Tails & Trails Pet Journal

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

2012-02-09T10:26:00.000-08:00

The sun is out and the beautiful weather is back - let's hope for good!

Mocha in particular seems to be absolutely loving it outside today, we've never seen her more energetic and playful! She lead the way the entire time on her walk, pulling Blondie and Chloe along, eager to explore. When she went out with her group she didn't want to come back inside, she was having too much fun. It was a little game of chase to convince her to come in, but once in the playroom she was content just relaxing on the bed with Blondie.

Sidney and Nestor are very thankful for the warmth. The two of them are sometimes reluctant to go outside in the winter, but not today! They were lined up at their kennel door and didn't need to be asked twice - they leaped up and out to go sunbathe outside.

Cooper and Lucky were on sniff patrol on their walk together today. Cooper was zigzagging the trail, stopping to sniff every single tree along the way. Lucky was more focused on the trail, stopping only occasionally to sniff and mark what seemed to be specific trees before moving along again.

Lexy was at first hanging out with Chevy and his crew for groups but Chevy was being a little too rough for Lexy's liking today so we moved her to a group of low key playful dogs. This is where Lexy met Teddy and they really hit it off. Within seconds they were play bowing and bouncing from side to side trying to engage each other, ready to play.

Winston is such a sweet boy, it's easy to see in his big loving eyes that he wants nothing more than to please. He wags his entire body when he is praised, and almost has a smile on his face, he's so happy to know he's a good boy! He met Kizmet today during groups and at first they got along fine but then they had a wee spat so we switched up the groups a bit and all was well again. Kizmet seemed very concerned about what happened and when I bent down to offer reassurance he gave me what I can only describe as a hug. He wrapped his big head around my neck and nuzzled himself right in. I love moments like this with the dogs!

Zoey is having a riot with her group today. She is hanging out with Ben, Chevy, Sam and Tycho. Chevy has met his match in Zoey that's for sure. For ever bit of energy he exerts, Zoey exerts twice as much! She is doing a fine job of tuckering everyone out in this posse. And did I mention she is like a contortion queen?! I have never seen a dog who can twist themselves almost in half. It gives her an advantage when she is wrestling with the dogs, and it surprised Ben, which doesn't happen often. He was chasing after her, giving her playful nips, when all of a sudden Zoey twisted around while in mid stride, ducked her head under Ben's belly and flipped him over. It was absolutely hilarious!

Sam had a great walk with Bailey this morning. Bailey usually likes to be lead dog, but with all the snorting and huffing Sam was doing poor Bailey wasn't sure what to think. I'm guessing Bailey has never met a Bulldog before and Sam is somewhat of an enigma to some of our guests. He's really friendly, has this "ah, whatever" attitude and is not easily intimidated.

I was outside chipping ice away from the gates when the little dog group was out playing. Spencer is such a curious critter. I had to put my shovel down because if when he wasn't jumping up on me, he was chasing after the bits of ice that were sent flying after being struck by the shovel. I was worried that he was going to get hurt.

Scout is cute as a button! I love how when you crouch down and tap your legs, she comes sailing through the air into your waiting arms. I think she was extra happy to see the sun today because when it was time to come in she wanted to stay outside. Once in the play room, she perched herself in a sunny patch on the floor and squinted happily up at the window.

When its time for Sandy to go for her morning walk, she turns into a puppy. She can barely contain her excitement. She is a smart one too! When you place her harness over her head she automatically lifts her paw so as to assist you in putting it on. Some dogs are all about routine and something like putting a harness on, becomes second nature.

Max and Barley are still sharing a play group. They have grown to be really good buddies. They greet each other within seconds of hitting the yard by boxing and tumbling over one another. They will circle each other a couple of times, separate to take care of their business and then meet up again for some re-greeting!

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

2012-02-09T10:20:00.000-08:00

Well its definitely a tad cooler today then it was yesterday but walks were great just the same.

Sometimes walks give us a great opportunity to pair up and introduce dogs who wouldn't normally get to meet. Walks on the leash offer a whole different dynamic then a group play setting would. Dogs who may not be a good suit to play together, get along fabulously during a walk on the leash. Take Mishka and Max for example. These two dogs are both great dogs. Friendly and playful in their own rite but personality wise they would never be placed in the same play group. However on their walk this morning they got along wonderfully. Max realized quickly that Mishka is 'boss hog', respected that and fell into step behind her. Off the leash this would have quite possibly been a different story.

Teddy and Kizmet are having a grand ole day! They are loving their play time outside today. They met up with Buddy, Meiko, Ginger and Dolan for groups. Buddy and Kizmet hit it off from the get go. Buddy is a wee bit older then these guys but was up for some friendly play especially with Kizmet trying so eagerly to engage him with play bows and belly rolls. Teddy meanwhile was playing a game of tag with Dolan and Kizmet, noticing their fun, couldn't help but join in! Dolan tired quickly of the game though and soon started barking at the presidential door to be let in.

Ginger joined Meiko and Buddy today for daycare. Meiko and Buddy are enthusiastically showing Ginger the ropes. Ginger seems to be settling in just fine. Enjoying the fresh air outside and meeting some new dogs. She really likes when we give her a scratch behind the ears and has figured out that emitting a little whine while standing beside us will garner her some loving.

Cooper and Sandy were paired up for their morning walk and had a fantastic time together. Cooper goes full bore when we are out on the trail, while Sandy likes to stop and smell the roses so to speak. They are also in the same play group so they are not strangers to each other. Cooper and Lucky have been having a blast during play time. Racing all over and practically tripping over one another in their zest to see who is faster! They make a cute pair.

Spencer is doing well. Settling in quite nicely, he still has a moment or two of anxiety during the day but is becoming more and more comfortable with each passing day. He has a great time with his group when its play time and is always eager for his morning walk. Spencer loves praise and will jump happily onto your lap if you invite him to.

Lexy and Oscar are hanging out with Tycho today for group time. The three of them are always so happy to get out and run around. Always one upping each other, they race, tumble and wrestle from one end of the yard to the other. Absolutely no playing occurs till they all have crossed through the door way into the yard. Who ever makes it out first always stops and waits, not so patiently, for the rest of the posse to get outside.

Sidney and Nestor, both donning warm little jackets, were happy to get up and stretch their wee legs this morning. No sooner had their paws touched down in the snow did they both drain their bladders and turn around to come back in. However with a bit of coaxing we got them to go for a stroll and soon the pair were zipping along the beaten down path.

Scout is always excited to go out and play with her group. She listens really well and has the routine here down pat! When its time to come back in for some quiet time, Scout always heads straight to her kennel and stands patiently waiting for one of us to open the gate. What a smart little critter!

Wrigley has taken over for Timber this week. Where there are bits of kibble left behind, you will find Wrigley happily gobbling them up! There never is more then a couple of bits but that's enough for his nose and stomach to lead him to.

Bailey, Marley and Barley are quite the trio! Bailey begins to play before he has ever hit the yard, while Marley is very vocal about going outside. And Barley who used to be skittish around the doors has now taken to run in a full sprint straight out said door! Once they all hit the yard there is a lot of sniffing, jumping from side to side and yipping in greeting to one another. They are such a playful bunch.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

2012-02-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

The weather was great for the dogs today and they really enjoyed their morning walks.
Molly was accompanied by one of our huskies, Tycho and they had so much fun galavanting in the snow and exploring the path.
Coal was paired up with another black lab, Wrigley, and didn't need introductions, they were ready to go outside and play right away!After that playful duo I took out Teddy and Kizmet who were a dream to walk!They were very anxious to get out but surprisingly calm once we got going, Teddy would stop often to check out the birds in the trees.
Georgie and Shae are so cute to watch playing outside, they are constantly running after one another, wrestling and everytime I let them out they sprint to meet up with each other, pratically attached by the hip!Sandy is getting along really well with the Sandy is getting along really well with the smallerdogs;
Lucky, Sidney, Nestor, Gretchen, Cooper, Spencer, Scout, Sandy, Toby and Zoey.
Scout, Zoey, and Toby are the quieter ones of the group but you can't tell when they get outside, they run around with everyone and look like they are enjoying the company outdoors for play time. Lucky and Cooper are so full of energy and always help me out with the other dogs by leading them back to the door where I am, my little helpers! Spencer is also quite energetric and really loves affection, I try to say hello as much as I can. Gretchen I usually bring to the front to roam around, let her go to the washroom,and stretch, much more peaceful there for her! Bailey, Marley,and Max are doing nothing but racing each other as soon as I open the door to the yard. They are all very well trained and when I let them know it's time to come in they listen without hesitation. On the other hand, Barley and Tommi never want to come inside! It's a great thing though, they have been playing with a bone all day, and when they aren't sharing that they are wrestling with eachother, becoming VERY good friends I sense!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

2012-02-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

When Molly and Tycho met Brie and Shae, they were all over each other! That's a lot of energy to encounter first thing in the morning. But after a minute they both loosened up and started playing too. Molly was even giving Shae some kisses.

Flanders is a very calm, low-key dog, but this morning on his walk with Bridie, he was being a crazy dog! Although, near the end, he started getting a little tired and found himself taking a nap in the snow.

Tatoo is so handsome with his new hair cut and shampoo. He is having a wonderful time with all the boys, but was a bit intense with Malley. Once we gave him a time out, he was back and ready to go.
Teddy and Goergina were hanging outside today by themselves. I tried to get them both to play catch with Malley but that didn't seem to interest them too much. But when I brought them all in the playroom they were both joining in with the others.

I took Lucky, Scout and Cooper for a walk this morning. Scout was ready to come inside - it was a bit chilly today. She and Lucky had a special tooth brushing session at lunch. Lucky has to like having his teeth brushed more than any dog we know.

Cooper is getting along so well, it's hard to believe he was every hesitant or anxious. Boy, he fits in so well and loves his routine. He had a bit of eye gunk so we're doing some ointment and he is such a good boy!
All the weiners, Sydney, Nester and Gretchen weren't too thrilled to be going outside today. Even though they all ad their little coats on they stood by the door while waiting to come back inside. But when they got in the playroom they seemed a little more happy than they did. Even when we take Gretchen out of a quick pee out front, she can't wait to finish up and get warm again, except this evening, when she was on the scent of something! She makes rich, grunty sounds as she takes in all the smells along the front pathway.

Spencer is always super happy and he is getting used to be patient for attention. More often than not now, he's relaxed and cozy in his comforter, instead of being anxious for attention. And boy, is his appetite good now.
Sandy decided to take a little time to herself today and went to the farthest corner of the yard to lay down for some me time. It gave me quite a scare at first when I didn't see her, but she just got up and trotted along cheerfully.

Toby and Zoey we're both very happy today and were playing alot inside and out. I couldn't them them to share though!

Friday, February 03, 2012

2012-02-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

What a great Friday here at Tails & Trails. Its a busy day today but things are running smoothly.

Sandy and Flanders were the first dogs out of the gate for a morning walk today. Sandy was quite pleased to meet a new friend and walked happily behind Flanders the entire way around the trail. Flanders took a break from our stroll twice to get down and have a grand ole roll in the snow. When he was done he had a huge white beard that would of made Santa jealous.

Next up were Bailey and Wrigley. These two were quite the pair this morning. Bailey was all about going full steam straight ahead, while Wrigley wanted nothing more than to stop and smell every twig that poked its end through the snow. Oh well, it wasn't freezing out today so it was good for Bailey to have a lesson in patience.

Archie is having a great first day in daycare today. His first walk was with Sam, one of our regulars. They got along fabulously. Then for group play we decided to ease Archie into the routine here by introducing him to our group of little dogs. Cooper and Lucky were the first to greet him at the door. It was a very warm reception, for a very friendly dog.

Toby arrived this morning and is also enjoying his time with the little dog group. Toby, Scout and Maggie made some fast introductions and then they were off to play. Maggie was eager to tour the yard with her new pal and the two were inseperable for the remainder of group play.

Sidney and Nestor got into the indoor play room and found a small patch of sunlight, which they stopped, dropped and rolled in. It looked as though Sidney had an itchy back, flailing around on the floor with all fours up in the air. It was a sight to see!

One of our big dogs groups was a big sniff-fest as most of the dogs were just meeting each other for the first time. Teddy, Kismet and Bridie were the most playful of them all, playbowing and pouncing on each other like they'd known each other their whole lives! Bridie then decided a good game of tag with Shae was in order, and the two of them chased around the yard at 100mph. Unable to outrun her new Greyhound friend, she laid her exhausted self in the snow to cool down for a bit.

Tommi is quite the popular girl in her group! Max immediately took a liking to her and chased her around, then shortly after, Marley gaught a glimpse of the pretty girl and took chase as well. The three of them tore up the yard and loved every minute of it!

Tatoo enjoyed some quality one-on-one time with Theresa today. She paid him a visit in his kennel and he was very glad to get the extra attention.

Malley and Georgina went on their walk together today, and what a pleasant pair they were! They wanted nothing more than a nice stroll, which was very enjoyable both for them and their walker.

Molly, Lexy and Chevy had themselves a little relay race outside today! First Molly found a bone outside which she chewed happily upon until she saw Lexy and Chevy playing tag, so she dropped the bone and joined in. Then Chevy, seeing the bone lying there, grabbed it and took off. After a while he too left the bone once again up for grabs. Next was Lexy's turn to snag it.. it was neverending fun for these three!

Spencer is feeling more at ease these days. He was a bit anxious the first few days he was here, but he's finally relaxing and enjoying his time here alot more.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

2012-02-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful Thursday it is today. The sun is shining, the wind died right down and walks were wonderful!

Tatoo and Flanders had a great stroll in the back woods this morning. They got along really well, in fact Tatoo was so happy to be out and on the go that it got Flanders all excited, to the point that Flanders actually was running and frolicking in the deep snow!

When it was time for groups Tatoo joined Flanders, Bridie, Wrigley and Tanner for some low key fun. Tanner took a liking to Bridie instantly. He was play bowing with her and hopping from side to side. Tatoo thought this looked like great fun so he joined in and next thing you know they were all playing tag around the play structure out in the yard! Wrigley was too busy checking out every fence post to play with them but when they came inside to the play room upfront, Tatoo and Wrigley had a ball. They were wrestling on the floor and boxing with each other.

Georgina wanted so badly to play with Dolan but Dolan isn't always interested in playing. He likes his group time but is more interested in gathering info with his nose and watching the antics of the others. When he saw Georgina coming towards him he would run off to the other side of the building, Georgina chased after him a couple of times then got tired of the 'chase' and decided to go check Buddy out. Buddy was happy to meet a new dog as Meiko had taken a keen interest in Malley and I think Buddy was f
eeling a tad left out.

Malley loves to play ball with any one who is willing. He isn't picky either. It can be a tennis ball, soccer ball or basketball.., he'll chase it until your arm gets tired. Meiko didn't want to play ball but was happy to follow Malley while he played! Malley is really agile and fast so it didn't take long for Meiko to tire out. By the time Malley had the ball back to us and we had thrown it again, Meiko was just rounding the gate only to see Malley go whizing by again. Too funny!

Sandy and Spencer had a fantastic walk together today. Sandy's nose was leading her all over the place in the back woods. First she would swing wide to the left of the trail, then to the right, then she would stop dead and her head would dissappear under the snow! Something was definitely grabbing her attention. Spencer on the other hand veered off the trail once only to sink in the snow and that was it for him. He was sticking to the trail and that was it! He was so excited to go for his walk this morning, it was quite cute.

Sam arrived for daycare this morning and lumbered his way down the hall. He stopped by to say hello to Lexy on his way. Most of the dogs here have a soft spot for Lexy. Sam partnered up with little Cooper for their morning walk. Cooper was full of life today, eager to get out and enjoy the day. He kept a good pace around the trail and Sam was happy to trot along beside him until the half way mark that is. At this point Sam started to lose his umph and ended up following behind both Cooper and I until we got back into the yard. Happy to be 'home', Sam had a big ole drink of water then plunked down for a nap.

Marley, Max and Tim were joined by Wally and Lexy for play groups today. Marley and Wally hit it off from the get go! They were boxing and wrestling with each other while Max looked on with bewilderment on his face. Max wanted to get in on the action but needed some gentle reassurance before approaching our Wally. Once introductions had been formally made though they were all off to the races, tumbling and stumbling through the snow in a big playful blur.

Lexy and Tim only had eyes for each other and had a grand wrestling match of their own on the go. When play time was over and it was time to head back to their respective kennels, Lexy and Tim both raced into the same kennel and plunked down on top of each other for a nap. Awe young love is so cute.

Molly sure is shaking things up with her small play group. Oscar and Tycho are both so excited to go out and play with her but they are exhausted when they come back in, while Molly is still raring to go! They are such players but Molly has shown them a thing or two about what high energy really is.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

2012-02-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Sammy and Bridie had a fun walk this morning, both so eager to get ahead of the other it was hard for their walker to keep up! Bridie is such a good girl though and listens when she is called back.

Tycho is still enjoying his little playgroup with the girls, but old friends Molly and Sammy make it hard for him to keep up with them! They're in their own little world when they're playing and sometimes forget there's a third member, but he still has fun running around with them anyway.

Sidney and Nestor found some rawhide bones this morning, and haven't let them out of their sight since! They brought them in to their bed, on their walk, and outside with them - they're not going to risk someone else snatching them up! They're no dummies, they saw Lucky eyeing them..

Cooper and Spencer seem to always be competing for human attention. Pam poked her head through the playroom window to say hello, and Spencer jumped up for her to reach him. Cooper saw this out of the corner of his eye and tried jumping right over top of Spencer! They both stood on their tippy-toes soaking up the love.

Scout was very happy to go outside today, must be the mild weather! I've never seen her so excited, she was bouncing nearly to the top of the kennel!

Sandy and Flanders walked together today, and they found a little something on their travels - a little mouse! It ran between the legs of a very confused Sandy, then thankfully scurried away unharmed.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

2012-02-02T04:13:00.000-08:00

Cooper was raring to go on his walk today! As soon as the kennel door was opened he shot out like a cannonball at his walker. Scout went along with him but didn't share his enthusiasm to go. she would rather stay inside where there is no snow to touch her little feet.

Sandy was joined by one of our resident huskies, Merlin, on her walk. I think she may have a little crush! When Merlin stopped a few times to sniff something out, Sandy would look back and howl for him to hurry up and come join her.

Rocky and Rebel came in this morning and let us all know they were here. We put a nice bigger, puffier bed in with them and they nestled right in and didn't make a single peep after that! They were only trying to let us know from the start that's what they wanted, silly humans..

Little Spencer was feeling a bit anxious today, so Chloe took him with her to the lunch room and he was in absolute heaven! He loved the attention and cuddles he got, and he's a great hugger. He is a total sweetheart and just wishes he could have this one-on-one attention every second of the day!

Caesar and Monte went out with a bit of a quiet group today, but they spiced things up a bit! Monte immdiately befriended Zin, and he got her to play with him while Caesar and Bridie started their own little game of tag. Even Flanders joined in on the fun eventually, running around the yard like a puppy. Dolan wasn't feeling as playful today but he was happy sniffing and digging around in the snow.

Sammy and Molly joined Tycho, another resident husky, outside today. At first he didn't know what to do with all these ladies, but Sammy quickly initiated a game of chase by play-bowing to him and running away. Tycho was overjoyed to finally have equal competitors to play with, and the two girls had the time of their lives with him!

