The wife promised Magdalena a trip to the dog park and as this afternoon was decent weather-wise we went.
Major Tom and Sirocco raised their voices in protest as they didn’t get to go. We’ll get them there another day. I’m sure most of the neighborhood would have preferred we took them today give all the howling and wailing going on.
Magdalena didn’t trust me at first when I told her to go outside to the back yard. She just sat in the living room looking at me like I was trying to trick her. I didn’t want to get the harness and leash out until she was outside because I knew Major Tom and Sirocco would have a fit the second they saw the leash. Ultimately I had to get the harness and leash before I could get Magdalena out the back door. That was when Major and Sirocco launched into the aforementioned howling and wailing. They charged the door with her and I had to hold them back as I got her out the door. I gave them both a treat for their pain and anguish. They accepted the treats but let me know it was insufficient to getting to go out on a mid-day walk.
Fortunately Magdalena rides well in the car. Once I got her in, she sat down and rode quietly all the way to the dog park.
There were two other dogs in the park when we first arrived. Magdalena spent some time exploring and reading pee-mail before approaching the dogs. When she did, one of the dogs came over to her, getting into that yoga ‘downward dog’ position dogs do when they want to play. Magdalena just ignored the dog and kept meandering. She walked around with the other dogs but wouldn’t play. She plays with Major Tom and Sirocco all the time. Maybe because the dogs at the park were closer to her size she didn’t want to play?
She spent a lot of time walking around the park, with the other dogs, or by herself. A third dog joined the group soon after we had arrived but still no playing.
It wasn’t until a few minutes before we decided to leave that Magdalena approached one of the other dogs and tried to play. She jumped and ran in circles around the dog,
but by that point, the other dog wasn’t having any of it.
There were several buckets of water around the park and several water fountains. I tried to get Magdalena interested in them but she wouldn’t drink out of anything at the park. We packed it in and came home.
After telling Major Tom and Sirocco about her adventure, she went and guzzled most of the water from her bowl. It reminded me of a Beverly Cleary story about Ribsy the dog. Ribsy was in a competition, getting all hot and tired but wouldn’t drink any wter. Henry Huggins, Ribsy’s boy, said Ribsy wouldn’t drink out of anything that wasn’t his. Ultimately Ribsy won the competition, got a large cup trophy, and Henry filled it with water ad gave him a drink from it. Ribsy guzzled the water, prompting Henry to say “I told you Ribsy wouldn’t drink out of anything that wasn’t his own.” Or something like that.
Strange how stories stay with you that way. I haven’t thought of that story in decades.
Hug your furbabies if you got ’em, my Hordeling.
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