Flying Poodles

Playing at the Dog Park

Yesterday the dogs and I spent about an hour and a half playing at the dog park. It’s just a big hayfield, mowed around the edges and fenced in, but they love to race and chase through the tall grass. We met friends there–two airedales and a black lab (and their people). The lab is a former guide dog trainee who didn’t make the cut, and has a charming disposition and follows close. But she jumped up on me yesterday when I wasn’t looking, and I yelled at her furiously without thinking, and now I feel guilty for it. I suppose, though, that she was just being a dog–they do like to greet their friends with a quick lick on the face!–and I was just being a person–we do like to use words when a more subtle gesture would be clearer to the dog!

The dogs spent the rest of the day deeply asleep. It’s been a while since they got that much exercise. I spent the rest of the day having lunch with a friend, going to physical therapy, and driving my son to the airport. It was a nice chance to talk to him, even though the winter rains have arrived (so much for our lovely sunny weather) and the driving was bad.