Molly's Lifef

     Living with Molly has been an adventure from day one.  She may have been the calmest pup in the shelter, just sitting there, watching the world go by. (She never once stood up when we walked past her kennel.) But her personality shinned after a few weeks.  As soon as she was released from her confines of the kennel, she zoomed around S and I.  She was licking us and wagging her tail and generally happy.  We clipped the leash on her and of course she pulled.  She tried getting in the trash in the office at Woodward while we were filling out the paperwork.  When we got outside, he headed right for the truck (even though we tried to get her to potty.  Her gas was something awful!)  As soon as S opened the truck door she jumped right in like she belonged.  She stayed in the back seat of the truck and fussed a little when we had to run into Walmart to buy a few supplies for her.  Then we went to Atwoods to get some things that we had seen there earlier, like a dog bed, treats, and toys.  S gave her a treat when he got out and she buried it in the back of the truck.
  She laid down and slept for the hour and a half car ride home.  We stopped once to let her out when she started to whine.  As soon as we got to the house she perked up and jumped out of the truck with us and ran straight for the front door.  We let her in and off she went exploring.  We didn't realize she wasn't house trained until a day or so later.
     Our second day of having her, I had to go work at the t-shirt shop, so she stayed home with S.  When it came time for me to get off work, he asked Molly, "Do you want to go get Momma?" and he said that she ran straight to the front door when he said that so she got to ride to the shop with him.
     Over time, we started taking Molly out to pastures and Coldwater Lake on Sundays.  She had so much energy and I quickly found out that there was no walking her around town. She tried to chase cars, went berserk at dogs, and even went ballistic over people that were walking too.  I tried various times to walk her and found a few times of the day that I could get her walked going down a dirt road that didn't put her over threshold as often.  She loved going and seeing the goats along the path., though she wasn't allowed to bark at them or hassle them.  When she went out to the pasture, she got to run as fast as she wanted and dig and explore.  One hot day we tried to get her in the horsetank to cool off.  She was thinking about it, but couldn't figure out how to get herself in there.  We picked her up and put her in.  She came out.  Then she went and played in the mud and cow pies near the tanks and got dirty, so back into the tank we threw her.  After about the third time, she decided she liked being in the tank and begged us to put her in.  She still couldn't figure out how to get in there herself though.  Thus started her love of swimming.
     That summer we had enough rain that a pond developed in one of th pastures so we took her to it to see what she would do.  She explored the new pasture then went running to the edge of the pond.  She got her feet wet then started playing around the edge.  We had brought her ball so we threw it and into the water she went to get it.  We took her out to that  pond for weeks before it dried up.  She would get so excited that she was shake as soon as she saw the water.
     By then it was fall and we still wanted to take her out on Sundays to do stuff.  We started taking her to Coldwater lake.  She about had a fit when she saw how big that lake was.  We let her out and she did zoomies all around us and ran out into the lake and swam and ran back to us and zoomed some more and swam more.  We also started taking her Geocaching with us she she helped us find the first cache in the woods at Coldwater Lake.  We took her to Clark County Lake once too but she didn't like it as much.  She like roaming the cliffs and was vertical at one point climbing on them, but she didn't want to get into the water because the land didn't slope into it.
     For now, while S is out of town, Molly and I play ball and frisbee.  I also let her play with the dogs in the neighborhood.  Of course we do training too and I play hide and seek with her.  What are some of the things you and your dog do?  Do you go hiking, play ball, compete in agility or other events?  Let us know in the comments!

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, it's Valentine's Day or so I hear.  I have no idea what it means.  From what I can tell, it means that some strange woman comes to our door and mom won't let me get to her to run her off.  This woman gives my mom a half dozen roses and some weird red thing that makes noises.  Dad was all happy when she got the stuff and showed her how to make the red thing sing.  It sang some song called, "Hunka Burning Love".  I'll admit, I was entranced by it at first.  I stood against the table looking at it, then sat on the floor and was cocking my head, contemplating the thing.  Dad said it was a dragon.  I have no idea what they are, but I wasn't aware that they were small and sang!  Then mom took the ribbon off the package the "dragon" came in and put it around my neck.  She didn't tie it on tight, so it stayed there until I had an itch.  This week has been the norm basically.  I get my daily walks, though didn't get the one this morning...Dad told Mom to stick close to home for a "special delivery".  I guess it was that stuff that woman brought.  Sunday was my day to see the calf.  I got to ride in Dad's truck there, then went under the corral some and barked at the calf.  I really wanted to see what Dad had put in the trough.  Then Dad said he needed to put another bale in there, so we went to the shop and got in his work truck.  It was WAY taller and harder to get into than his personal one.  I managed to get in though and enjoyed finding all the new smells in there.  I really enjoyed the smell of cow crap.  We went back out to the calf and picked up the bale with the truck then we DROVE INTO THE PEN WITH THE CALF!  I couldn't believe my luck.  I got to be in the pen with the calf!  Granted, I had to stay in the truck while that happened.  After all that, we went back home.  Monday was Mom's birthday.  She came home carrying a bunch of those flower things.  I was impatient to go out and she had to set them outside so I could go do my business.  I wouldn't leave her alone either.  Hehe.  Mom did teach me to "Shake" this week.  And today, while Dad was home for lunch, he let me off leash in the yard.  I think it was because he was tired of me playing with my leash instead of doing my business.  I did my business after he took the leash off then ran around the yard like crazy.  It was very freeing.  I mostly minded and came back when called, but I got a little brave towards the end.  I ran back behind the garage and disappeared.  Dad and Mom called for me and I ignored them.  They go and look and I'm in the yard next door.  I come when Dad called, but wasn't done running, so I ran full blast across the alley to Tucker's house.  I wanted to play with him.  He sneaks out of his yard sometimes and once came over here when I was out and played with me.  I peeked through the fence at him but all he would do was bark at me and wag his tail.  Dad tried calling me, but I ignored him, so he had to go over and get me.  I happily followed them back into the house after that though.  Tonight I'm going to get to play with my Kong again.  Mom just put it in the freezer a few minutes ago.  She put some turkey gravy in there then mixed my dog food in the gravy and with some peas and put that in there, then she put it in the freezer.  I'll get it either when they eat supper or head to bed.  Man, was I drooling though while I watched her make it and put it up.  I left a trail of slobber on the floor!  Mom teased me about that.  Anyway, I guess I've written enough for today!  I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day!