Marley is an active guy, like most retrievers are, but by the time his group comes back in he is absolutely pooped - they all are! Lexy and Tim the Goldens, and Max and Wrigley the Labs sure give him a run for his money. They all have so much energy, but I wouldn't be surprised if they all sleep like babies tonight!

Monday, January 30, 2012

2012-01-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

It's another gorgeous sunny day outside, making Monday not so bad after all.

Sidney and Nestor wouldn't rather be anywhere else than the playroom today - except for Florida, maybe. They always find the perfect spot where the sun is amplified through the playroom window and bask in it.

The other dogs in their group were more focused on our activity coordinator, Chloe. Lucky brought her a rope toy for a game of tug-of-war, while Spencer and Cooper attempted to get her attention on them instead, by jumping up as high as they can go to try and get some pats.

Mishka was paired up with Lexy, one of our top players here, on her walk this morning. At first Mishka rejected Lexy's attempts to play with her, but eventually the two were running side by side happy as ever.

Sandy was very excited to go on her walk this morning! She kept the lead the entire time, wagging her tail with every step. Even Cooper could hardly keep up at times!

Chevy loves his group - and he shows it by playfully putting his pals whole heads in his mouth! He can never get enough play time, especially with Lexy and Molly. The three of them become a fuzzy blur as soon as they go outside, while Jake W and Marley watch them go like fireworks. Sophie has made it her job to ensure that the playfighting doesn't get out of hand by stepping in with an assertive bark when things escalate. Her job is made difficult sometimes because as younger dogs, sometimes they just don't want to listen!

Buddy and Meiko are old pros when it comes to the routine here. They know exactly which door they came out of to go play, and which kennel is theirs every time - even though it changes every time they stay here! They patiently wait right where they know they belong until we go to open the door for them.

Flanders - exhausted from the day's events - looks adorably like a ragdoll when he's napping on his bed with his long legs dangling. He must have been comfortable because he only got up when it was his turn to go outside, then he'd jump right up and trot out the door.

Sunday, January 29, 2011

2012-01-30T14:58:00.000-08:00

Today was super quiet, but all the dogs got extra attention

Flanders was so excited to be on his walk with Zin. Both of them would run ahead then wait for me in their excitment. Flanders enjoyed the fresh snow on the path today and made a few snow angels.

Sidney and Nestor on the other hand weren't quite as enthusiastic for their walk. With their coats on they reluctantly went outside, got to meet with a visitor which they enjoyed, and then trudged around for a short walk. They were just as happy as ever to get back to their bed to snuggle up.

Cooper and Zoe kept running circles around me on their walk. Zoe has settled in really well and has moved up to a more playful group today. Pepper was overwhelmed with her playfulness and overall size.

Lucky and Cooper were just full of energy today, they were chasing eachother and wrestling together in the playroom. They sure will be tired boys tonight.

Sophie and Marley played great together today. Add Molly S and Zoe into the group and there is nothing but fun with them. They all came in soaked from tumbling around in the snow.

Mimi really wants to play with the other dogs, but she isn't quite sure how yet. So for today she stayed with her quieter group, Zin, Flanders and Jake.

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

2012-01-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

Today was a much nicer day for walks than yesterday. The sun was out for once and we didn't get that cold wind passing through. It was so nice that even Sidney and Nestor went out for a walk.

Timber really likes Marley and follows him everywhere.

Coleman did really well today. He started out quite shy in the morning but eventually warmed up to me and the other dogs. He loves to give hugs when he can and he played really well with Sophie and Molly in our energetic group. He had tons of fun running around the yard with his group.

Molly was her usual crazy self and welcomed everyone into her group with energetic and freindly hellos.

DJ was part of Molly and Coleman's group and had a blast with the other dogs.

Zin was fairly quiet today but she still loves to greet me with a friendly smile and a tail wag whenever she wants attention.

Winston is still a bit anxious but when Luna joins him in his kennel, he is able to relax a bit better. He also had lots of fun with the other Weimeraner, Jake.

Flanders kept to himself today and didn't play much with the other dogs in his group, but he still had fun trotting around outside in the snow.

Mimi got play with some bigger dogs today and had fun with Flanders, Zin, and the three Weimeraners.

Zoe was really shy to begin with today. She would wag her tail and get really excited when I would visit her in her kennel or when I was near her outside, but when other dogs would go near her she would put her tail between her legs and didn't want to play with them. She spent most of the day with the little dog group and after only a little while with them she was playing and wagging her tail. She really liked playing with Cooper and Duffy.

Pepper is such a cutie! She didn't really play with many of the other little dogs in her group but preferred to do her own thing. She also liked to snuggle in my arms.

Lucky liked to jump up and say hi whenever I was out with him and he also really enjoyed having his teeth brushed. When I went into his kennel with the tooth brush, he hopped out of his crate and started wagging his tail.

Friday, January 27, 2012

2012-01-30T14:55:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a fun morning we've had, despite the freezing rain.
Instead of risking life and limb by slipping and sliding all over the trails, we assigned our 3 walkers - Chloe, Deb, -and Katy - to each of our three play areas and did lots one-on-one or small group time, depending on the dogs and their personalities.

Winston had a blast in the lounge with Molly S. He's been a bit anxious this visit, but when we get him focused on play, he has so much fun. And there aren't too many like Molly S., who just demands someone's full attention. She is such a live wire!!!

Flanders shared some time with Tippy and Deb in the lounge, where he got some special hugs and pets. As soon as Deb sat on the floor Tippy went crazy and started giving her kisses and then chewing on her nose and chin! Deb thought she was going to eat her right up!!

Rhodri, Maggie, Cooper and Lucky had the playroom to themselves with Katy. Lucky was inviting everyone to play while Cooper enjoyed some one-on-one with Katy. Maggie B was still not fully awake at the start of the group, but seemed to shake off her sleepy head after a few invitations from Lucky to play. Cooper, by the way, is doing so well already. We put a tiny leash on him because he was a bit uncertain about coming inside during some of his stay last summer. But he has not had a problem at all and he's super cheerful and comes right up for pets.

Sidney and Nestor were absolutely adorable. They shed their little sweaters and Katy had Nestor bounding after his favorite red kong quite a few times for such a snuggly old guy. Sidney watched his brother's activities with Susan but did not join in the game, which was surprising, since he does put on a great turn of speed in the hallways on the way to and from the playroom. These two boys make it pretty obvious when they've had enough and want to get back to their big soft bed. Ahhhhh. They make it look so cozy and inviting.

Sam, Chevy and Ben, the 3 bad boys, had Deb to themselves in the Play Room. Ben and Sam found some bones and that was it...they were happy to just chew on their bones while Chevy wanted to play. So Deb played tug of war with Chevy but he's not too clear on the war part of the tugging. Every time she pulled on the rope, he let took it from her and threw it to her to toss it again.

Chloe took Luna, Rupert, Sophie and Timber in the playroom, and they were one of the most playful groups. Timber was wagging his entire body, just completely ecstatic to have so much attention and petting. The other three just went nuts over the two rope toys! Sophie found the first one lying on the ground, but when Rupert and Luna saw what she had they grabbed hold too! Rupert is very good at dropping the toy for us when he's asked, but can barely contain his excitement while waiting for us to throw it. Luna didn't want to wait either and ducked between Chloe's legs to snatch the second rope toy right out of her hands!

Mimi and Duffy just looove people! No matter who greets them, they're happy as can be and jump as high as they can for a hug or a pat. They both have come a very long way from when they first came to the kennel, as they were both very shy and unsure. Now they run and play without a care in the world like it's their home away from home.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

2012-01-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

Its another beautiful day out today! It is great weather for the dogs to get out and play as well as enjoy their walks.

Little Cooper arrived this morning and is having a lot of fun. It took him a bit to settle in but when Chloe showed up with Duffy and a leash in hand Cooper was eager to get going. He and Duffy made fast friends and thoroughly enjoyed their walk.

Riley and Oscar were raring to go this morning. When they got back from their walk they both weren't quite ready to go inside, until they had a bit of a boxing match that is. They got their friskyness out of their systems and in they went for a nice cool drink of water.

Deborah took Mimi and Tanner for a nice tour in the back woods today. For a shy dog Mimi sure does pull you hard when she is on the leash. Tanner was game for the fast paced stroll that Mimi had them on though so all was good. Apparently Mimi was so excited to meet Tanner that when she wasn't dragging Deborah along the path she was trying desperately to get Tanner to play. Tanner is a veteran here at Tails and Trails though, he knows walks are for walking and group time is for romping, so try as she might Tanner wasn't stopping to play.

The Lazy Trail Lounge is getting good use this week. Flanders and Bull are back out enjoying the comforts of this new room and they are joined by Tippy and Dolan. Tippy and Dolan absolutely adore one another. They were jumping all over each other, pawing and play bowing! Flanders and Bull were paired up for their morning walk and had a great time with Deborah. Flanders seemed to prefer to stay and walk right at Deborah's side rather then walk up ahead today so Bull was more then happy to lead the way.

Rupert had a fantastic walk with Tim the Golden Retriever today. Rupert stopped quite often to check out the new smells out in the woods and then to have a good ole roll in the snow. Tim was just so full of energy he could barely wait while Rupert was going about his business. Ah to be young.

Sophie is having a blast hanging out with Tim, Lexy and Riley for play group. These guys and gals are all so happy go lucky. They wrestle and tumble with each other until they are called to come in. Every dog in this group is so friendly that Sophie was having a hard time deciding who to play with first so they made it one big group game of catch me if you can.

Timber didn't slip under the radar today... I'm on the look out for him now after yesterday, ha ha! He still likes to look for those forgotten bits of kibble but I'm onto him now so after the rest of the group goes out I do a quick scan to see if Timber is 'vacuuming' up left overs or not.

Sidney and Nestor surprised us again today! They were both happy to get up and stretch their legs today, no coaxing required. They were even eager for group play today! Maybe its the little coats they are wearing or the milder temperatures but its great to see them up and at 'em so to speak.

Just when I think Molly may have settled down a bit she springs into action with a burst of super playful energy! She loves her group time, it doesn't matter whether its indoors or outdoors she is just excited to get her play on.

Luna is having a great day. We introduced her to Winston, another Weimaraner but even though Winston was game to play Luna was having none of it. Winston has a lot of anxious energy and it was just too much for Luna but she loves the group we placed her in and is having lots of fun. Molly keeps Luna moving and playing the entire time they are outside. When they get into the indoor play room, Luna it seems really likes to lay in the sun. That or watch out the window into the front office of the building.

Lucky was very interested in out new arrival Cooper. Sniffing and circling him. Once the introductions were over they were off racing each other from one end of the yard to the other. Duffy joined in and they all had a great game of tag.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

2012-01-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day its been today. The sun is really warming things up nicely. With the chill from last night the walking trail firmed up and was fantastic for this morning.

Flanders, Bull and Molly were joined by Blondie and Mocha out in the Lazy Trail Lounge this afternoon. They really love it out there. Its warm, cozy, quiet and spacious. The play yard attached to this lounge is huge and the dogs look forward to getting out and frolicking in the snow.

Flanders was especially affectionate today. Rubbing up to my legs and leaning right in for a good ole rub down. He is such a gentle dog. He and Bull enjoyed a walk in the back woods with Chloe this morning. Bull is a quiet dog. He likes to get out and enjoy the day, and he really loves when we take a minute to massage his hips. His brown eyes are so soulful.

Mocha was very frisky and playful when he got into the Lazy Lounge. Barking and spinning circles around Blondie. Molly wanted me to stay in there all afternoon with them. She really likes getting pets and scratches behind the ears.

Lucky is too cute. He is head honcho in his little play group. He's not mean but something in his personality says I'm boss to the other dogs. Sam the Bulldog and Mimi (a golden doodle) even submit to little Lucky! They all play and race around but if anyone is rough housing Lucky lets them know real quick that that's not acceptable.

Sam is loving his play time with the smaller dogs. He enjoys chasing after Mimi and Duffy. Mimi was at first very unsure of Sam but now they are good friends. Sam just likes to have fun and doesn't have a mean bone in his body.

I spent a little time outside with the little dogs and Duffy was so excited about it. When I squatted down he was up on my back in a flash, sniffing my hair and ears! Sam decided this would be a good time to try jumping up to lick my face.

With the milder temperatures Sidney and Nestor are more willing to venture away from their cozy bed to stretch their wee legs. They have been wearing little sweaters too so they are much warmer when they are outside. Sidney has even been wanting to stay out and investigate the parts of the yard he hasn't visited in a while.

Tippy is settling in nicely. She was having a lot of fun playing with Wrigley and Winston outside this afternoon. Wrigley was laying on his back while Winston showered his face with kisses. Then they'd get up, spin circles around one another, paw each other and tumble to the ground. At first Tippy was hesitant to join in due to an itch she just couldn't quite reach. As soon as we gave her neck a good scratch she was off to the races and the games with the others.

Molly is always so full of energy. She tuckers herself right out when she goes out for groups. She comes back in and crash lands on her bed for a nap! Good thing her group is full of high energy, happy dogs... Chevy, Ben, Lexy, Tim and Zoey all love to run and romp around as much as Molly does.

Zoey got a nice mani/pedi from Pam today. Zoey has a hard time sitting still on the best of days and today was no exception. She was so interested in what Pam was doing she kept trying to spin around to watch. Chloe gave Pam a hand and kept Zoey focused on facing forward and her nails were clipped in a jiffy after that.

Chevy and Tim were having a riot in the indoor play room. Tim found a tennis ball and proceeded in tearing it apart. Chevy wanted Tim to wrestle with him so he stood close by and barked at him. Just as Tim finished annihilating the ball Chevy found another one and did the exact same thing!

Lexy and Ben enjoyed a good game of tag while they were outside, so much so that they decided to continue said game in the indoor play room. They would freeze in a stare down in the play bow position. Then when Ben couldn't take it anymore and lunged himself at Lexy, she would race off or jump clear over him! It was absolutely hilarious.

Sophie is so affectionate! In the mornings she can hardly contain her excitement when we walk past her kennel. Even when it's not her turn yet to go out, you have to stop to say hello. As soon as you open that gate she is all over you, showering you with kisses and whining with utter joy. If a dog could smile she'd be grinning from ear to ear.

Rupert is quite the character. He definitely has Collie in him! Just the way he looks at you when you speak to him is typical of the Border Collie. Its like they are waiting for that key word, whatever it is. So eager to work and please people. Rupert listens very well and unlike most dogs who like their hips rubbed, Rupert would much rather have his chest and shoulders massaged while he stands between your legs.

When Timber's play group went outside I ventured out to say hello to them and realized Timber wasn't with them. I thought, "that's odd, I know I let him out". Around the yard I went, no Timber. So in I go thinking, "oh gosh, where is he"?! And low and behold there he is in the hallway with a look on his face that says, where did everybody go? Timber like most labs is led by his nose. As I was letting dogs out he was going behind us and checking for left over pieces of kibble and I stepped out the door thinking he had already gone outside when in fact he had stayed in. Too funny!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012-01-25T14:22:00.000-08:00

Its nice to have a mild day after all that cold. However the walking trails were just getting nice and packed down but now after the rain, we are sinking in the snow. Oh well the dogs don't seem to mind one bit.

Flanders is back to his rolling self! On his walk this morning he rolled a total of four times in the snow and was quite pleased with himself once he got back up.

Zada is starting to come out of her shell with the help of the other dogs. She now wags her little tiny tail when we come to her kennel, excited to run outside and play with her new friends! She has taken a liking to Lexy, who she was also walked with this morning. Lexy did a very good job at convincing her to play, so well that at some points it was hard for the person holding the leashes to catch up!

Mishka and Lucky had a great walk this morning in the back woods. Its good to see Mishka prancing around again now that her paw is healed up. Lucky was a real trouper. The snow is deep now that its melting and the crust is gone, so poor Lucky would be touring along just fine and then all of a sudden he'd break through the crust and be sunk to his belly!

Dolan, Bull, Molly and Flanders are enjoying some quiet time out in the Lazy Trail Lounge. They even have a whole new play yard all to themselves. Bull and Flanders seem to really be liking the nice rubber floors. Its a lot easier for them to get their footing when they're trying to stand up. Molly was spinning circles waiting to get in the door, while Dolan was prancing around in the untouched mounds of snow.

Mimi is doing well. She is a little shy at times but eager for attention and to go out and play with her little buddies. She was in a group this morning with some really playful dogs but seems to be more confident and comfortable with the smaller guys like Duffy and Lucky.

Duffy I'm pretty certain has a spring board in his butt! When he wants to see something bad enough, he starts jumping and does he ever get good hang time!

Sidney and Nestor are huge sleepy heads but we corralled them out for a walk this morning and they were actually quite happy once they realized it wasn't crazy cold out today. Sidney was up and going as soon as the leash was on but Nestor needed a few minutes to stretch and shake the sleep out of his head.

Sammy was having so much fun outside with her group this morning that she didn't want to come in, so she stayed out with the next group and played with Wally, Hibou and Luna.

Georgie has asserted herself as top dog in her group which is comical because she is not the biggest dog by far but definitely has the loudest personality. She listens really well and I love how when you talk to her she cocks her head to the side as if she is really interested and understands what you're saying.

Meiko and Buddy enjoyed a bit of one on one time this morning with Theresa in the play room. Buddy loves to be brushed and fawned over. Meiko really enjoys his hips being massaged and gets jealous when you pay attention to Buddy.

Sophie and Rupert also got a bit of special time with Theresa today. Rupert got a real nice rub down and then worked for some treats. Sitting and shaking a paw seem to be his specialty. He is so soft and affectionate, also very curious. Little noises or movements outside the playroom door were a distraction to him.., whats that?! who's there?! Too funny.

Sophie was just a ball of happy energy when it was her turn for some one on one. She sat on Theresa's lap and kissed her face. Spun around and around in frantic, happy circles. She could barely sit still while Theresa dug out treats from her pockets. Sophie is such a sweet and loveable dog!

Molly is another dog how has an abundance of happy energy. There is no slow gear with Molly, only a happy and fast gear! Her and Oscar were having a blast racing each other during groups. When Oscar got tired and slowed down, Molly turned around and started play bowing in front of him to entice him into playing again.

Wrigley is always on the prowl for left over bits of food. He is ruled by his belly I tell ya. On his way out the door for play group, Wrigley has to stop at each kennel door and check to see if there is any dropped and forgotten pieces of kibble for him to gobble up!

Winston arrived this morning and was eager to get out to play with the other dogs. He loves going for walks and zigzags all over the trail. When he is in his kennel, if you don't stop to say hello he will whine and pace until you do. As soon as you've said hi though, he lays down on his comfy sleeping bag and relaxes until the next person comes along.

Timber is having a great time today. He is having oodles of fun with his play group. He is so social. He waits in the hallway for everyone from his group before going outside. Then its off to the races, well until a smell catches his attention and then he mosey's around gathering doggie info.

Monday, January 23, 2012

2012-01-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

Newcomer Ginny is settling in very well. Though at first a bit intimidated by all the sights and sounds around her, she has made a wonderful new group of friends! Bentley, Sammy, Timber, Zada, Molly S., Sophie, Rupert and Sally Sunshine were more than happy to welcome her here and include her in their fun.

