Back to the Dog Park

I tell ya, these nice days make it hard to stay home and get stuff done. That dog park and Bella's reaction while we are there are like a magnet drawing me away from home and responsibilities.

I have to tell you that I figured out that Bella rides better in the middle seat of the van than in the "shotgun" seat. She sat down and panted all the way there but she didn't squirm around and act all crazy like when she's in the front. I had to juggle a bit to get all three dogs in today as I was lone dog handler.

Mocha and Te'a went in first and then I carried Bella out of the car. She walked, low, all the way to the gate but went in by herself - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (angel choir). I unhooked her leash and we were off.

There was a pack of people and dogs huddled there. Bella ran into the middle of it like a bowling ball on a strike path. Dogs were jumping. Dogs were wagging. Dogs were smiling.

Today I had an experience with Bella at the dog park that hasn't happened before. There were four different people who were curious about her breed - FOUR! When I told them that she was a Bearded Collie, one guy just about collapsed on the ground.

He was chosing a new dog and his choices were between a Beardie and a Wheaten Terrier. Currently, he has a Wheaton, whose name is....drumroll.....Bella. I told him that as long as he already had one Bella...

He promptly said no.

I am encouraged by this. It means that she's showing enough positive interaction with other dogs to generate curiousity. Because of her behavior, people think that she is a younger dog. One of the men there asked how much bigger she would get. I said, she's about 3 1/2. She's done growing. Her hair will grow out but she's structurally as big as she will get.

She also exhibits a lot of puppy behavior, which in my opinion, is a great thing. This tells me she is going back to the beginning and starting over. There's a line from a Jimmy Buffett song that says, "It's never too late to make a brand new start." ("Knees of my Heart", Riddles in the Sand 1984). And that is just what Bella is doing. She drops down low on her front paws, wags and licks the lower jaws of the large to medium dogs. With the little bitty guys she pretty much lays on the ground and does the same thing. When she greets those Great Danes, she stands on her tippy toes and does the same.

After she's greeted everyone she comes right back to me. She wags and she smiles and she puts her mouth over my outstretched hand. Yes, smiles. It's in her eyes and her whole body. She's right there with me. I don't know, Lori, I haven't succombed to foster failure yet but this one may come close.

So that was our day. The dogs are exhausted. Well, Mocha and Bella are. I'm sure Te'a would be all in if I got the Flinger and a tennis ball out. Mocha is laying on the couch in here near me and Bella is in the other room by the kids watching "Wheel of Fortune". So far she's two for two.

And yes, those of you who were at the dog park with me when I described her as a potted plant here at home, she's right back to that. Scott had to carry her in there and one of us will carry her to the door to take them outside later.

Hi too to Julie and Cricket. Julie is another Fluffy Dog Foster Mom and Cricket is her doggie. So cute! She is a Designer Spaniel. Which by my definition is a mix of several different spaniels (cocker and springer) and a little dachshound (no pun intended) thrown in for good measure.

Hope you had a chance to get out and enjoy this gorgeous day! Enjoy 'em people there may not be many left before the s*^% flies.

Hi to my new readers too! Thanks for reading!!