So Long Jessie

Our friend Jessie went home yesterday. For his last day here we ventured back to the dog park, where Jake, Mollie, Gypsy and I had a surprise in store for him.

We arrived and went through our normal departure from the truck ritual, excited dogs flying out the back, smelling every fence post in sight and scampering to the gate. With me working at every turn to calm this pack to a WAIT; I go through the gate first followed closer then comfort by four unruly dogs. Once in the chute we repeat this upheaval until the second gate is opened and out they fly like a group of Thoroughbreds at the Derby! So much for pack discipline, but I try!

The dog park held it's own surprises today; mud and puddles, soft squishy grass, more mud, more puddles. A grand dog park greeting party was waiting for us as they sprang through the gate; three Boxers, one Lab and a very silly Pit. Now these five dogs were competing in a lively game of race through the puddles, crash through the mud then run in a large circle around the small dog fenced area. At each of the corner post was a great puddle to charge through.

Jessie and Mollie where up for the challenge and quickly joined the game. Jake was more then up for the mud and race portion, but his guy really doesn't like to place a foot in water and will avoid it at all cost! To compensate his lack of water racing, he performed his jumps and spins which the Lab found greatly entertaining. NOTE: I really need to get a better camera to capture these maneuver!Gypsy was having her own dainty little party following the cutest little Poodle, complete with sweater-vest, these two little ladies confined themselves to higher ground. Whew, one less dirty dog to clean.

So here we stayed while we waited for Jessie's surprise, the longer we waited the more the game became jump in the puddles. The silly Pit was actually rolling in them, her poor Lady would shutter with every roll! That Pit was a real mess! With mud and dirty water flying everywhere Jessie's surprised arrived...........Peter, his man!

Jessie was playing so hard he never even saw Peter writing out his parking pass. All the while Peter just keep looking at me with complete and utter dread, what a muddy dog and cold day he had flown into from 12 days in sunny California! After a quick shoe change Peter stepped over the fence and quietly leaned against a post. Watching and waiting for the right moment he finally said "Jessie, did you miss your Dad?" Jessie turned and bolted to that familiar voice with the greatest dog wiggle and wag you could ever hope to see.

I think we accomplished our surprise, he was one happy dog!