The group of labs - Wrigley, Coal, Scoobie and Isaac - were joined by the two goldens, Lexy and Jake today. The two were paired on their walk this morning and couldn't stop playing, and the same went for their outside time!

Sam the bulldog feels like a giant among his group! Twice the size of Rocky, Hershey, Sidney, Lucky and Nestor, he is still the last one to mosey on in when it's time to come in. January, much the same, feels it's a game. She stays outside, slowly laying down in the snow until we come out to get her - then she bolts inside!

Bailey is starting to love his outdoor time with his group! He gets excited when we go to open the kennel door and marches right out without looking back. Molly L. also loves her outside time.. maybe a little too much! She never wants it to end, and it takes us a while to convince her to come inside again.

Flanders very much enjoyed his walk this morning! He stayed right by my side, close enough that he got to be pet and scratched almost the whole walk. We were accompanied by Georgina, who just wanted to explore. Unfortunately it was made a bit difficult for her as the thin ice layers on top of the deeper snow sometimes gave way under her feet, so she decided the groomed trail was a better idea after all.

Duffy is feeling very playful lately! She bounces up and down to get our attention, soon joined by January. The two of them are big love sponges and are a pleasure to have around.

Meiko and Buddy were very happy to see Theresa, one of our activity co-ordinators, this morning. She paid them a visit and even came with treats! They are definitely not complaining about being spoiled, as they gobbled them right up.

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

2012-01-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

Sally And Molly S. had a blast playing together all day. These two happy girls just love to play. Billie also joined in the fun as they tumbled and wrestled around.

Flanders went on a walk with Chander. These two boys were great on their walk and kept a steady pace, I guess it was too cold for Flanders to stop for a roll. I don't really blame him - its pretty icy out there.

Bentley was just full of beans today. Everytime he would see me he'd jump up to say hello.

Sophie, Molly L and Scout all have the same shade of fur. They were like triplets walking down the hall together side by side.

Oliver is such a happy bouncy boy when it is time to go outside and play with his group, but when it's time for indoor play upfront he chooses to just go back to his kennel and relax.

Zada did really well on her walk with Rupert this morning. She then joined his group along with Timber, Molly S, Sally, and Billie. She did well with them and warmed up really quickly with me. She is so sweet and gives lots of kisses.

The big boy group of Caesar, Wrigley, Coal, Scoobie and Issac were pretty mellow today, although Ceasar was trying to get Scoobie and Coal to play with him inside.

Lucky and January were great on their walk. Lucky loved trotting along beside the trail on the ice, he's just light enough that he doesn't break the ice with his paws.

All the little dogs today were great, they all played well and went right back into their kennels when asked.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

2012-01-24T08:04:00.001-08:00

All the dogs were really great today and with it being such a nice clear sunny day if a bit cold all the dogs were very enthusiastic about their walks and going outside in their play groups.

Timber and Flanders were good together on their walk. When they first went out they were very interrested in sniffing and getting to know each other as they are not in the same group and don't see each other very often, but soon they lost interest and both went off to their own things Flanders at the lead finding the best path through the in some places deep snow and Timber following along behind stopping periodically to dig through the top ice layer on the snow and eat the fluffier softer snow underneath.

Shiloh and Duffy also very good on their walk did not have the same troubles as Timber and Flanders with falling through the snow. Duffy was light enought that he did not break through the top the layer and was able to easily explore as much as he wanted, and stopped to sniff just about every bush and tree that he could reach. Shiloh not as light as Duffy was not able to walk on top of the snow without breaking it but was just as happy to stay on the already well beaten path.

Both Molly and Rupert were very excited to ge on their walk and could barley contian their excitement, especially Molly before we got to the walking trail. Molly wanting someone to play with on her walk tried every thing she could think of to get Rupert to play with her but he mostly ignored her in favour of trying to follow the tracks left by the dogs ahead of us and only played with her a few times and was not the slightest bit interested even when Molly found a stick and tried to tease him with it.

Allie and Stella were incredably cute together. The puppy Stella seemed to be the one in charge and was the one who led the way the whole way on the walk while Allie followed behind. Stella also managed to tangle her leash very well around Allie and while I stopped to untangle her Stella would run off and play in the snow. A couploe of times Allie stopped to roll in the snow and Stella not wanting to waste a perfect opportunity would jump as quick as she could onto Allie's head and play with her until Allie quickly got back up.

Rocky, and Hershey were also very happy to be outside for their walks although they seemed to get cold paws as they keep holding them up they were still very willing to continue the walk and to even go through the deeper snow to find the most interesting things to sniff.

Sophie and Lilly alos had a bit of trouble with the snow at first because they both wanted to walk beside each other and the path was not exaclty wide enough for two they kept slipping off the path and into the deep snow but after a while they figured it out and took turns being the one who was in front.

All of the play groups were really great today all of the dogs played really well together.

Malley, Tikihii, Bentley, Wally and Ricky were all in one group and they played extremely well together. Tikihii played almost the whole time with Wally and probably enjoyed being able to play with a dog that was almost her size and she also palyed alot with Ricky who although smaller played just as hard as Wally and Tikihii. Malley spent alot of time playing with one of the deflatede basketballs and would go running after it top speed every time you threw it for him. Bentley seemed to sort of want to play with the as well put was not as excited or as quick to chase it as Malley so he mostly followed Malley while he fetched the ball.
Ben and Billie teamed up against Molly S for games in their play group but were unable to beat her even though she is about twice their size.

Rupert preferred to stand at a distance and watch rather than get in on the action.

Everyone seemed to enjoy a good snow clump today!

Oliver and Lily had a lovely time playing together which is always nice for Sophie, who gets alittle time to herself.

Ceasar got along great with the lab group and especially enjoyed playing with Izaac, who is really mobile and limber this visit. Great to see!

Coal and Timber also played well with Ceasar and Izaac, although by the end of the evening, Timber had had enough lab fun and was ready for a quieter group.

Flanders and Bailey were the quieter boys in their group and flocked together. They seemed very happy with each other's company.

Molly and STella played very well. They were play bowing and wrestling together. Then Molly would switch to puppy Stella, who loved running and biting at Molly's face. I'm not sure where the older Molly gets the energy to play with a 3 and a half month old St. Bernard puppy but she is a fantastic playmate!

Allie and Sally Sunshine were also great together and had great fun outside.

Sidney and Nestor claimed a nice cot in the playroom and once their playgroup time was over it was really hard to get them to get up and go back to their own bed.

January was really good with Rocky and Hershey. Although she is still slightly nervous of people she doesn't know really well, she is fantastic with other dogs.

Friday, January 20, 2012

2012-01-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

Its a busy Friday here at Tails and Trails. The air is crisp and the dogs are eager to get out for some fresh air and exercise.

Billie and Chevy were paired up for their morning walk today. They were so happy to be out together, playing leap frog as they toured the field. Billie is adorable and is only still when she is snoozing. She and Chevy were having a blast during groups when they met up with Ben, Bentley and Malley. Malley likes being out with the other dogs but definitely prefers to play ball with any willing participant. Ben and Billie are a perfect match for play time. They are a black and white blurry, furry streak as they go tearing across the yard chasing each other. Not to be out done, Chevy gets in on the chase and the game is on! Three way tag, what fun! And no one minds being "it"!

Bentley always manages during walks to find something to carry around. Yesterday it was a stick and today it was a paper bag. When we tried to take the paper bag away (we didn't want him to eat it) it became a game of catch me if you can! Thank goodness for leashes, it made it easier to rein him in and trade the paper bag out for a doggie treat.

Bailey and Scout had a nice relaxing stroll today. They love their walks and today was no exception, however this morning it was more of a mosey along the path and gather info with their noses kinda of day. During indoor groups, Bailey was so happy to see Syarah and Theresa that he couldn't decide who he wanted to pet him first. He was pingponging back and forth between the two of them in a full body wag.

Tikhii arrived this morning. She was happy to be back to play with her buddies, some old faces and some new. Tikhii is a Great Dane and she kinda resembles Scoobie-Doo, same colourings and markings. Super friendly too. We were doing a bit of cleaning today (dusting and scrubbing) and Tikhii was more than happy to have some company in her kennel with her. She was watching so intently as we cleaned and made sure we didn't forget to give her a good rub down before we were done. She is a sweety!

DJ and Sally Sunshine (what a great name), enjoyed a wonderful walk in the back woods today. DJ walked this trail yesterday and had it memorized so she was more then happy to show Sally the way. Both these dogs are really gentle and friendly. DJ was so excited for her walk this morning that she jumped up and licked my face. She's a big girl to be doing that I tell ya!

Lucky and Maggie braved the cold and thoroughly enjoyed their walk in the back woods as well today. Lucky loves to be the lead dog and Maggie didn't seem to mind, she was just happy to be on tour, so away we went single file the entire way around the trail and back again.

Molly still has no interest in playing in the indoor play room but she loves her out door group time, so much so that sometimes its hard to convince her to come back in!

January and Rupert are in a two way tie for the softest fur. January is a happy little Beagle and Rupert is a Border Collie mix. Two very different dogs with two uber soft coats. They shared a great walk with Katy this morning who is here helping out while Donna is away.

Flanders and Duffy met up with each other for a walk today. Flanders towers over Duffy but they got along great. Flanders is a Bouvier and Duffy is a Wheaten Terrier. Their coats are quite similar just different in colour. One is black and the other is a wheat colour. Flanders surprised me this morning and never stopped to roll around in the snow. He was very focused on the trail. Duffy on the other hand was zigzagging all over the path behind him.

We had a fantastic play group full of labs today. Scoobie, Isaac, Cole, Timber and Wrigley are all labs of varying colours. They are joined by Jake the Weimaraner. Isaac seems to be all healed up from his surgery this past summer. These guys go ripping out the door to the play yard as soon as their kennel door is opened. Wrigley wiggled his way out behind them. Timber and Scoobie seem to be smitten with each other, following one another around the yard as if they are each others shadows.

Wrigley walked with Shiloh today in the back woods. Shiloh for an older guy sure showed Wrigley how its done! Shiloh was full steam ahead. Weaving all over, sniffing and inspecting every twig that was sticking out of the snow. Wrigley on the other hand was trailing behind and stuck solely to the path. He must of been a sleepy boy today.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

2012-01-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

Ben and Bentley were paired for their walk this morning, and decided to take the back trail. While they were exploring, Bentley found a long branch to pick up. He trotted along proudly with it until Ben saw what he had.. and latched on to the end of it! Dangling slightly in the air to reach the stick, Ben would not give up! Eventually it snapped in half and both dogs were happy as can be.

Bailey and Scout welcomed Molly, DJ, Dolan, Meiko and Buddy to their group. While some of these dogs are a bit older, they don't forget how to play! They love their playtime inside and outside just as much as all the others, crowding the doorway trying to be the first one through!
Wally the Bloodhound went out with Oscar, Lexy and Malley today. He and Lexy instantly connected and had the time of their life wrestling outside, occasionally joined by Oscar! Malley ran circles around them as if to herd them, but the playful bunch were too focused on what they were doing.

Sidney and Nestor were alot more adventurous today after we put coats on them! Instead of hanging around the door to come in right away, the two wandered all the way out to the field. When it was time to come in they ran up to the play room with Lucky, Rocky, Hershey, Shiloh and January.

Hershey joined us briefly in the kitchen today while the rest of the dogs played with the toys. Though she loves the toys, she loved the human attention almost as much! She jumped right up on to my lap where she stayed until I stopped petting her.

Wrigley is back and wigglier than ever! He joined Sammy, Sam, Maggie and Rupert for play group. Instantly they started playing in the hallway before going outside, which is always the case when Maggie and Sammy are involved. They must exude happy playful vibes because they bring to life any group they go out with!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

2012-01-20T04:19:00.000-08:00

The ground this morning was left with a layer of ice from last night's freezing rain. As the dogs walked on it, it broke into sheets of ice which Bentley thought was the best! He would continually grab chunks and chew away hapily at them.

Bailey and Scout, however, did not share Bentley's love of this ice! As they both bent down to stick their faces in the snow and burrow their noses in, a look of disappointment came to their faces as all they did was slide over top of the snow.

Sidney and Nestor have made it clear to us that they do not enjoy the cold. They reluctantly walk away from the building down the driveway for their short walk, but as soon as it's time to turn around and go back in - hold on! They really boogie, pulling the whole way back.

Shiloh is such a happy loving guy. When someone stops in front of his kennel he does a little happy dance, bouncing up and down with his front paws. After seeing that it's hard not to go in and say hello! He must do it because he knows it works on us.

Rocky, Hershey, January and Lucky always have a fun time playing. Sometimes when things get a bit too rowdy, Lucky quickly pipes in and reminds them to bring it down a notch. He is like our own little canine group supervisor!

Chevy, Sammy and Lexy like always were inseperable while playing! When they run inside toward the playroom it's like an avalanche - snow flying everywhere and covering the dogs from head to toe!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

2012-01-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

Bailey, Dolan and Scout are all enjoying the luxury of the Lounge today! They love having all that room - both indoors as well as their very own big play yard outdoors! Dolan and Bailey enjoyed digging in the snowbanks until all that was visible was a tail!

Rocky and Hershey have so much energy, they turn anything into a game! While we were shovelling snow away from the gates, the two of them entertained themselves by chasing the snow and barking at it as we threw it aside.

Bentley sure loves his toys! He found a rubber chicken toy and was prancing around proudly with it, until it unfortunately lost it's head.. in which case he was happy to replace it with a Kong.

I bet parents around the world wish their kids loved having their teeth brushed as much as Lucky does! It must be the delicious flavoured toothpaste that he looks forward to so much.

January was quite the timid girl when she first arrived here, but now she is playful as ever! She loves going out with her group - Rhodri, Sidney, Nestor, Shiloh, Rocky and Hershey.

Malley joined Lexy, Ben and Oscar outside today and they got along famously! The very high-energy group all played together, running around in the snow. Malley is glad to branch off from the group, however, if a basketball gets thrown for him! It's easy to see the concentration as he locks his gaze on to the ball, prepared for any movement.

Buddy and Meiko are settling in very well! They love their morning walks, giving us loving puppy-dog eyes as we walk by their kenel in hopes that it's their turn next. They had a blast exploring the back trail today, something new and exciting for them.

Monday, January 16, 2012

2012-01-17T12:33:00.000-08:00

Holy cow its been a cold few days!! Oh well the suns is shining and the dogs are all happy so its been a good day.

Ben and Malley have been getting along well. We had a wonderful walk this morning - they were neck in neck the whole way around the field. For groups they were joined by January, another beagle mix, and Chevy. Malley is so agile and smart. He wants to play or work all day. Ben, without his kennel wouldn't stop all day! He is full bore all the time. I recieved a wonderful greeting from him this morning, in the form of a wet nose in my ear. January fits right in with these guys but she always hangs back when its time to come inside. She is a sweet little dog. Gentle, friendly but sometimes shy.

Meiko and Buddy had a great walk with Chloe this morning. They are very well behaved dogs and walk fantastic on the leash. They made some new friends during groups today. Both Baileys and Scout are hanging out with these guys. I was cleaning the windows in the play room when these guys all came in from outside. Meiko was very curious about what I was doing, while Bailey just wanted my attention and kept weaving in and out of my legs. Both got a good rub down, which caught Buddy's attention; So guess who got a rub down next...?! The other Bailey was busily chewing a rope toy she found and brought it over to show it off. There was no way she was letting go, rub down or not! It was quite funny.

Simon is still having a lot of fun, his favourite place to be is outside. He just loves to play. He is such a handsome young boy. He loves affection and leans into your legs when you pet him, you have to be careful that he doesn't knock you over! Simon is joined by Wally the Bloodhound and Bentley a Doberman mix, for groups. Bentley and Simon buddied up for a walk with Chloe this morning. Bentley was prancing through the snow, happy as can be, leading the way.

Rocky and Hershey were real little troopers today! They were so eager to get out for their walk, the cold didn't seem to bother them one bit, until we were almost back, that is. Rocky was still raring to go but Hershey appeared to have a good paw. I decided to cut the walk short and came back in through the front door. Both dogs got a nice treat when we got back and curled up for a snooze. Walking in the cold and snow is hard work don't ya know?! :)

We have a wonderfully playful group of daycare dogs. Lexy, Tim, Jake and Sam make up a happy little posse. Lexy gets along with everyone. She and Tim look like twins so until they get up close to you there is no telling these guys apart. Jake loves playing with Lexy. When they got into the indoor play room, Jake immediately grabbed a chew rope and play bowed in front of Lexy, as if to say "you want it..? Come get it, I dare ya!!" Sam is a pokey one! He is always in a good mood though and really enjoys his group time. Lexy and Chevy are amung Sam's favourtie play pals.

Lucky is a smart wee guy. When we come back from play time he stands right in front of his kennel and waits for us to come and open it for him. He really likes Rhodri, a tiny Dachshund. Poor Rhodri, he's so short that he can easily get underneath another dog and when they line up to come inside he gets tripped over left, right and center! Lucky and Rhodri are hanging out with Rocky, Hershey, Sidney, Nestor and Shiloh. Shiloh is another great dog. He seems to really love the company of the little dogs. He is all business during walks and goes full speed the entire time we are out.

Sunday January 15, 2012

2012-01-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

Bailey and Scout enjoyed there walk today. When we went into the deep snow, Bailey decided he was going to have some fun, and spent a full 2 minutes just rolling around in the powder. When he came back up, he looked like a white lab instead of a chocolate lab!

Bentley had fun going outside right in the morning. He had so much energy from his sleep, he was literally running circles around his playmate Simon.

Shiloh seemed to still be half asleep when it was time for his group to go outside. I woke him up, sent him out with his group and he just walked onto the snow and fell asleep there.

Lucky had a lot of fun on the walk. When Lucky went past any snow piles, he had to jump in it before we could continue walking. The fact that it just snowed yesterday meant that there was a lot of stopping and playing in the snow. It was a fun walk that's for sure.

Rocky and Hershey had alot of fun during their playtime. They watched me intently as I did yard clean up, but they kept distracting me until I got down and rubbed their ears. Its hard to work when they pull out their puppy eyes.

Bailey and Chesca had a great walk together, and when you put two very happy, very energetic dogs together, and add alot of snow, it makes for a difficult but fun walk. Once the walk was done, it was clear they were spent from all of the playing in the snow with each other.

Fitz did his own thing today. When he was let out, he wandered around smelling things, taking it easy. You could tell that he was just having a "me day"

Wally has a very loud bark. So when his playmates were being let outside before him, he showed us just how loud it could get. Needless to say, from now on, he's going to be let out first in his group.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

2012-01-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

There were lots of little feet in the air first thing this morning. Everyone wanted to go outside and then everyone really wanted to get back inside.

Those who have coats will be wearing them for walks this morning!

Cole and Jonas had a great first night. They were bright and curious this morning when Dylan went in to get them settled and fed. Cole was a bit more outgoing, but Jonas was ready for some pets.

What a chilly Canadian day! The dogs were not bothered by the weather at all and had an amazing time walking and playing in the fresh fallen snow on our trail.

Drake and Bailey (golden retriever) somehow knew I was walking them this morning. They were having so much fun wrestling in the snow, playing chase and exploring the field! It was very cute to watch them get along so well and tire each other out.

