Farm life

August 21 – 26, we house-sat for friends. They have two dogs -- Mac, a Golden Retriever, and Mickey, a Duck Trolling Retriever. They both know us plus Mac played with Hershey three years ago, yet there seemed to be no remembrance between them. Mac and Mickey were not happy to have strange dogs invade their territory. While we were unlocking the house and turning off the alarm, their dogs began snarling and growling at us and our dogs. To avoid problems, we began a dog juggling routine of:
*Early evening arrival – close Mac and Mickey in the garage. Take our dogs on a walk/run around the property. Put our dogs in the mud room. Open the garage for Mac and Mickey to have free reign of the property.
*Bedtime – call Mac and Mickey and close them in the garage for the night. Allow our boys to have their potty time. Bedtime for them in the mud room.
*Morning – release our dogs for their morning run. Take them inside. Release Mac and Mickey.
*Departure in the morning – Close Mac and Mickey in the garage. Settle Hershey and Guinness into our car. Open the garage door for Mac and Mickey, and leave.

Upon arrival the second day, Mac and Mickey were smiling to see us. Still we did not want to chance a mug to mug encounter. They were visibly sad when we left the next morning.



Hershey and Guinness were ecstatic to have a huge farm property for endless running. We had a daily routine of making a large circle around the house before going to the mud room.


Tuesday night, after their bedtime potty run, Hershey exhibited behavior we had never witnessed before: he absolutely refused to come when called! He stood staring at us with a stone-faced expression. We had to drag him into the house! I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I considered that he loved the farm so much that he wanted more running time. Thursday evening there was no doubt what was causing Hershey’s resistance. He was very unhappy being confined in the mud room! The beautiful ceramic tile floor, Oriental carpet at the door, and blooming hibiscus plants on the counter did not impress him. He escaped from me, ran to the kitchen, and lay down between the table and windows. Wouldn’t you love to lie on the floor between this table and windows?


As we were preparing to move out Friday morning, we tried one more dog encounter. Mac and Mickey were much friendlier this time. Mickey and Guinness became instant buddies, running and rolling all over. Mac and Hershey were benign about the whole thing. Guinness found a dead bird. My husband exclaimed, and I saw feathers hanging out of Guinness's mouth. It had to be a small bird, such as a sparrow, as it was totally encased in his mouth. Without a leash trailing him, it is impossible to catch this little villian. He ran into the garage and started eating out of Mac and Mickey's food bucket, so he had swallowed the bird with one big gulp yet was still hungry. Typical lab! I wonder if we will see the bird again…



He loves stealing this bird out of my geranium. Maybe that is what gave him the idea that a bird is edible.