very tolerant of them, but I think she'd prefer to walk with Maya, Elvis, or about anyone else.

When we got to Sparky's Watering Hole, Della walked through the shallow part as she always does, stopped and had a quick drink. The two fosters waded right into the deep part and were taken by surprise by how deep it was. They came out soaked from their shoulders down, but they shook it off and dried pretty quickly.

We all enjoyed the walk much more once they got the hang of it. Leash walking is a skill in itself, and trail walking is a further development of that skill. They needed to learn that they need to stick to the trail and particularly need to not walk around trees near the trail. I tried to keep the leashes over my shoulders so they wouldn't get it under their legs, but they seemed determined to wrap my legs up and trip me for quite a while. 

We were all pretty tired after this and could have happily called it a day, but I got another message from Erika asking me to bring Pixie over again along with Turtle. She sweetened the offer by saying that I'd have the chance to see former foster Olivia who was in a class there this afternoon. I loaded up a very tired Pixie again, plus Turtle, and the white shepherd, Reyna, and off we went.

Olivia was very happy to see me and showed it by jumping all over me.

I like that and never mind it from former fosters, even if owners and trainers try to discourage it.

She looked great and very happy.

Pixie, left, and Turtle, right.

It was Turtle's first time going anywhere and first time on a leash as well.

He barfed in the crate on the way home. I need to start getting them all out more.

When we got back home I had the pleasant surprise of seeing former foster Maddie (formerly Callie/Allie) and her new kid sister Quinnlynne, who had been with us for a week a while back. Maddie was very happy to see me. Quinnly has really grown and she is growing up to be a big and beautiful girl. Their owner had brought them over for a run on the our pasture trails while we were away. I had known they were coming but had managed to forget so it was a nice surprise to see them when I got home.

Look at the legs on this girl!

Maddie and Della had co-existed when she was here, but both girls consider themselves

to be rulers of the demesne, so they no longer get along. I got "the nose" from Della after loving on Maddie, but she forgives my indiscretions.

That's it for Saturday, it was a big day. I fed the dogs, cooked myself a steak for dinner, and we should all sleep well tonight.