Louis and Malley are great friends, every time I let them out to play they beam with excitement! Louis is so great respecting Malley's size difference and is very gentle when they play. Malley is always making sure Louis gets his running time in, whenever I check on them they are darting back and forth across the yard, like athletes!

It's always a pleasure when Coal, Scoobie and Issac come to stay with us. They are so well behaved, letting them in and out for play time is great because they always come as soon as they hear my voice, then go right to their kennel, so nice!

What a surprise! I for sure thought some of the smaller dogs (Dixie, Lucky, Rocky, Hershey, Sidney, Nestor, Shiloh) might be more timid of this crisp day but no sirree-bob, as soon as that door to outside swung open, they were off to the races! I checked on how they were doing and Rocky and Hershey seem to be the most energetic, really making sure they stay warm by using the yard to it's full advantage.

Kosmo had the company of 6 of our huskies on groups today and he loved it! There was a lot of sniffing and greeting acquaintances at first but exploring seemed more important so they all ran around the yard together! Kosmo and Aspen especially were having fun and stuck together the whole time.

Bailey, Chesca, Fitz, Wally C., Kaluha, Scout and Bailey ( yes we have two!) all were great in their groups today. They really enjoyed the playroom,especially Wally who kept wanting someone to wrestle with. Bailey found a favourite toy in there as well and could not get away from it, she just would run around with it outside, then when indoors, she would lie down and chew at it endlessly. She seemed quite content to say the least!

Simon, Bentley and Riley made up a fabulous trio today in groups. Simon is hilarious, every time I look outside he is bouncing and sprinting and making the other dogs do it with him too, definitely all having fun. Bentley really enjoys Riley's company and I sense a very good friendship in the works. Riley seems like the quiet one of them all but when playing he really bursts out of his shell and gets into all the activities Simon and Bentley are doing.

Drake and Ben have to be the best combo together! There wasn't a moment when they weren't wrestling or chasing each other. Every time Drake is let out you can see him anxiously searching the yard for his buddy and when they meet up it's non stop fun for the both of them. Ben even tried to stay in Drake's kennel with him and didn't want to leave...adorable!!

Friday, January 13, 2012

2012-01-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

Its been a great week here at Tails & Trails. We have a lot of happy dogs greeting us every morning. Every dog was eager to get out for walks today but we were all (people and dogs alike) in slow-mo once outside.

Hershey and Rocky were real troopers in the snow during their walk. The snow was quite deep in some places but these two kept up a steady pace. Without Rocky's coat on we would probably lose sight of the little guy in the snow, he is so white! Every now and then Hershey's coat would unfasten and she'd walk like a penguin until I fixed it.

Shiloh had a nice walk with Fitz. Fitz was the fourth walk on my list today. He was so patient as he watched the other dogs going out in two's for their walks. Then when it was finally his turn he started spinning circles he was so excited. I must say again here, how much I love the Easy Walker harness... They are fantastic. Both Fitz and Shiloh walk well and took turns leading us around the trail.

Maggie joined the little dog group today. Lucky was very happy to see another new face and greeted her as soon as they got out into the yard. Dixie is having a blast with every one as well. Its hard to believe that she had surgery on her back not all that long ago. We try to encourage her not to jump up but that's easier said than done.

Sidney and Nestor will be leaving us soon. They have had a very long stay with us. They are a great pair and will be missed by all of us. The vet was in today to update their vaccinations before they start travelling again with their owners. Look out world, here come Sidney and Nestor!

Simon and Chesca are hanging out again today and they are joined by Kaluha, Bailey (golden retriever) and Scout. Scout and Kaluha, after a good sniff for introductions were very playful with one another. They were wrestling, spinning circles and jumping on each other. Simon got in on the game and was play bowing with them. His bark is so deep that you need to look at his body language to determine his intentions. He is a good boy and loves playing outside with the dogs. He isn't too keen on other intact males or being in the indoor playroom but he gets lots of play time in the yard.

Chesca is such a sweet dog. She loves attention from us and will lean herself right into your legs when you're petting her. She has playful moments with the dogs from her group as well but today she mostly kept Bailey company while he wandered the yard checking stuff out.

Louis and Malley were happy to see Chloe this morning during groups. Louis ran over and jumped up on Chloe, then he stole her mitten right off her hand, play bowed in front of her with it in his mouth and took off with it. I think he wanted to play, 'catch me if you can' with her. Malley loves to run, run, run! He chased Louis around for a bit before coming back to Chloe for a good rub down.

We have two Wally's here so Wally C. has been dubbed Wally-doodle. He is having a wonderful day. He has made lots of new friends and I found out that he really enjoys having his shoulders massaged. He'll put his head down and lean right into it. Wally-doodle had a fantastic walk with Bailey (golden lab) this morning. You can tell both of these dogs love the snow. Half way through the walk Bailey decided to stop and have a royal roll in the snow, it was quite the sight watching him shimmy and snort through the snow bank like that!

Drake arrived this morning. He is a wonderful Rottweiler. Very friendly, playful and definitely full of energy! He plowed right through the snow during walks, weaving back and forth, blazing a trail for me and Farley who were following behind him. Farley can be a bit of a shy critter and Drake had just too much energy for her liking so she hung back by my side during our walk. Farley is a really sweet dog, very quiet, but every now and then she gets a burst of playful energy.

Drake met Ben, Chevy and Sam today. Boy did these guys ever make good use of every inch of the play yard! Ben the Beagle is a force to be reckoned with! He had Drake and Chevy both tired and panting and he was still raring to go. Sam ran with them for the first five minutes but these guys are just too fast for him. That and the deep snow poses a challenge for him. Later in the play room Ben jumped up on the play table,which brought him eye to eye with Drake and was puffing out his chest as if to say 'I am king of this domain'!

Bentley, Fitz and Wally-doodle are loving their time together for groups. Bentley loves nothing more then to play, wrestle and race! His favourite trick is playing dead when its time to come back in. The idea of a treat usually revives him though. Too funny and really clever.

Thursday, January 12, 2012*

2012-01-13T13:51:00.001-08:00

Dixie, Lucky, Hershey and Rocky were sure glad to have their coats on today, as the wind and freezing rain was almost enough to knock them over! The happy group didn't seem to mind either way though, and Shiloh and Sandy were warm enough with their longer fur to enjoy their time outside as they usually do.

Bentley and Fitz met this morning for their walk and instantly became great friends! When Fitz wasn't burying his entire head under the snow, he was busy having a blast playing with Bentley.

Chesca, much like Fitz, loved burrowing into the snow as well and making her own version of snow angels. She'd start out black and end up white, covered from head to toe!

Lexy and Oscar joined Farley, Bailey, Heidi, Bentley, Fitz and Tanner for play time - the fun never stops for this group! Even Tanner, usually the quieter one of them all, was in on all the action.

Louis made a new friend today - Malley the Border Collie. The two aren't overly playful, instead they mostly just sniff around the yard together, but they're just as happy doing so.

Simon and Wally are the funniest pair, they both love to play and could go for hours. Being a St. Bernard and a Bloodhound, jowls and drool went flying everywhere almost as fast as the dogs did!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

2012-01-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

Brrr... It is quite a cold day out today! I think dogs and people alike have climatized though because we all enjoyed our walks this morning.

Shiloh, Sandy, Kouza, Rocky and Hershey are hanging out together today. We broke up all the groups and made them a wee bit smaller today. The dogs who enjoy the cold stayed out to play a wee bit longer while this group was eager to come in and make good use of the indoor play room. Rocky and Hershey found a chew rope and played tug of war the whole time they were inside. It was a tie game.

Lucky arrived today and he and Dixie hit it off from the start. They were chasing each other all around the yard, then when they came in they curled up for a wee snooze together. Awe too cute!

Simon had a great walk with Luna this morning. He walks very well on the leash. For groups he is hanging with a bunch of ladies today and loving it! Belle, Luna and Chesca are all keeping him company. This morning he played with Heidi and Bailey too. For a big dog he is pretty good not to rough up the others. These girls are a wee bit older then he is so they correct him when its needed.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012*

2012-01-11T05:17:00.001-08:00

The dogs must absolutely love winter. They can race around and chase each other to their hearts content and then lay stretched out, belly down in the snow to cool off.

We are having a great day here at Tails & Trails.While I was refreshing water bowls I spent a few extra minutes saying good morning to each dog. Belle is always so happy to see you. Even if you're only out of her sight for a minute, she welcomes you back with a full bodied tail wag.

Chesca really enjoyed her rub down this morning. She almost hugs your legs with her body, leaning into you while you work her shoulders. She's a sweetie. During her walk this morning with Bailey, Chesca found a spot in the snow, dropped and rolled! Meanwhile Bailey, who decided to bring a bone along for the walk, was still proudly parading around with it slightly hanging from her mouth.

Cara greeted me today with a kiss to the chin. She is a super friendly dog. She loves to get pets from all of us. What Cara seems to love most is when we sit on the floor so she can sprawl out across our laps and get a good rub down.

Louis had a great walk today with Lexy. Lexy as usual wanted to play, play, play, but Louis was having none of it. He was very focused on his walk and as cute as Lexy is she couldn't distract him. Later in the day though during groups Louis met up with Heidi and he is quite intrigued with her. Heidi is a little shy with him, probably due to his size. He was play bowing for her too; it was quite cute.

Farley is relaxing more and more with each passing day. She is very affectionate and loves going outside. She no longer waits to see the other dogs go by for groups before coming out of her kennel, she now races out ahead of everyone!

Sandy had quite an appetite at lunch time today. I gave her some sardines at noon and she scarfed them right down, followed by a nice cool drink of water. She is enjoying her play group and feels really comfortable with all the dogs in it. Her and Shiloh have formed a nice little bond. They kinda meander around the yard together, checking out fence posts and whatever it is that catches their interest.

I took Rocky and Hershey out for a walk today. These two guys are like pee-camels! They started marking the trail as soon as we hit the field and didn't stop until we got back. They are both really friendly little guys but Hershey just demands your affections. Hopping up on our legs practically shouting, "pet me"! Too cute.

Maggie is definitely in training to be on a sled team. When we hit that field she only has one gear and that's full speed straight ahead! I brought a couple of treats with me today and got her to walk by my side part of the time. She is eager to please and to be rewarded with a treat so with a bit more practice I bet she'll catch on real fast.

Simon had a great day, playing really well with everyone outside. He made friends today with, Wally the blood hound, Sammy, Maggie and Lexy. He and Wally loved wrestling and chasing each other. Simon walks very well on the leash and gives a great hug, granted he doesn't knock you over in the process.

I have never seen Sidney and Nestor move so fast as they did tonight during clean up! There was a stray sardine fillet left over from someones lunch in a bowl in the hall and the two dachshunds moved at lightening speed to find and eat it. They swallow things whole those two do!

Dixie and Rhodri have formed a real friendship. They adore each other! When its time for groups they race out the door together and go bouncing around the yard, taking turns chasing one another. Its nice to see Dixie all healed up and back to her old self again.

Kouza reminds of the dogs on the farm when I was growing up. She is incredibly intelligent and very eager to work and please. She listens to commands very well. Kouza watches people intently from her kennel and with curiosity. I love how she tilts her head while she looks at you, its like she is trying to tell you something with those big eyes.

Sammy and Oscar were paired up for a walk this morning and they were both raring to go! This afternoon Oscar hung out with some new (to him) dogs. He had a lot of fun with Bailey. Sammy is a dog who plays well with just about everybody she meets and today was no exception. She just likes to get outside and have fun while burning off some energy.

Monday, January 09, 2012

2012-01-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

Its another gorgeous winter Monday! We love to see that ole sun a shining. Walks were fantastic this morning.

We have two massive dogs here today named Louis (a Great Dane) and Simon (a St. Bernard). Louis was paired up with Chesca for morning walks today. They made friends right off the start. Louis dwarfs Chesca (a Rottie mix) but they both like to meander along during their walks and check things out with their noses so it was a good match.

Simon walked with his buddy Dawson. Both are playful dogs so I had my hands full trying to convince them to save the playing for later. I don't think Simon realizes just how big he is, but he walks wonderfully! For groups, we mixed Simon in with some of the playful, energetic dogs that are here today. He made fast friends with Lexy, Chevy and Sam. Sam is a bulldog so it was cute to see Simon the giant interact with this stocky guy.

Chevy and Lexy as usual only had eyes for each other. They love to wrestle, tumble and race all over when its outdoor play time. Getting them to come inside is a challenge though as who wants to come in when you're having fun right?!

We mixed Louis into a small play group as well today. He is getting along fabulously with Chesca (his walking buddy from the morning) and Belle a beautiful black lab. I'd say Louis has taken quite a shining to Belle because when they came in after playing outside, Belle was covered with Louis' gobber.

Bailey loves going outside, whether its for walks or play groups she is eager to go and very vocal about it too! Bailey is hanging out with Cara, Heidi, Farley, Dolan and Jake. Farley is really coming out of her shell. She interacts more with the dogs if none of us are outside, otherwise she is glued to our side and lapping up our attention. Heidi and Cara were having a blast chasing each other around outside. When they came in to the play room, they spent all their time wrestling with one another and ignoring the other dogs in the group. Dolan loves to be out where the action is, but he is definitely a watcher. He runs around with the group for a bit until something catches the interest of his nose, then he's on tour.

Our biggest group today is a mix of little dogs and older dogs. Shiloh, Sandy and Kouza are the 'giants' in this group, while Sydney, Nestor, Rocky, Hershey, Rhodri and Dixie are the small fries. Sandy had a really good walk today with Shiloh.

I have figured out that if you tell Kouza to sit before entering her kennel she will leave our toes alone. She walked with Dixie this morning. I think both Kouza and I were surprised as Dixie lead the way for the entire walk. Kouza walks very well on the leash and is incredibly smart.

Sidney and Nestor are still in hibernation mode. They weren't interested in the least for play groups today. When I opened their door they looked up at me and then rolled conveniently onto their backs as if to say "these feet aren't touching the ground right now babe"!

Rocky and Hershey are having a blast in their play group. They liked hanging with Rhodri, but they mostly enjoy chasing each other from one end of the yard to the other, barking and yipping as they go!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

2012-01-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

The day began with not many promises as the sky was grey, snow flurries, and a frosty wind coming from the east - brr - then as walks progressed the sky turned blue, the sun come out, and the winds disappeared!

Franchesca or Chesca as we call her is a very inquisitive girl; she doesn't miss too much about what's going on around and afar; very busy. Whereas Bailey stuck to the task at hand; walking with nose to the ground and stayed the course, leading us all the way around and back again.

Maya and Dakota were extremely anxious to go this morning. Maya so much so, as tiny as she is probably could have pulled me on a sleigh; not stopping once. Dakota on the other hand was busy trying to escape by chewing on the leash.

Shiloh and Sandy were the same; Shiloh wanted to go.., and go he went. Sandy kept things constant with a slow and easy trot.

Again, Sidney and Nestor were reluctant to go out but as soon as they hit the sun all was okay.

Charlie was on for a gallop this morning and Winnie just wanted to play; Winnie had no problem keeping up with the big guy.

Farley is a bit timid but seemed absolutely fine once Winnie poked her nose into her kennel and led her outside.

Boomer and Forrest are quite the talkers and characters, really good guys. They are always first waiting at the door of their kennel, they come when called, they cock their head when you speak to them, special guys!

Jake and Belle are quite the couple; they both have their own little strut with Belle having a little skip in her step when these two are together. Love is grand!

Louis is a big boy but that didn't seem to bother Dawson at all. I guess Dawson's motto is "the bigger the better". They spent quite a bit of time frolicking in the snow.

Kouza doesn't much care about whose toes she takes on when there is food around. If you won't let her have the food, she doesn't care, she will just nip your toes.

Molly was really smitten with Simon. She welcomed him into her group with plenty of kisses on Simons' jowls:)

Saturday, January 7th, 2011

2012-01-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

Oscar was bouncing all over the place on his walk this morning with Snowy. He had no one to play with in his group so I added Bruno to the mix and they had a blast chasing each other and wrestling all afternoon. This way Rhodri also got a break from Bruno's crazy playful antics.

Scout joined the smaller little dog group consisting of Lola, Sidney, Nestor, Snowy, Oscar and Bruno. She fit in well with this quieter group. Plus she tried to mother wee Oscar into learning some manners, but I don't think he got the message. Oh well he's just a pup and wants to have fun.

Outlaw enjoyed playing with Tycho and Ivy outside, they would all come in exhausted and wet from tumbling in the snow.

Our big playful group of Max(lab), Winnie, Zoe, Dawson, Chesca, Molly and Louis has an aweful lot of energy. It was great for them to run around outside, but when it came to indoor play I separated this group into 2 different rooms so it didn't get too overcrowded...Louis sure is a big boy. So Dawson, Louis, Molly and Zoe played inside the playroom upfront, while Chesca, Winnie and Max cooled down in the extra room in the back.

Max(lab) got tangled in his leash this morning and slipped his collar but he was so good and just walked straight to the gate and back into the yard.

Max B joined the quieter large dog group and seemed to enjoy it a little more then the rambuncious, playful group. He has settled in well and enjoyed his walk this morning with Molly.

Bailey found a bone in the playroom, does that sound familiar? She chewed away at it all afternoon. I guess she is tuckered out from playing all day yesterday with Jasmine.

Lola seems to be coming out of her shell a little more each day. Today she came up to me and let me give her a little pet and scratch on the head, and she enjoys going upfront to the playroom for indoor play with her group.

Winnie was looking for some extra attention today and gave me a big hug outside. She is so sweet. But she too seems tired today from all the playing yesterday.

Charlie waited to be the last one in today, I think he's figured out that if he waits a little bit he gets extra pets and attention. Smart boy!

Friday, January 6, 2012

2012-01-07T06:54:00.000-08:00

Today was a chilly day here at the kennel. The wind was gusting all morning, but that didn't keep the dogs from enjoying their walks.

Jasmine and Bailey had a great walk this morning. Jasmine kept up a quick pace and Bailey followed close behind her. We went along the back trail in the woods, which they both liked very much. Jasmine stopped a few times to bite off the tip of a branch from a tree, or sniff the ground. Bailey tried to take her time as much as she could while still following Jasmine, so she would sniff things while walking and only stop for a brief second. Then for the rest of the day they played just like old friends; these two girls are a great match. Its nice to see Jasmine have someone to play with.

Boomer and Forrest were delightful on their walk. They are a very strong pair! The walked the trail very close to each other, as if attached at the hip. Boomer was commited to the trail, he didn't want to stop to explore he just wanted to keep going. Forrest was quite different, he would keep up with Boomer but occasionally slow down and walk next to me and stare at me with his big eyes.

Charlie and Jake both have very short hair so I was worried it may be too cold for them, but they were more than happy to be going outside. Jake sprinted through the gates, and Charlie hopped around in the snow. Their walk was lots of fun- their leaping and jolting made me laugh.

Sidney, Nestor and Sandy went on a walk today. Sandy was very happy, wagging her tail as soon as I put her harness on. Sidney and Nestor were a little resistant on the way out, but as soon as they realized we were heading back inside, they had no trouble running all the way to the door.

Chevy and Molly walked together today, although they didn't do much walking. They are both very playful and hopped around playing with eachother in the snow through most of the trail.

Max was happy to be outside, I could tell that it made him a lot more relaxed. He walked slowly and close to my side. He would occasionally look up at me, asking to be pet. I could tell by the end that he was tired from walking through the snow, when he got back into his kennel he fell right asleep. Max was with the little dogs today and Oscar was very excited hopping around Max's legs.

Bruno and Oscar went for a short walk today and wrestled the whole time. Lola also went for a short walk with Rhodri. They both enjoyed hopping around and Lola seems to be settling in a little bit more. It's nice to be able to pick her up, even if she isn't very cuddly yet!

Maggie and Beanie hit it off right away and were playing non-stop outside.

Chevy and Sam paired up with Winnie and Zoe today along with Dawson, Chesca and Molly. This group is crazy and just loves to have fun. They spent the afternoon outside in the new playhouse and never stopped playing.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

2012-01-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Dawson and Jake had a great walk together this morning. They were an energetic pair, and had me gliding through the snow throughout most of the walk. Dawson and Jake also had fun playing along the way, occasionally stopping to hop around in the snow together.

Sandy and Sherpa were both happy to go out into the snow. Sandy led the walk. She was so full of energy, she made sure to let me know when I was walking too slowly by tipping her head back at me and staring until we picked up the pace. Sherpa stuck close to me on the walk. His little ears were flopping around, he was wagging his tail with excitement the whole time. He is well named!

Jasmine and Francesca were happy to go on their walk as well. Jasmine was very excited. She was bopping her head in all different directions and when she finally saw something that interested her she sprinted in that direction. Chesca was very calm compared to Jasmine; she walked slowly and took her time to look around; neither of them wanted to go back to the kennel. When we got to the gate they even started back on the trail, they loved it outside.

Melody and Kouza were the most excited to go on their walk today. We had to wait for the dogs in front of us to go through the gate and Melody was not pleased by that. She prepared herself to sprint as soon as the leash loosened. She frantically weaved around the trail sniffing every inch of ground she could. Kouza was just as excited. She hopped around behind Melody and followed the same zigzag path that Melody took. It was a struggle to try and get them back inside because they loved their walk so much.

Maya and Dakota are doing awesome..! They are both very friendly little critters. Dakota is on the shy side but is really coming out of her shell. She is super excited to go for walks in the morning and even hopped right into my lap today to get some loving. Maya loves to run and play and Dakota is never far behind.

Charlie and Belle had a great walk today. Charlie absolutely adores Chloe, one of the activity co-ordinators here. She dotes on him and he laps it up. With each passing day Charlie becomes more confident and comfortable in his surroundings. Belle is just that... a typical southern Belle. She is happy and energetic all the time, but still graceful. She greeted us this morning with a full body tail wag.

Bailey arrived this morning and she is having a lot of fun. Looks are deceiving sometimes as she looks like an older dog but she has so much spunk and play still in her. She walked with Zoe and Lucky this morning. Lucky was the small fry in this trio but everyone got along wonderfully. Zoe was very curious about little Lucky at first, but the novelty of a smaller dog wore off after a few minutes and then she was focused on the trail ahead. Then Bailey and Zoe walked side by side for the rest of the field.

Dolan and Tanner were a great duo for walks this morning. They kept the same pace and stopped together to sniff out things under the snow. Half way through the walk Tanner got really playful but Dolan is all business when he is on the leash so play time for Tanner had to wait till groups.

Sidney and Nestor as usual weren't too eager to go out for a walk today. They balked the whole way down the driveway but when we turned around they boogied their little hinies the whole way back, practically dragging Emma behind them.

Mishka really loves the snow!! She was rolling in the snow, burying her head and zigzagging across the path. She has a sore foot again so we are wishing her a speedy recovery.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012-01-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

Kinsey and Spencer have been enjoying the luxury of having their very own lounge all to themselves!

Charlie was paired up with Dawson for his morning walk, and though at first timid around him, Charlie soon came out of his shell and played the rest of the walk! He is slowly playing more and more as he gets used to his surroundings, and has made a great couple of friends with Belle and Brie.

Boca loves playing with the two Zoe's! As soon as their kennel doors are opened they begin their playing in the hallway before moving it outside. Winnie joined their group today and fit right in!

Mia has a fixation with her water bowl! Whether it's a bucket or a bowl, it always ends up emptied and placed on her bed.

Rocky and Rebel joined Beanie, Poochio, Kouza, Maya and Dakota in their play group. When Beanie ran up to initiate them, they were quick to lay down the law! Small but mighty, these two little Dachshunds don't take anything from anyone!

Oscar is the cutest little bundle of energy! He and his best friend Bruno are inseparable once they start playing. Paris is always on the sidelines cheering them on, while Sidney and Nestor are more interested in going back inside to their bed. Lucky, Sherpa and Snowy welcomed Melody to their quieter half of the group.

Jasmine joined Toby, Dawson, and Chesca outside and got along great with them. Her and Chesca were happy just sniffing around today, while the more playful twosome, Toby and Dawson, ran around chasing each other in a fun game of tag!

Monday, January 02, 2012

2012-01-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

It was a little windy today and not as warm as yesterday but it was not too cold as most dogs seemed to enjoy their walks and play time outside.

Tess and Winnie had their walks together again which they really seem to enjoy. Winnie was very excited about her walk today and was running, jumping and digging through the snow trying to get Tess to play with and while she was mostly ignored by Tess, a couple of times near the end Winnie did get Tess to play with her.

Dawson and Brie also had their walk together but did not get off to the best start. Dawson was very excited about his walk and meeting Brie which she did not very much appreciate but after a while and with some scolding from Brie, Dawson calmed down and both were able to enjoy their walk together.

Ben and Wylie were very sad to be separated from each other during their walks. Ben went with Kinsey and Wylie went with Lucky but both seemed to enjoy meeting and playing with other dogs that they normally don't get a chance to spend time with, as they are in different play groups. Lucky and Wylie got along very well on their walk and spent a lot of their time together following each other as they looked around for new things to sniff.

Kinsey and Spencer got to go to the new playroom outside and even got spend a little extra time outside as it has it's own enclosed yard.

Charlie and Belle had a good time, although Charlie was a little nervous and shy as he is not often at the kennel. He eventually warmed up to Belle who was very friendly and playful which helped to relieve some of his nervousness.

Clapton and Kouza worked together on their walk taking turns breaking a path through the deep snow parrallel of the path before Kouza becoming tried of going through deep snow and getting cold paws decided to stay mostly on the path.

There are a lot of little dogs at the kennel today so we were able to make two groups. Bruno and Oscar, the little puppy, get along very well and played together almost the whole time they out and about. Oscar also played very well all the`other dogs including Paris, Snowy, Dakota, Maya and Sherpa.

Beanie, Poochio, Ben,Wylie and Kouza were in the other group. Ben, the largest dog of the group, was very good and gentle making sure not to hurt any of the little dogs. Poochio and Beanie were both very excited to play with a larger dog. Poochio would chase Beanie and then Ben and Wylie would then join in on the chase and they would all run around the yard.

Belle was in one of the larger groups but almost all the dogs in her play group wanted to play with her. Coal, Scoobie and Isaac were all fighting for her attention. Becky and Jasmine were also in that group and they played really well with Toby, Chesca and Dawson.

One of the groups today was all girls! Maddie, Boca, Zoe, Mia and Zoe H. They all played extremely well together especially Zoe H. and Boca who were wrestling and tackling each other almost the whole time. Maddie, Zoe and Mia also played together well though at the beginning Mia was a bit reluctant to go outside probably due to the cold, but once she was outside she had a great time playing with the other dogs in her group.

Charlie was a bit nervous of the other dogs when he went out but the calm and quite attitudes of Kinsey, Spencer, Redden, and Sam soon allowed him to relax and he and Redden seemed to become somewhat of friends.

Drake and Diesel were by themselves in groups and walks again today but they did not seem to mind and enjoyed each others company. When they are outside, all they do is wrestle and try to pin each other down.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012-01-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

What a beautiful day, nice and mild for the dogs, they all loved being outdoors this afternoon!
Snowy was more quiet today but on the walk was extremely playful with his walking buddy, Brie. Brie is a Golden and they had a blast going through the snow and chasing after one another trying to be the lead.

Oscar is so much fun to watch! He made a friend today, Bruno the French Bulldog, and they can't stop wrestling every time they're together. They are constantly running after each other and really using the playroom to its potential! It is so great to see Bruno come out of his shell. He seems much more confident!

We separated out the small dog group (including Ben!) because with little 3 month old Oscar it was all just too much energy. So we have the more sparky dogs like Beanie and Poochio with Ben and Wylie and Kouza while the other little ones form another group.

Lucky is back in a kennel after being in the office for a few days. He is on some medication and on the prowl for food! It's like he was visited by the labrador fairy overnight because all he wants to do is eat! He is getting more rest being in his kennel though and it's good for his legs.

Speaking of legs, good old Spenser was having a hard time on the tile floor, so we organized a quiet dog group in the lounge in the new building. It's all rubber flooring and he couldn't get enough of it. He was walking around, seeming to say, Look at me, I can walk again! It's good to see him up and active.

Kinsey, Spenser's sidekick, is a bit younger and more agile and she really loved having some more active dogs to play with! Then she and Spenser bunked down in the playroom inside overnight and seemed very relaxed.

Wow, Boca, Max and Mia are quite the threesome outside. These three are the last to come in and boy do they play rough and hard. It's so funny too, because Mia acts like she doesn't want to go outside...not sure if it's the cold air after she has been so cozy in her kennel or she just wants to check out every one's stuff.

The Zoe's are also part of that crazy group, and while they are playful, they are also much more refined and come running when they are called. They are both such sweet, pretty girls. Zoe H is a bit of a mother figure, while Zoe B likes to play shy but is actually very playful.

Tess and Winnie are firm friends now; Tess actually looks like a mini-Winnie. She generally dislikes small dogs and can be a bit harder to mix, but you can see her relax as she encounters each dog in her group. They are a good gang. Winnie gives her a quick kiss when they see each other...just for reassurance, I think.

Cody is doing much better than his first day, when he was a bit snappy. He has been playing in the yards and seems to enjoy the company of the other dogs, tearing around the yard with them.

Little Paris. Oh my goodness, you are well named! Talk about a beautiful, pampered little girl...Paris has long silky hair, a jewelled collar and delicately trimmed little paws. She is such a sweet little sprite though. There is nothing spoiled or obnoxious about this little one. Every day she gets a little less clingy and more excited about heading out into the yard with her little friends. And then it's time for hugs. She loves to hang around on the top of her crate and view the world from a big dog vantage point.

Coal, Scoobie and Isaac are as big and bold as ever. These boys are so lovely and they really get worried when Isaac gets in trouble for barking at Poochio and Beanie through the gate. The instigators look at me like "He started it! No she started it!" The silly thing is that all of them are wonderful dogs and would probably get along just fine if they got to know each other. Coal has been a softie for some time, but we are really seeing the softer side of Scoobie as well these days. He is such a sweetheart.

They hung out with Becky and Jasmine today, which is an awesome sight. All these big beautiful labs together!

Drake and Diesel were very good boys today. Mostly they tear around and play and wrestle, but they were a bit tired tonight, so there was more sniffing going on. We gave their beds a good washing today and boy were they happy to have them back at bedtime. Diesel is always so happy to see people and Drake has been a bit shy with me...I wonder if it's my hat? Anyway, he came tearing around the corner and gave me such a greeting, I thought it was Diesel at first.

The other evening they had a play with Wally and Ricky, which was very fun. And Ricky is a male Husky, so we were especially pleased that Diesel was okay with him.

Redden and I are becoming such good friends. He is truly a beautiful soul and he seems to be really trying to communicate something important with those big eyes. He likes a peaceful life and a good curl up on his cot. He somehow has a wound on his back, so we think he might have received a glancing grab by one of the more playful dogs. We are keeping it clean and he is pretty stoic about it all, although he sure is happy when I'm finished with the ointment!

Saturday, December 31, 2011

2012-01-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

Syarah was our Pet Activity Coordinator today...here are her notes.

Toby was pulling Andy along in the snow today, while Sam was trying to keep up with the pace. He's a handful when you're walking him because he always wants to run the whole time.

Percy was jumping on the playroom walls today; when he caught my eye though he seemed sad and stopped, but then a moment later when I looked back he was already playing with the others. What a ham!

Dawson and Harriet were very outgoing on their walk this morning, I think they thought it was a race or something because both of them were trying to get ahead of one another the whole time. Harriet gave up sooner than Dawson did though> She seemed really tired.

Spencer was really shy this morning, when I was letting their group out, Kinsey jumped right up and ran outside, but he was just laying down, it took me a while to get him out but after that it looked like he made a few new friends!

Chesca is a darling, she's really sweet and got along great with the other dogs, even though she's a little smaller. It doesn't mean that she's not as tough or fun as the big guys.

Maddie and Boca were a bit difficult to walk this morning, for me anyways, they seemed like they were having a lot of fun wrestling in the snow, so much fun that they didn't want to go back inside..

Andy said that Mia and Max were great on their walk today, the two of them got along great and they weren't any trouble at all, in their playgroup they were stirring up some trouble though.

Zoe and Zoe are very playful dogs, they get along with pretty much everyone so we never have to worry about them, on their walk they were both jumping in the snow, then stopping and shoved their faces in it to sniff around.

Sam spent his day on his own in one of the empty rooms we have. He's a great little trooper, though he wasn't playing much today with anyone. He seemed very tired, when I checked on him at lunch he was sleeping on his bed.

Coal Scoobie and Isaac were great in their group today, even with some of the smaller calm dogs, they were having fun. Inside got a little rough though because they were making some dogs uncomfortable, so I brought them back.

Cody was really nervous when he first went outside, I'm not sure why though. But when he saw some of the others playing he joined in very quickly. He and Sarge were playing lots.

Friday, December 30, 2011

2012-01-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Its hard to believe that we are at the end of another year..! Out with 2011 and in with 2012. Time sure does fly!

If we were wondering a couple of weeks ago when winter was going to hit, it has arrived with a vengence! Walks were chilly this morning but they all went well. Some shorter then others due to iced up doggie toes.

Today is Chevy's first birthday... Happy birthday Chevy buddy!! He is enjoying his day hanging out with Zoe in the new common room. Then for groups he is spending his energy running around with Boca, both Zoe's, Max, Mia and Cody. Boca is loving her play group today. She is racing and tumbling with Max, Chevy and Zoe from one end of the yard to the other.

The two Zoe's enjoyed a walk together this morning. The cold didn't seem to bother either one of them. We toured the back woods where it is a bit more sheltered from the wind. There was no stopping to catch our breath as these two were very focused on exploring every inch of the trail.

Tess, Clapton, Molly, Shae and Sasha make up a wonderful little play group. Shae had a nice but short walk this morning with Wrigley. She seems to like the snow but gets cold fast. If she could walk on only one foot I bet she'd stay outside for a very long time. Wrigley was in high gear for his walk but slowed down when he hit the field... There are just too many things to smell out there! Tess really loves hanging out in this play group. Her and Molly hit it off right away, playing tag and racing with each other outside.

Clapton walked with Sarge today in the back woods. Sarge was full steam straight ahead while Clapton checked things out as we went along. Half way into our walk Claptons toes were starting to get iced up. He was really good and let me help him pick the ice chunks out and then we were on our merry way again.

Toby is still having a blast with Dawson. They can barely get out the door before they are playing together. When its time to come in they race each other down the long hall straight to the play room. Percy, Sam, Harriet and Redden make up the rest of this posse. Sam hung back a minute this morning to say hello before going out with the rest of the group, he's so friendly that one!

Redden is one of those dogs that can pretty much go in any group. He is so friendly and gentle. He is enjoying Percy's company. They seem to like doing the same sort of things. They both meander around the yard sniffing random fence posts and then they sit and observe the antics of the others until its time to come in.

Harriet is a very well behaved, low maintenance dog. She loves having a visit and getting pets as well as treats. Walk and group time is her favourite time of day for sure. During groups today she was chasing Toby and Dawson around, out manuevering them on the corners. She even beat them inside and ambushed them when they entered the indoor play room. It was really funny to see and so inspiring, since Harriet is 12!

Rhodri has joined Sidney, Nestor and Gretchen in the kitchen today. It's a little posse of dachshunds! We have posted a note on the door of the kitchen, reminding everyone to open the door with caution. One never knows where these guys will decide to lay down.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

2012-01-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

Buurrrrrr....!! It was a cold morning but the sun is shining and the wind calmed right down during walks so on the whole its been a great day.

We decided today\ that with all the snow we had, that we would start using the back woods for walks again. Once the snow gets packed down back there, it makes for a nice walk. The first two dogs to brave the snowy trail were Diesel and Drake. They had a riot plowing through the untouched snow. By the time we got back everyone was worn out! The two of them stopped and stretched out in the snow, cooling their bellies down before we went back inside.

Kimi and Lobo are hanging out in the old feed room turned lounge room. We had a good chuckle today, as from the hallway we could see the lights going on and off in their room. Upon further inspection we discovered that Kimi is hopping up and tapping the light switch repeatedly with her paw, turning the lights on and off! Too funny!

Even with her nice warm coat on this morning, Shae wasn't liking the cold one bit. Later on though during groups she was running and jumping in the still fresh snow piles. After playing outside she got to go into the new playroom building with Sasha, Dolan, Bull and Redden. Bull is a great guy but he gets lonely so this group room is the 'bees knees' to him! Sasha and Redden haven't been out here yet so they are enjoying giving it a thorough inspection and relaxing in the quiet.

Dolan was feeling rambunctious this morning, frolicking in the snow but a short way into his walk with Harriet his paws were getting cold and so were Harriet's. The snow was getting stuck between their toes the poor buggers. They had had a good stroll, so we decided to head back so they could get their toes warmed up.

Max and Zoe were both raring to go for their walk this morning and the cold wasn't slowing them down either. Max was so excited to be walking in the back woods! There are so many new and interesting, sights and smells to take in! He was weaving all over the place. Zoe wanted to play really badly but settled for following Max every which way till we got back!

Winnie and Clapton were teamed up for their walk this morning. They were very anxious to get going. Winnie must have caught a whiff of something under the snow because she dove head first into a drift and spent several minutes burrowing her way around under the mound of snow. Clapton made use of this time by cleaning some ice out of his toes and getting a rub down from me.

Sarge was being very affectionate today. He was really enjoying his time out with his play group but when we came out to do a bit of yard clean up he was all over us. He wanted to be pet, rubbed and loved. He kept weaving in and out of our legs and half hopping up on us when we stopped.., how could we say no! Too cute.

Toby and Redden went for a short stroll this morning. Redden was not happy about the cold at all. One quarter of the way around the field, Redden had finished his business and felt it was time to turn around and head back. He put the brakes on and we weren't going an inch further. Toby was alternating holding up one paw at a time so we turned around and Redden led the way back.

Tanner got to chill out during down time with Cara, Brody and Sam in the new play room. Its very spacious, quiet and cozy. They were all only too happy to share the space and keep each other company.

Boca was having a lot of fun playing tag with Max, Mia and Zoe. For as agile as Max is, Boca is every bit as fast. Mia loved running with them but likes to watch the games too, so after a bit of play she found a sunny spot to quietly sit and observe. Zoe really wanted Mia to get back in the game or perhaps didn't want to see her left out so she kept coming back to check on her, nudging her with her nose and then her hip. Molly was hanging out with these guys and was completely tuckered from chasing after them when she came back in.

Percy is such a beautiful dog with big brown eyes that scream 'pet me'! Today for play groups he is hanging out with Wrigley, Sam, Dawson, Harriet and Toby. Percy likes to wander the yard and smell things while the other dogs play around him. Wrigley was quite relaxed this morning as when it was group time he went out and layed belly down in the snow and just took in the action.

Sam the Bernese had a fantastic walk with Kiera in the back woods today. He was loving the snow and the new scenery. He walks very well and is super gentle for such a big guy!

Sidney, Nestor and Gretchen are still enjoying themselves in the kitchen. Gretchen is getting really comfortable with her surroundings. She loves having us in there at lunch time and will curl up on our feet if not our laps during break time.

Lucky and Kouza were the only dogs in their group to not complain about the cold during outdoor play. Beanie and Poochio were having fun wrestling outside but after a couple of minutes they were at the door barking up a storm.

Dakota is usually Maya's shadow but today he wasn't waiting around for her when it was time to come inside. He happily led the entire crew in to the indoor play room today.

Sierra, Hoover and Chloe are all doing well. Hoover is such a playful, energetic dog. He loves racing, tumbling and wrestling with the other dogs. When Sierra was outside during groups today she dug a rubber bone out of the snow and was parading happily around the yard with it. She brought it inside and chewed on it for close to an hour.

Tess is a calm easy going dog. She gets along well with most of the dogs here, big and small. Today she was hanging out with a few of the bigger dogs like Molly (a golden doodle) and Max. She had fun with them but they sure did tire her out. When she came back in she found a sunny patch in the play room and curled up for a snooze.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

2011-12-28T14:43:00.000-08:00

Drake and Diesel are such a cute pair. At the end of their walk this morning they were wrestling each other in the snow like a couple of teenage boys.

Shae was as graceful as a gazelle on her walk this morning. She pranced along the trail but I think it was just so that her feet wouldn't get cold.

Gretchen, Sidney and Nestor enjoyed yet another lazy day being cozy in the kitchen. Sidney looked dashing in his teddy bear coat and the three of them were all snuggled together in bed.

Toby and Zoe were having lots of fun playing together outside. They loved to wrestle in the snow drifts and were among the first dogs to`test out the new play yard outside.

Everyone really loved the extra play space and they all ran around like crazy in the snow.

Chevy just wanted to play all day. When he got outside with his new group, he barked at everyone asking someone to play with him. He ended up having a blast playing with Boca, Hoover and just about everyone else in his group.

Chevy's enthusiasm was shared by almost everyone else in that crazy group. Even Sierra ended up running around for a while.

Percy preferred to relax during his indoor playtime and watched the rest of his group playing.

Dolan loves the snow and had a blast prancing and dancing in the new play area outside.

Shae found it a little chilly outside today and preferred to stick to indoor playtime rather than outdoor playtime.

Russel is such a character. He was rolling all over the playroom floor.

Max and Hoover got involved in a tug-o-war in the playroom.

Chloe is a social butterfly and likes to run around and spend some time with almost everyone in her group.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

2011-12-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

I think Dakota would rather be a snowman than a dog, as he kept rolling in the powder and shoveling it on to his face! He and Maya were covered in little snowballs by the end of their walk.

When Shea comes back inside to the warmth and her coat comes off, she loves to get her back scratched by Pam!

Coco, Henry and Bull joined Dolan, Shea, Monty, Lucky and Flanders in the quieter group, and were welcomed with wagging tails and curious noses.

Toby, Redden, Percy, Wrigley and Dawson were joined by Sam the Burmese, Zoe and Russel. The addition of Russel to the group brought a whole new level of excitement and they all turned their playfulness up one more notch. Percy was more content watching from the sidelines - they sure are an entertaining bunch!

Mia, like most Boxers, is a very happy-go-lucky girl. She wiggles and twists her entire body in excitement! She loves having visits and pets from us. Play group is her favourite time of the day by far.

Hoover is a lot like Mia. He is a very happy and playful dog. He loves playing with anyone and everyone, especially his pals Sierra, Chloe, Max, and his newest friend Boca! When it's time to go play inside, step aside!! Max comes through the door at 100mph ready to take the games inside!

Diesel and Drake are the cutest pair, they do everything together. They do their Rottie Wiggle every morning when I stop to say hi!

Gretchen is still loving the attention she gets while being in the kitchen. When we sit down for lunch she wants nothing more than to climb up on our laps and get that itchy spot scratched! We're all falling in love with the sweet little girl.

Monday, December 26th, 2011

2011-12-28T14:28:00.000-08:00

Oh boy was it busy today but everything went smoothly, just the way we like it.

Drake and Diesel were just plowing through the snow on their walk. Drake kept throwing the snow up with his nose onto his face, it was quite comical when he would look back at me with a white face.

Sam and Russell joined a new group today with Toby, Redden, Percy, Wrigley and Dawson. These boys are all great and love to just wander around outside. Although Dawson and Toby had a blast playing, jumping and racing with each other.

Ranger and Cisco are quite the little rockets. They are always everywhere except the place you want them to be. They listen well though and will come when you call them.

Max is always so happy. When he went back to his kennel he entertained himself by throwing his toys in the air and chasing them.

Chloe is really sweet and always listens when its time to go back to her kennel, same with Sierra.

Coco, Henry and Bull came in this morning, they joined the lovely quieter dog group of Dolan, Shae, Monty, Lucky, Poppy and Flanders.

Sidney and Nestor took over Gretchen's little bed in the kitchen, so she had to sleep in their big bed all by herself. Klipper joined them in the kitchen for a relaxing day with the sleepy heads brigade.

Wish you could have heard Kaeko and Kouza talking up a storm today! These 2 Aussie's sure do like to speak their minds. They are both good dogs and get along great with their group.

Sunday, December 25, 2011*

2011-12-28T14:25:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

We have had an awesome day here at Tails and Trails. It's busy but since we are closed to customers, its all about the dogs and cats. They are having a very special day with extra playgroups and as an added bonus, we opened up our new playhouse so some of our friends are so happy to have a whole building to themselves.

This morning when Dolan and Monty were on their way through the new yard, they were frolicking and wrestling. Dolan was so joyful, he jumped right over little Oscar and didn't even seem to notice!

Shae, who has a bit of a complex about tile floors, loves going to the new building because of it's warm rubber floor. Lucky is also enjoying this new room. Its quiet and his buddies are in there with him.

Gretchen, Sidney and Nestor all love hanging out in the kitchen and snuggling down in their beds. They play a bit of game going from bed to bed, but they don't seem to mind who is where as long as it is warm and comfy. Since Gretchen can't see much, if anything at all, it's nice that she has a home base.

Diesel and Drake are doing just great. Diesel had a wonderful night and was raring to go this morning. The two friends were barely out of the door this morning when they were running around and playing together.

Sam was staring at Susan during the entire walk this morning with adoration written all over his face. He was so happy to be out in the snow, touring the field. It's like he knew it was Christmas morning and was trying to share the merry spirit.

Redden had some tummy trouble overnight so we skipped breakfast. He did not agree with that decision at all. He wanted something to eat and he made it clear. We will try a bit of food tonight and see how things go. All in all he was his normal self and had a great day with his old friend Toby M.

Cisco, Ranger, Maya and Dakota enjoyed a nice walk together this morning. Half way around the field they caught up to Beanie and Poochio so they all walked together as one big posse. The six of them kept weaving back and forth on the trail, stopping as a whole from time to time, to sniff a patch of grass that wasn't buried in the snow. The smaller dogs are very often the fastest walkers and Dakota is a prime example of this. Boy can she motor!

Wrigley and Percy were a great match for walking buddies this morning. They jogged for half the field and then Wrigley started to slow down and seemed to want to just mosey along for the remainder of the walk. Percy would have been game to keep running but was just as content to poke around in the snow.

Klipper and Poppy are doing well. They are hanging out in the old feed room turned lounge room. Its spacious, quiet and away from group traffic. They are friendly dogs and they love to have visitors. As it was quite cold this morning, instead of going out to the field these two guys went out to the yard for a bit. Not long after they took care of their 'business' they were anxious to get back inside to their warm room.

Maxwell and Huxley absolutely loved the snow. They practically dragged Syarah around the field in their excitement. Leaping, racing and tumbling with each other the whole time. Apparently Dawson and Mia had the same playful bug in them this morning as it was an all out race to the gates and the adjoining field. Then it was leaping and jumping with each other from one side of the path to the other until they got back.

Duncan had a great walk with Andy today. He just loves the snow. He kept stopping to make snow angels all along the path. Shaggy hair and long limbs flailing in the air as he rolled around.

Sasha had a short walk with Sidney and Nestor this morning. It was cold out and Sasha has sore knees so she was happy to stretch her legs and then get back into the warmth of the kennel. Sidney and Nestor enjoyed touring around with Sasha for a bit but were just as eager to get back in and snuggle down in the kitchen where its nice and warm.

Ceilidh and Monty are wonderful walkers. They have mini pinch collars and they make the difference between night and day. They tour all over during their walk, enjoying all the smells the field has to offer but they don't pull your arm or drag you where they want to go. Monty barks up a storm until he hits the field then he's focused on the walk and quiets right down. Hoover, Chloe, Clapton, Max and Lucy joined these two for group play. Max is a speed demon and Chloe loves a good race. Hoover is fast but Max has got him beat on the agility front!

Ulu is comfortable and enjoying herself. When someone comes down her hall she lets out a soft warning bark until she can see or smell whoever it is and then settles back into her bed and goes back to sleep. When going outside she likes to wait until the other dogs are already out. I can't blame her though, I don't like traffic jams either!

Kaeko and Kouza enjoy hanging out for groups together. Kouza usually prefers to be around the small dogs but these two have hit it off and like being around each other. They talk up a storm when they are inside. Bantering back and forth for sometimes three, four minutes at a time!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

2011-12-28T14:24:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a wild day it was today! We started off our walks while it was still quite cold and it warmed up gradually during the day. No matter the temperature, everyone was still hopping to get going on their walks.

I started off with Mia and Max and was blown away by Max's energy. He did not want to stop moving his feet at all! He liked to run in circles around me as we were walking forward so that he could run despite my and Mia's more relaxed walking pace.

Maxwell and Huxley were a determined bunch and they reminded me of oxen trying to plow a field. The only difference was that Maxwell and Huxley were easily distracted by all of the interesting smells they found along the trail.

Toby also was determined to keep moving forward. We actually jogged around part of the trail but I could barely keep up with his long legs.

Sophie, Mischief, and Dolan had a great walk this morning. Dolan took the lead and did an excellent job of guiding us around the trail. Mischief took up Dolan's right flank and Sophie took up his left.

Monty was another excited walker. He was just go, go, go!

Today we got to test out our new playhouse and the dogs loved it. Shae started jumping around and wagging her tail all over the place when she got inside. She was joined by Monty, Oscar, Dolan, Lucky, and Gretchen. Monty and Dolan had lots of fun playing both in the playhouse and in the yard, and Oscar would sometimes join in the fun. Lucky preferred to just lie on his bed while the others were playing.

The entire playhouse group always gave me a friendly and excited greeting when I would go out and visit them.

Gretchin spent almost all day being cozy in her bed. Sidney and Nestor did the same thing, but they stayed in the Kitchen.

Deisel and Drake are adorable. Despite their burliness, they both would come running to me and give me a friendly tail wag whenever I was around.

Sarge is true to his nature and still tries to bring his stuffed animal with him whenever he goes outside, but he always leaves it in his kennel when I remind him that other dogs might try to take it.

Redden gave me a nice, friendly hello when I was outside with his group.

Lucy loves to get attention. She would come running at me, wagging her tail, and looking at me with her cute puppy dog eyes just begging to be pet. She's also super energetic and would charge through the halls.

Mia and Hoover had tons of fun rolling around and playing in the playroom.

Ceildh found a toy she liked in the playroom and spent her time up front chewing on it.

Sierra and Flanders preferred to avoid their crazy groups in their up front playtime and went back into their kennels.

Poochio, Cara, and Flora had a blast in the playroom and they were running and playing all over the place.

Sarge and Sam had some playtime outside.

Winnie was just one joyful dog today. She ran everywhere and did everything with gusto! What a crazy girl! She loved playing with Poppy outside today.

Friday, December 23, 2011

2011-12-26T16:47:00.000-08:00

The rush is on... Lots of dogs have arrived again today to celebrate Christmas with us and it looks like its gonna be a white one after all!!

It is unanimous, Toby P doesn't know he's a lab, he seems to think that he is a hound. He has his nose to the ground when we are out walking and he zigzags all over just like our resident blood hound Wally.

Sierra and Chloe teamed up for a walk this morning. Chloe, like Toby P had her nose to the ground for most of the walk. Sierra did as well but it was more of an itchy nose thing for her I think. She wears a gentle lead during walks (lead that goes around the nose) and I think she was trying to get it off by dragging her face through the snow.

Lucy was very vocal about getting out for a walk this morning, she didn't stop talking till her feet hit the field. Mia joined her for the walk and they both couldn't wait to get back so they could get out and play together. Jake and Hoover were in their play group too. Hoover loves playing tag and running at top speed. He races out the door for play time and barely makes the corner in his excitement to get out there. Jake is calmer in comparison to Hoover. He likes to race around as well but he is definitely more careful of his footing.

Gretchen, Maggie, Sidney and Nestor are relaxing in the kitchen together today. Gretchen is a small brown dachshund and if you scratch her chin she shakes her back leg. I think Sidney and Nestor prefer the kitchen as it is always really warm in there. They are curled up hibernating from the cold again. Maggie also loves the kitchen but I think its because she knows we'll share our laps and lunch with her during our down time.

Beanie, Poochio, Flora and Oscar all walked together this morning. They made a cute posse touring around the field together. The smallest of the quartet is Oscar and he lead the way the entire time we were out! Way to show them up Oscar! Beanie and Flora look a lot alike. They are both jack russells and about the same height. Flora has a tuft of long hair on her back though so that is how at a glance we can tell them apart when they're out playing.

Cisco and Ranger were speed demons today during walks. They are onto the schedule here and love it. Group play is by far their favourite time of day. They enjoy frolicking with Maya and Dakota while they are outside. Its nice to see Dakota coming out of his shell. With each day that goes by he is more and more confidant. Venturing around the yard and meeting new dogs. He met up with Brody today and they spent some time inspecting each other as well as the fence line.

Cara I liken to a referee... If the dogs are getting too excited while they are playing Cara lets them know real fast with a stern bark. Its quite comical. Her and Brody are spending their down time resting in the old feed room with Shea. Shea doesn't really like the tile floors and has a hard time walking on them so this room is perfect for her. It's quite spacious and quiet. She seems to enjoy Cara and Brody's company as well.

Duncan had a fabulous walk with Donna this morning. He stopped to roll on the ground about half a dozen times. Donna thought this was rather funny and took to having a giggle fit.

Donna also took Diesel out for a stroll today. She was very impressed with how well behaved he is on the leash and how well he walks. He is a very strong dog (he is a rottweiler) so it was nice to see how eager he was to please his handler. He and Drake are hanging out together for play time and boy do these guys know how to play. They look like full grown puppies tumbling over one another all around the yard.

Wrigley is back with us and is having a riot hanging out with the two chocolate labs Huxley and Maxwell. These dogs go a mile a minute, I think Wrigley has found his matches in these guys. When its time to come in its just a streak of blurry fur as they go flying past.

Sam and Chevy are happily sharing not only a group for play time but a kennel as well. They race each other back when its quiet time and the two of them curl up together. Chevy using Sam as a pillow and Sam happily sawing logs. Dolan, Sophie and Mischief are in this play group as well.

Dolan is a great dog. He gets along with everyone no matter their size. He, like Mischief, enjoys to get out and stretch his legs, but they are more on the calm side, so after a bit of exercise they generally just tour the yard sniffing the fence posts and patches of grass gathering all kinds of information. Sophie on the other hand is a player and loves to tumble and wrestle with the dogs like Chevy who are full of playful, kind energy.

When its Sarge's turn for group outdoor play he can't decide what he wants more.., to stop and say hello to you and get a rub or go tearing outside with the rest of the group! A quick scratch on the ear seems to suffice and then he catches up with the others.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

2011-12-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

It was a bit of a tricky drive in this morning. The mild temperatures today are slowly melting all the icy patches that formed over night out in the yard. It's looking like we're gonna have a green Christmas!!

The morning started off fairly quiet but as Christmas is just days away we are slowly filling up and getting busy. We were able to get some of the new rooms organized in time for the up coming weekend so the dogs will be able to enjoy some new lounging and play rooms.

Redden and Sierra were the first dogs out for walks this morning. Redden is always eager to get going, greeting you with a smile when he sees you with his easy walker in his hand. He is very well behaved during walks and just in general. Courteous too, he never rushes the door or jumps up on you. Sierra is a wonderful walker as well. She likes to zig zag across the path as she goes and rub her face on the ground. She greets you with a bark and full body wag, too cute.

Beanie and Poochio get so excited for their walks and group time. They zoom around the field as fast as their little legs will allow. When they are out during play time you can find them wrestling and playing a game of tag with Cisco and Ranger. Once these guys get going its just a blur of fur moving in tandem from one end of the yard to the other. This usually grabs the attention of Monty and Flora who are always up for a good natured game of tag. If Monty doesn't get his fill of tag before its time to come back in, he'll hang back and try to get you to chase him for a bit. A treat in hand always gets him to come zipping inside though.

Scout and Oscar get a little spoiled while they are here. Oscar loves spending time in the office up front with Pam and Tea-cup. So every now and then after out/indoor play she'll hang out on the dog bed and keep Pam company while she works. Scout just has to circle our legs and if you bend down slightly she'll launch herself into your arms and snuggle right into you. Its so cute.

Sidney and Nestor are in the kitchen with Gretchen. Dachshunds have really healthy appetites! Sidney and Nestor are pretty sedate and slow but when it's meal time those two sure can move! And even though Gretchen is smaller then them, she does a fantastic job of cleaning her plate, at warp speed too!

Lucy and Tanner teamed up to walk together this morning. Lucy wants to be on a sled team I think. She is just raring to go all the time especially when she sees a leash in your hand. And talk about vocal! This is a dog who you can have a conversation with. She'll banter with you for quite a while! Don't ask me whats she's saying I'm no dog whisperer but every time I talk to her, she answers.

Tanner gets along with everyone. He and Lucy had a lot of fun during their walk. They were leaping over one another, racing and tangling up their leashes faster then I could untangle them. They'll have piles of fun during groups today I'm sure of it!

Chloe and Hoover are having a lot of fun hanging out and playing during groups. Hoover usually rushes out the door, spins around and waits for Chloe. When her feet hit the dirt the two of them tear off for the yard hip checking each other playfully as they go.

Ceilidh and Monty are doing really well. Ceilidh loves to run around and tumble with the other dogs. While Monty likes to chase them and bark at them while they play. Clapton seems to like this game and every now and then he'll turn tail and take after Monty who runs away as fast as his legs will take him. Clapton is faster though and catches up to Monty only to circle back to play with Ceilidh again. They are also good dogs to walk and they like it when you spend a few extra minutes rubbing them down when we return from field.

The two Toby's are having a blast playing together. They were joined by Maggie today for groups and the impossible happened... She tired those two boys right out. When they came in for indoor play I found them all sprawled out on the playroom floor napping. Good job Maggie!

Diesel and Drake are such gorgeous rottweilers! They adore each other too. They barely make it out the door for play time before they are wrestling and body checking one another. They jump up and tumble down, race from one end of the yard to the other, stand and have a stare off and then do it all over again.

Huxley and Maxwell are full of energy! They go non-stop. They love attention and know a handful of commands. Even when they are sitting they are moving! They are pretty good to walk as well. Incredibly anxious to get going, but once we hit the field they calm down and enjoy themselves. Smelling patches of grass as we go.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

2011-12-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

Freezing rain..!! :( Not a great way to start the day or end it. It has made a few spots in the yard uber slippy but we are managing.

Redden arrived this morning. What a gorgeous dog. He is a golden retriever but he is a beautiful shade of red, hence his name. Redden enjoyed a fabulous walk with Toby P. this morning. They were both very interested in all the smells the field had to offer. Toby lead the way for the whole entire walk.

Hoover is a ball of energy. He is excited about everything. He loves group play and it doesn't matter whether its inside or outside. He raced around with Redden for a bit, and met Monty and Ceilidh. Ceilidh loves to play as well so she and Hoover were a good mix. They tuckered each other out and when it was quiet time they were ready for a wee snooze.

Jersey is enjoying a spa day with Pam. She is getting a nice shampoo followed by a blow out, then a little mani/pedi combo. Oh its a dogs life I tell ya!

Holly had a nice walk with Flora and Monty today. Monty took the lead, followed closely by his buddy Flora, while Holly stayed back and took up the rear. Flora and Monty have a lot of fun together. They were ripping around smelling patches of grass and hopping over one another. Holly is slightly more sedate but enjoyed their company just the same.

Poochio and Beanie are doing really well. They get along wonderfully with their play group. They are both super friendly. Poochio and Flora hit it off from the get go. They raced and tumbled all over the yard after one another. I think Monty was getting jealous but then Poochio met up with Oscar who is another ball of playful energy, so Flora resumed playing with Monty.

Chevy and Lexy are hanging out today with Toby and Jersey. Toby really likes frolicking and meeting new dogs. He met Toby P this morning and they played very well together but Toby P was getting a little too excited outside with this play group and needed a minute to himself to calm down. He loved all the special attention he was receiving during his so called quiet time and lapped up the love.

Lexy and Chevy as per usual, tired one another out while they were outside, so much so that when it was time for indoor play they just sprawled out side by side on the floor and rested!

Mocha and Blondie had a nice leisurely stroll this morning. Mocha is more focused and likes to walk straight ahead at a comfortable pace but Blondie is intent on smelling every blade of grass we pass by. She will mark a few spots of her own, leaving behind some sort of information for the next dog who happens along the path to gather. Every now and then after Blondie has marked something, Mocha will race back and mark it as well. I guess Mocha likes to have the last word, ha ha!

Sierra is sharing some play time with Blondie and Mocha today. She is a really easy going, mild mannered dog. You can tell she still has her frisky moments but she prefers to mosey around the play yard checking things out, having calm visits with the other dogs and getting pets from us.

Scout is back today. Scout is so little and very well behaved. She got along fantastic with Oscar but who doesn't..!?! She is quite agile too. If I squat down and tap my legs Scout, with out thinking twice will spring onto my lap!

Sidney and Nestor seem to despise the colder weather. They are very hesitant to come out of their pens and when they do go outside it is strictly for business only. They seldom bark but now once their 'business' is complete they return to the door and bark till we open it! Then they curl up, bury their heads in the blankets and settle in for a long nap.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

2011-12-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Though it was fairly nippy this morning, Monty the little terrier was still happy as ever to get outside. Like a big bouncy ball, he jumped back and forth off the wall in excitement until he was out the door! He and Flora bound through the field on their walk.

Little Oscar has no fear! He slipped in to the area where the Husky kennels are, and while they were all barking at him he gave him a piece of his mind - he was barking right back as if to challenge them!

Dolan was feeling very very frisky today! He even instigated a game of tag outside with his buddies Ben, Bailey, Toby, Oscar and Maggie. Caesar and Monte joined their group as well, but were too busy exploring the area to play the whole time.

Our small dogs group was far from small! It consisted of Rocky, Rebel, Meggie, Barney, Sidney, Nestor, Oscar, Monty, Flora, Beanie, Poochio, Jock and Abby. Aside from being smaller, they also all have another thing in common - their love of attention! When we have the chance to sit down and play with them all, to them it's like a race to get to the human first! They gladly share the love though, and are all happy pooches at the end of the day.

Monday, December 19, 2011

2011-12-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

The cold weather has finally arrived! The ground is freezing slowly so the dogs can play and stay somewhat clean.

We have been busy re-organizing rooms as the stages of renovations progress. We're so excited to see the end results.

Maya and Dakota arrived this morning anxious to get their play on! Where Maya goes Dakota follows. Kinda works the same during group time. Maya circled and bowed with Barney, Dakota followed suit. Maya met Flora and Monty, Dakota met them seconds after. They act very much like siblings, to cute. Sidney, Nestor, Oscar and Meggie joined these guys for groups today. They all had fun. Oscar is a ball of life and happy excitement. He was very curious about Sidney and Nestor. He wants every dog he meets to play but Sidney and Nestor are old and all business. They are friendly though and let Oscar thoroughly check them out.

Barney has a larger then life personality. This dog goes a mile a minute. To describe him as happy is an understatement! Barney is ecstatic about everything; someone saying hello, going for a walk, (he walked with Oscar today) going out for groups, coming in to the play room, going back to his kennel! He's just happy.

Barley and Toby love playing with each other. When its time to go outside Toby waits for Barley at the door or vice versa. They paw at one another, play bow, jump up, tumble down, race around the yard and then repeat. DJ also got along really well with these guys, especially Barley. Barley just has an easy going nature. He likes to play and wrestle and is happy to meet new dogs.

Sophie and Mischief also arrived today and we shared a wonderful morning walk. Mischief likes to focus on walking and Sophie prefers to stop and gather info with her nose. They have been enjoying group time with DJ, Toby and Barley.

Chevy shared his morning walk with Sammy. They both wanted to play real bad so I knew they were destined to share a play group when we got back today. They took turns leading me around the field. Sammy zig zagging all over while Chevy took more of a straight forward approach.

Jake and Sam were grouped up with Chevy, Sammy, Ceilidh and Monty for outdoor/indoor play. Ceilidh was so excited to play! And then she saw Sam...the bull dog. Now she is excited and super curious. Sam's whole body says power house but he's really gentle and playful, if not a tad lazy. They hit it off until Sam got tired and Ceilidh lost interest... Jake and Sammy played a fast game of tag and then decided to check Monty out. Monty came outside barking but then ended up standing around quietly watching the other dogs. He is really quite friendly and before long he was running laps and tumbling with the rest of the group.

Sunday December 18th,2011

2011-12-19T11:41:00.001-08:00

Sydney and Nestor must have had a late night last night because they were both very sleepy today. They did, however enjoy their time outside with all there friends.

Toby had a great day with all his buddies and always gets so excited when it was his turn to go outside.

Chloe, Sasha and Sophie all enjoyed each others company outside. The three of them took it easy today and enjoyed the perfect blue sky.

Jake D. was having so much fun today while playing with Sydney and Harley.

Harley was ridiculously excited today! No matter where he was going he was happy.

Monty and Ceilidh were both shy this morning but eventually warmed up to everyone and started having a great time.

Meggie is such an energetic dog! Her and Flora were chasing each other around tirelessly while they were in the playroom.

Monty must be the best jumper I have ever seen! He jumps about 3 feet in the air, yet he is so small.

For such a little dog Barney sure has a lot of energy. He has been non-stop playing all day! It didn't matter if it was outside or in the playroom, Barney made the most out of his time.

Bella and Barley's buddies had to go home this morning so the two of them got to know each other very well. They had a blast playing and wrestling together.

Caesar and I had a great walk this morning. Caesar loved treking throught the long grass on the sides of the walking trail.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

2011-12-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

Sophie and Sasha really enjoyed the snow today on their walk, Andy said they wouldn't stop rolling around in it the whole time. They had alot of fun playing with the other Newfoundlanders DJ and Chloe too today!

Toby was playing tug-a-war with DJ in the playroom today, it was funny watching him interact with all of the others because when he's there, they all start playing. Although he seemed a little too hyper Sasha, overall he was really calm.

Sophie and Mischief were very shy today. They didn't play that much with the others inside, but while they were outside they were having a blast running around in the snow haha.

Becky and Jasmine were extremely hyper on their walk this mroning, Jasmine wouldn't stop going in circles around my legs. You could tell that Becky wasn't too thrilled with her, but by about half way through they both calmed down and acted like dolls for the rest of the time.

Sydney and Barley were both really good on their walk this morning with Andy. He said they were very curious about each other at first but then calmed down and had a great walk. Sydney loves going in the playroom with the other dogs, so whenever she went outside, she'd play for a few minutes than wait at the door.

Jake was so playful all day with the others in his group outside, I think it was the snow that made everyone so cheerful today. All he did was run around everywhere looking for someone to play with, Fez seemed interested and tried playing for a bit but Jake can out play the best of dogs any day.

Harley was sort of shy today, he didn't play much except with Fez which was only for a while. I came in their kennel to give them a little love though, and buy the time I left I was covered in drool.

Monty and Ceilidh were very excitted to go out this morning, and all through the day. They were pretty hyper with their group and wouldn't slow down at all, even inside they were jumping around in their kennel.

Sam was favorited today by a visiter, so when she left he seemed a little down. After when I put him outside with his group he got all excited again from the snow. He didn't even want to come back inside.

Meggie, Barney and Flora didn't want to come back inside today at all. They kept on running away from me every time I got close, I think they just love to tease people, but who knows...

Loki was walked alone today, but he has so much fun in the snow! All he was doing was sniffing and rolling around in it, who knew snow was so fascinating?

Maggie and Ceasar were having so much fun outside together today.

Lyall was playing around with everyone today, this morning I went out with his group and played catch with him and Maggie in the snow, they seemed to really like that, but lost interest quickly and moved on.

Friday, December 16, 2011

2011-12-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

Well the temperature is dropping so with luck the ground may finally start to freeze...

I have to laugh at Sidney and Nestor. Took them for a morning stroll and they were eager to get out and stretch their legs. So much so that we toured the entire field! When we got back they curled up like two armidillo's getting ready for hibernation.

Maggie and Pippin were paired up for their walk today. Pippin kept running at top speed in big wide circles around Maggie and I. Maggie was busy gathering scents from patches of grass but eventually she joined in the merry go round. I couldn't tell who was chasing who after the first lap!

Ceilidh and Barley hit it off immediately during groups today. Barley would play bow in front of her, then Ceilidh would high five his face and then the two would take off in a race around the yard! Monty sat quietly not sure what to make of the pair. He and Oscar checked each other out but it was Sam who ended up keeping Monty company. I guess they are both more comfortable watching the action rather then partake in it.

Maggie the border collie enjoyed a bit of a spa treatment today from Pam. When she was finished it was little Buster's turn to get a mani/pedi. Lucky dogs.

Toby is doing fantastic today. He is a dog who is eager to plaese you and he responds wonderfully to praise. He is enjoying his group time with Harley, Wolf, DJ, Chloe, Jake, Sophie and Mischief. He is definately the tallest dog in the group but Chloe and DJ have him beat hands down for sheer size!

Sophie and Mischief arrived this morning. They must have the softest fur ever! They are very gentle dogs but boy does Sophie love to play! Her and Toby were having a riot during groups today.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

2011-12-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

Only ten more days till Christmas...!!!

The last couple of days have been incredibly foggy! However the colder weather I hear is just around the corner.

DJ and Chloe who are both very friendly Newfoundlanders enjoyed a bit of down time in the play room during lunch. Sometimes with the renovations going on it is nice for the dogs to be where it is quiet so they can just chill and relax. These two girls are so gentle. They arrived in the play room, toured around the room had a few sniffs then layed down with each other to rest. Chloe seemed to really enjoy DJ's company.

Toby and Barley had a fantastic walk with Donna this morning. Toby walks really well on the leash. Barley is pure energy and wanted to race around the field but a couple of gentle reminders from Donna and everyone was walking at the same pace. Barley made a new friend in Sammy during groups. It was as if no other dogs were outside. They just tumbled and wrestled with each other from one end of the yard to the other.

Lexy and Tim are the biggest players here today, and they look like twins! They are hanging out with Jake, Chase, Ben and Kimi. Jake's head was spinning trying to keep up with the Lexy and Tim. Then Kimi joined them in their game of tackle and tumble tag. I think there was a bit of freeze tag thrown in too as every now and then they would all stop frozen in the play bow position, until one of them moved then the game was on again! Ben and Chase hit it off instantly. Their demeanor's are much the same. Both are out going high energy dogs. Who would of thought that a beagle and a husky would become BFF's..?!

I had Pippin and Scout out for their morning walks together. They were both too cute touring around the field with their little coats on. Pippins is yellow and Scouts is red. Pippin has a lot of energy and wanted to play but Scout was all about the walk this morning. Scout likes to smell all the patches of grass she can, even marking a few as she goes. Dolan is a lot like Scout. There is oodles of information to gather along the path about the other animals that passed by. Dolan thoroughly inspects each "interesting" patch and then adds some info of his own for the next passer-by.

Meggie was out with Lyall, Maggie, Barley and Sammy this morning for groups however we moved her to Scout and Pippins group. Meggie was having fun with Sammy's posse but was at a slight size disadvantage. When she joined Scouts crew, her and Pippin hit it off immediately! They touched noses, spun circles around each other and then took off in a spirited race to the other end of the yard.

Maggie true to her nature was all over the basketball again today. It is now deflated but I think she likes this as she can now pick it up and plop it down at your feet. Right after she drops the ball she gives you this side ways head tilt and flashes the puppy dog eyes at you. How can a person not play with her!?! Lyall seems more interested in just running then fetching anything. He'll chase or follow Maggie as she races after the ball but he never grabs it. I guess that makes him a gentleman. Either that or he just knows better as I have a suspicion that Maggie will put Lyall in his place when it is needed.

Wolf and Harley... Everyone here has nothing but good things to say about these guys. They have won a spot in all our hearts. Harley has a very playful side. He found a kong in the play room that had a rope attached to it. He was whipping it all over the room and darting after it. Every now and then he'd bring it over but instead of dropping it right away he'd wait for you to grab at it and then run out of reach. Clever fellow..! Harley on the other hand likes to take it easy. He'll wander the yard checking the fence posts for new scents, but his favourite way to pass the time is with a good ole shoulder massage from one of us. Smart boy!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

2011-12-19T11:31:00.000-08:00

Another mild day makes for a mucky day!! We really need the ground to freeze...

The workers are making steady progress on all the renovations going on here. The fences are going up fast and the new gates are almost all in place. I think the carpenters and fencers would also love it if the ground would freeze because its incredibly muddy outside.

With the new fence and gates the dogs have lots to sniff. And a fresh piece of lumber is an excellent place to pee and leave behind a message for the other dogs about who was here last.

I was scrubbing down walls in the play room today, Harley, Wolf, Blondie and Mocha were keeping me company when I discovered that I was surrounded. Surrounded by a group of very affectionate dogs that is! I could barely scrub a section of wall without one of the dogs flicking my arm with their nose looking for a rub down. As I am loving up one dog I have another licking my face. I squat down to rinse my rag and they are squeezing onto my lap. Long story short these dogs know how to put a smile on a persons face.

Sam and Wally had a blast today during groups. Wally is a big blood hound and Sam a bulldog. An odd pairing but they were play bowing and howling at one another. It was quite the sight. Zoey, Oscar, Lexy and Tommi were out with these guys today too. Zoey was definitely a better size match for our Wally. And she has the energy to keep up with him. Lexy and Tommi absolutely loved chasing each other around the yard. They found a mud patch and decided to roll in it, not just once but at least half a dozen times! Oscar was just happy to be out running around with everyone. He managed to remain quite clean which is a feat considering the mess of the yards.

Holly and Meggie enjoyed a bit of lounging time together in the play room. They were cute together. Holly is just a hair taller then Meggie but Meggie proved that her friendly spirit and love of playing out shines that of even the biggest dogs here.

Chevy is chumming with Barley, Lyall and Maggie today. He and Barley spent the morning racing and wrestling with one another. They love to play and speed is a top priority. Its like they continually one up each other. Anything you can do I can do better..!

Maggie really is true to her roots. She is a border collie and herding is definitely in her nature. She is incredibly smart and agile. Chloe dropped an eye drop cap and it rolled under the gate into Maggie and Lyall's kennel. Maggie retrieved it instantly and delivered it to Chloe's waiting hand. Border collies are so eager to work for their keep. With patience they can be taught to do just about anything. Lyall is Maggie's opposite... They are both full of energy but Maggie can contain her excitement while Lyall wears his mood on his sleeve so to speak. Lyall spends play time ripping all over the yard while Maggie likes to check things out and given the opportunity play ball with you until your arm is tired from throwing.

Sidney and Nestor had a great walk this morning. They were reluctant to get going but once on the trail they were determined to keep up with Donna and the huskies that were ahead of them. Sidney was clearly tuckered out when we got back as he tried to crawl into Meggie's kennel to nap instead of his own. Nestor and Sidney are all about routine. So when walks are over they fold themselves around each other, bury their heads and nap the rest of the morning away.

I have to mention Ming. Ming is a gorgeous cat that is staying with us for a bit. He is the friendliest thing ever. He has this luxurious long white coat on him and he loves to be brushed! I have never met a cat who loves the brush as much as Ming does!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

2011-12-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

January joined us for the first time today, and we must say she's a pleasure to have around. Such a gentle natured girl, she enjoyed the company of the less playful group - Sidney, Nestor and Gracie.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the goldens Lexy and Tim once again had a mud wrestling competition outside, and by the looks of it, Lexy is in the lead!

Ben and Barley decided to start their own wrestling match as well, and though Ben is half the size of Barley he has twice the ambition!

Wolf and Harley were joined by Dolan today. The three happy-go-lucky guys love to relax in the yard, until they see someone outside and run over to lap up all the attention!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

2011-12-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

Sidney, Nester and Oscar surprised me today when they were nothing but eager to get outside and start playing in the winter snow. Oscar acted as the leader of the walk and kept making Sidney and Nestor play with him, he got them running around, it was so cute to watch!

Juno entertained me a lot today by playing hide and seek in the yard. He was making me along with the other dogs in his group ( Meggie,Jasmine,Becky,Lyall,and Maggie) really run around while he would hide then pop out when I walked by, he is quite the character! Becky and Jasmine are always in a good mood and really enjoy when I come by to say hello. Meggie is the sweetest dog and absolutely loves getting attention, which I give her tons of. Maggie and Lyall are really enjoying their group and look forward to every time I let them in the playroom, they get a lot of use out of it!

Wolf and Harley were amazing on their walk, as per usual, they are extremely well trained and are a pleasure to be around. They are quite fond of their partner in their group Samantha, I always catch them playing through the window and they look like they are having a lot of fun. Hey they might even be the new Three Musketeers!

Chase and Danica were hilarious to walk today, Chase couldn't stop rolling in the snow and eating it while on the other side of me Danica had her nose in the field the whole time sniffing. To say they were happy to be in the snow is an understatement! I love those two!

Timber and Luna are very well behaved , they are playing great with everyone and are loving the sunny winter day! When it's time to come back inside they know right where their kennel is and wait for me to let them in, how awesome is that?!

Caesar and Bentley might be best friends already... every time I go to get them from outside they can't seem to stop playing together, its great to see. They also have a lot of fun with the other two in their group, Scoobie and Barley. Barley was a new member to them today and fit in instantly, Barley was sprinting back and forth in the yard and playing with each dog, he definitely tired them all out!

I am quite jealous of Jessie today, she is enjoying a spa day with Pam and soaking up her puppy experience at Tails and Trails, she seems to be loving the attention and relaxation! Jessie is so fun to be around, she has a great personality and is very well trained so it is always nice having her here.

Oscar was great company to me in the kitchen while i ate my lunch, he got all cozied up underneath the table and he sat on my lap for a bit as well. Such a great dog he is!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

2011-12-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

Billie and Juno were playing up a storm on their walk this morning. By the end of the walk there was more play than walk.

Boy can Billie jump high! When she stands in the hallway outside of the playroom and wants the door to open she looks like she has springs for legs.

Juno is a popular girl. I'm sure most of her group waits at the door for her to come outside and she never wants to be done playing. She played non-stop with Billie and Lyall all day. In fact last night at bedtime we put a leash on her just to ensure she didn't play any games like catch me if you can.

Caesar walked with Luna and kept up a constant circling motion. After a while Luna caught on and moved out of the way to avoid getting tangled in the leash. She is a very smart girl. Her surgery wound is healing beautifully and she is so relieved not to have to wear her t-shirt all the time! She hit it off great with Chase and played all afternoon with him.

Jasmin was very excited for her walk this morning! She was climbing over Becky, she couldn't get out the door fast enough.

Chase couldn't get enough of the snow on his walk. He would run ahead, drop and roll in the snow, get up and do it again. He sure was wet when we got back from the walk.

Oscar is adorable with his little sweater. He enjoyed zipping around in the snow with Baker and Beckett on their walk. All these boys are very cute and they know it.

Abby has such good manners, she was a dream to walk this morning with Samantha.

Danica chose to go back to her kennel after outdoor play. I don't blame her, her group is great but pretty big.

Becky was full of pep today and wanted to keep up with all the crazy young ones outside. Meanwhile Maggie chose to just watch everyone play.

Meggie was a little shy at first but seemed to warm up quickly and fit in really well with her new group. All the dogs in this group are really sweet and friendly and happily joined Meggie in their fun.

Timber really likes Molly. Then again, who doesn't like Molly? She is such a nice dog and doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

We had two all boys groups today. The first one consisted of Caesar, Boomer and Hunter, who were new to the group. Along with Lazslo, Scoobie and Bentley. They're all crazy and love to play. Our second all boy group is the little dogs. Sidney and Nestor spent most of their day sleeping like usual, while Baker, Beckett and Oscar enjoyed running around together.

Friday, December 9, 2011

2011-12-10T08:01:00.001-08:00

Lexy was paired up with Ivy, one of the resident huskies, on her walk today. The two of them got along famously and played the entire walk as if they were long-lost friends! Chevy and Lucy also enjoyed a walk with Issy, another husky.

Baker and Beckett are so full of life. When it comes time for morning walks, the two of them get so excited they can hardly stand still long enough to get their collars on! Oscar joined them as well today, and was equally excited to get going! They all came in with little snowy beards this morning, which was just adorable. Maybe the snow isn't so bad, after all.

Samantha and Jessie joined Harley, Wolf, Ollie, Burrley, Luna, Molly, Dolan and Abby in their play group. Jessie seemed very happy to meet new friends, her tail wagging, ears to the side and almost a smile on her face! Samantha the sweetheart just loves the human attention she gets here too.

Maggie, Lyall and Becky all took turns playing with the basketball outside, with Jasmin occasionally running along. Meanwhile Dexter, Billie and Juno were in their own little world playing a fun game of tag! Inside Juno and Lyall sound like they are doing renovations of their own in the playroom. Bang crash bark bark. They sure have their own idea of fun!

Lazslo, Chevy, Lexy, Bentley, Sam and Ben all started up a big wrestling match outside in the snow, while Scoobie's contribution was to run alongside cheering as loud as he could! Jake decided to stay out of it and watch from the sidelines - he was more interested in being scratched and pet while there was someone outside to do so!

Sidney and Nestor had a little hike today. Slow-going at first, they sure sped up when they knew they were headed back to the kennel!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

2011-12-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

It was a chilly morning, and Sidney and Nestor were the first to let us know that they don't prefer winter! We have never seen them run as fast as they do to get back inside! Baker, Beckett, Ceilidh and Oscar were lined up behind them at the door as well, wishing to be back in the warm indoors.

Maggie, Lyall and Sully found the basketball in the yard and had an absolute blast running around with it! Maggie in particular is very sharp and fast as a bullet when the ball is kicked - though she sometimes forgets that it's there to share!

Laszlo had his eyes set on Scoobie, but unfortunately for him, Scoobie had his eyes on Oscar! It was a big game of chase as one tried to get the others' attention. Lexy and Tim had an intense mud wrestling match in a puddle on the lawn - but popped their heads up to see everyone else running around and soon joined in!

Maggie B. decided to opt out this time and was perfectly content playing tug-o-war with Pam instead.

Dexter and Juno welcomed Max to their playgroup! They were happy to have another playful addition, and continued to run and bounce around as usual with him.

Wolf and Molly seemed to have started a bit of a romance today. Lucky Molly got covered in his kisses!

Poor Luna always finds a way to get her t-shirt off, her booboo seems itchy under it but she's a trooper! Still happy as ever, she frolicked about with all of her buds Harley, Wolf, Molly, Burrley, Ollie, Tanner, DJ, Dolan and Abby - it would take alot more to bring her down!

Lucy was a bit timid with the more rambunctious and playful dogs, but she has settled in very well with a quieter group and wags her tail wherever she goes!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

2011-12-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

It was a chilly morning, and Sidney and Nestor were the first to let us know that they don't prefer winter! We have never seen them run as fast as they do to get back inside! Baker, Beckett, Ceilidh and Oscar were lined up behind them at the door as well, wishing to be back in the warm indoors.

Maggie, Lyall and Sully found the basketball in the yard and had an absolute blast running around with it! Maggie in particular is very sharp and fast as a bullet when the ball is kicked - though she sometimes forgets that it's there to share!

Laszlo had his eyes set on Scoobie, but unfortunately for him, Scoobie had his eyes on Oscar! It was a big game of chase as one tried to get the others' attention. Lexy and Tim had an intense mud wrestling match in a puddle on the lawn - but popped their heads up to see everyone else running around and soon joined in!
Maggie B. decided to opt out this time and was perfectly content playing tug-o-war with Pam instead.

Dexter and Juno welcomed Max to their playgroup! They were happy to have another playful addition, and continued to run and bounce around as usual with him.

Wolf and Molly seemed to have started a bit of a romance today. Lucky Molly got covered in his kisses!

Poor Luna always finds a way to get her t-shirt off, her booboo seems itchy under it but she's a trooper! Still happy as ever, she frolicked about with all of her buds Harley, Wolf, Molly, Burrley, Ollie, Tanner, DJ, Dolan and Abby - it would take alot more to bring her down!

Lucy was a bit timid with the more rambunctious and playful dogs, but she has settled in very well with a quieter group and wags her tail wherever she goes!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

2011-12-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Sully joined in on the fun with Dexter and Juno today, the three amigos has a blast playing! Spring-loaded Dexter leaped and bounced around and over them!

Lazslo and Scoobie met up for a walk this morning. They got along great and thought it would fun to wrestle while out in the field. Unfortunately their leashes tangled instantly but they were just as happy standing nose to nose as they were when they were playing.

Harley and Wolf were all about the information highway today. The field during walks is a plethora of info for the dogs and these two guys have great noses.

Maggie loves the basketball and she is really good at manuevering it with her nose and front paws. Then she found a play rope, and it was out with the basketball and in with the rope.

Lyall is have a blast with Sully and Dexter. They were tearing up the yard in a game of who can run faster. They are all hanging out with Juno, Maggie, Scoobie and Lazslo.

Blondie and Mocha enjoyed a morning stroll with Donna today. Donna is great to the dogs and they love her. Mocha led the way around the field while Blondie stayed back and walked by Donna's side They have joined Harley, Wolf, Molly, Luna, Ollie and Burrley. Luna has been running around with Ollie and Burrley today. They like to have fun but aren't rough players. Its more races and games of tag with these three. Molly and Wolf don't do a whole lot of racing but every now and then Harley will join in the games.

Zoey had a fantastic walk with Sam. She is so excited to go for walks in the morning she can barely contain herself! She was a little too fast for Sam today though who wasn't as zoomie as usual. They enjoy each others company and get along well so it was an enjoyable walk for everyone.

Chase has joined Chevy, Lexy, Sam and Zoey for groups. They are so tuckered out and thirsty when they come back in. Chevy is still gaga for Lexy. If he is the first dog out, he waits at the door for Lexy. Then the two of them go streaking towards the play yard, its just a blur of fur! Chase and Zoey think this is the funniest game ever and race off after them. Sam lumbers out behind everybody, wanders into the yard and sits himself down right in the middle of the action. Chase, who loves playing and tumbling with these guys, isn't quite sure what to make of Sam.

Our little dog group is quite large today. We have Sidney, Nestor, Ceilidh, Baker, Beckett, Oscar, Pippin and Holly. Baker and Beckett just love Pippin and the three of them tour around all over together. They all look alike except Pippin's hair is shorter. Oscar likes to parade around with these guys too but he and Ceilidh have hit it off so he splits his time between them. Sidney and Nestor are all business as usual. They like to go out, have a stretch, have a pee, maybe sniff a few fence posts and then they want back in so they can curl up together for a nap. Must be nice eh?!!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

2011-12-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

Harley and Wolf enjoyed their morning stroll as usual, taking in the nice weather and making the first pawprints on the snow-covered trail.

Juno and Dexter have become the best of buds, always happy to be paired together for their walk. Juno's curiosity overruled her playfulness this morning, as she spent alot of the time walking on her hind legs to see what was happening on the other side of the field! Dexter had no idea what she was looking at, he just wanted her to focus more on playing with him and did his best to get her attention.

Mighty mouse Oscar lets no obstacle get in his way! He ran with no issue through the snow and through puddles almost deeper than he is tall, while Ceilidh followed a bit more cautiously behind, walking around so as to not wet her little feet.

Baker and Beckett met up with Rocky and Rebel today in their little group, including Ceilidh, Sidney and Nestor. Theresa played with them in the playroom and the pairs competed for her attention - Baker and Beckett were the lucky winners! The other little guys soon got their share of attention though, it's hard to resist loving all their cute little faces!

Lexy, Dexter and Juno joined Boomer and Forrest outside today. Though apprehensive at first, soon enough they were all running together and playing in the snow!

Ollie and Burrley loved sniffing around in the snow, their beards and noses all covered in white when they lifted their heads back up.

Monday, December 5, 2011

2011-12-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

Twenty more days till Christmas!!

Its a damp wet day but the dogs are all eager to play and get out to stretch their legs. Chloe was a sight to see in the field today with Dexter. Dexter was so excited for his walk with Juno that he and his leash became a tangled mess with Chloe stuck in the middle.

For play groups Dexter and Juno are hanging out with Baker, Beckett, Ceilidh, Oscar, Sidney and Nestor. Baker and Beckett look identical to Shrek and Fiona's dogs from the Disney movie. They have the cutest little faces. They get along well with everyone in their group especially Dexter. Even though Oscar is the smallest in this posse he has the biggest personality. He definately runs the show.

Rupert, Boomer and Forrest are in our most playful group today. They get to have fun with our daycare dogs, Chevy, Lexy, Sam, Jake and Oscar. Sam, after groups usually has a nap and if the dogs are quiet you can hear him snoring away in his kennel. Chevy's love affair with Lexy continues... They tucker each other right out. Throw Oscar into the mix and like I said it becomes our most playful group of day. Lots of energy but still a great mix of characters/personalities.

Rupert was paired up with Georgie for walks today and it was a wonderful match! Both dogs like to mosey along at a slightly slower pace and just sniff and check things out. Neither had to wait on the other, when one stopped the other one was content to find something to sniff at till it was time to move along again.

Harley and Wolf must have opposable thumbs or something. They love opening the gate and visiting the huskies when they are outside for groups. Every time they go outside, we find them sitting outside of the husky kennels. Its funny really as the gates on the indoor pens open the same way but they never try to open these ones, just the gate to the husky kennels. We have now Harley/Wolf proofed this gate. Sorry guys...

Donna took Burrley and Ollie out for their morning stroll except it looked as though Ollie and Burrley were walking Donna. They were on a mission to get around the field at warp speed today. They are enjoying their time hanging out with Harley, Wolf, Molly, Georgie and Luna. Luna loves playing and running laps round the yard with Ollie and Burrley. She is a mite faster then they are however they got her beat on the corners. Molly likes the group and being outside with them but she doesn't much care for the indoor play. After all the outdoor excitement she's tired and wants a little peace and quiet.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

2011-12-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

Dexter was quite the little rocket on his walk this morning. He never wanted to slow down, me and Sparky had to try and keep up with him. Then he played all afternoon with Juno, they are the perfect size for each other.

Boomer and Forrest were the biggest in their group but that doesn't stop them from playing. They played really well with Dexter, Juno, Rupert and Kaeko. After outdoor play they decided they wanted to go back to their kennel though.

Molly sure does love any extra attention she can get. She is so sweet and seemed to enjoy her playgroup with Wolf, Harley, Georgie and Luna. Wolf and Luna really enjoyed each others company outside and wandered around the yard together.

Wow Georgie and Kaeko are like two peas in a pod. These two are both extremely friendly Aussie's who never seem to have a bad day, but boy can they talk up a storm.

Remus gets to spend the afternoon getting all cleaned up and smelling great before going home tonight.

Sidney and Nestor were the first ones out the door for their first play group. They sure can move, when they want to that is. They slept the rest of the afternoon away and looked pretty comfortable curled up on the bed in their kennel.

Baker and Beckett are too cute. As we were heading out for our walk this morning Matt was coming in with Lucy and Hibou, two of our huskies, well Baker and Beckett made sure they were noticed with all their excitement and barking.

Friday, December 2, 2011

2011-12-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

Yea its Friday and we have snow..!

All the dogs were extra eager to get out and frolic today. Its been busy here with the reno's continuing but the end is in sight.

Ginger and Kaeko were paired up for their walk. Ginger wanted Kaeko to play so badly but Kaeko was all business this morning. Ginger was so cute. She was burying her nose in the snow and sniffing everything. At one point she looked like a fluffy white nosed Rudolph. Boomer, Forrest, Sammy, Dolan, Lexy and Lazslo along with Ginger and Kaeko make a high spirited play group. Lazslo, Sammy and Lexy spent play time running from one end of the yard to the other. They were a blur of streaking fur. Dolan seemed to really enjoy the company of Boomer and Forrest.

Maggie, Ceilidh, Sidney and Nestor are hanging out in the kitchen today. Sidney and Nestor love it as its the warmest room in the whole building. Maggie spent some of our lunch time cleaning Chloe's face, shepards pie smells yummy eh Mags?! Ceilidh it appears loves cheese. The dogs get spoiled when they are in the kitchen.

Oscar is keeping Pam company in the office. He has a nice comfy bed set up in there. When its group time he joins Sidney, Nestor, Maggie, Ceilidh, Chloe, Mojo, Chicka and Pippin. Pippin and Chicka hit it off right away this morning during their walk. Chicka is a real little trooper. Even the deep puddles didn't fizz her today. And Pippin not to be out done followed suit.

Chloe spent some quality one on one time with Juno today. She did really well during her group play time but was a tad skittish. So when it was time to come in Chloe curled up with her to give her some calm reassurance followed by a handful of yummy liver treats.

Dexter has joined Ben, Chevy, Sam, Rupert, Jake, Juno and Luna for play groups. This is a super playful group! Dexter is quite the critter. His side ways run is adorable! He swings his rear to the left when he really gets going. Chevy would take the prize for most playful dog if there was one and Ben would take the prize for best sport. His is one of the smallest in the group but has the most heart. Sam I believe loves this weather as it appears his allergies don't bother him here as much when its cold and snowy out.

Our last group is mostly large dogs except for Winston who runs the show. They all know he's the boss which I find absolutely hilarious! So we have Wolf, Harley, Flanders, Teddy, Kizmet, Robert and Molly along with Winston. Winston by the way adores Molly. Flanders and Molly teamed up for a walk today. Molly is a speed demon compared to Flanders. See Flanders loves to stop and roll and the snow it appears is even more enjoyable to roll in, so Molly had to keep stopping to wait for Flanders to get fill.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

2011-12-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Two wet days in a row! I wish it would snow already!

The walking field has some pretty big puddles. Little Maya and Dakota weren't too eager to go through the puddles so I carried them over two of the biggest ones and we went around the others. Chloe and Cailidh needed a bit of coaxing for their walk too when they realized how wet it was outside. Once we got going though there was no stopping them!

Robert and Mojo have joined the little dog group for some fun play time today. Robert is very curious about Sidney and Nestor but ended up playing away with Chloe the pug. The rain didn't seem to bother them one bit while they were racing each other around the yard.

Sidney and Nestor had a nice wee stroll with Donna this morning and have been napping together since they got back. Oh the life of a dog!

Nessy and Ginger walked together today. They are like the puffy tailed brigade. They got along immediately and wanted to play instead of walk. They are in a group today together so they can play to their hearts desire.Winston, Kaeko and Lazslo are hanging out with these guys today too. Lazslo has a huge crush on Nessy, she is pretty cute. Winston got along fantastic with this group. Kaeko is still my ring leader. She sees you headed for the door and she starts yipping to alert the other dogs that its time to go in. What a great helper.

Blondie and Mocha are being spoiled today. They are hanging out in the kitchen in their spare time and lapping up all the extra attention from the staff. They're good dogs and wonderful company during luch break. During group play they are chumming with Harley, Wolf, Flanders, Teddy, Kizmet and Winston. (We have two Winstons here today). Winston got along instantly with Harley and Teddy.

Harley and Wolf had a great walk today. They didn't notice the rain at all and stopped to sniff patches of grass here and there the whole way around the field as per usual. Flanders was full of energy during his walk today. He pulled Chloe half way around the field before he decided he was gonna stop and roll.

Lexy and Tim are sharing a kennel today and having a blast together. Lexy decided during her morning walk that she was going to walk me. She grabbed the leash with her mouth and pranced proudly with it the entire time we were out walking.

Chevy, Sam, Lexy, Tim, Riley, Tommi, Lola and Zoey make up a very active play group.

Monday, November 28, 2011

2011-12-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Is it really winter or did we skip it and go straight to spring..?!

It was another great day to be out walking and playing with the dogs.

Laszlo was out this morning with Jax, Pepper and Dawson and was having a blast with them! When Pepper and Dawson came over to greet me this morning, Laszlo hung back in the yard for a bit and then came flying over to entice them into playing tag with him again. Of course they were game and they raced off with Dawson in the lead. After walks Chevy, Sam, Lexy and Nessy joined these guys which made up a very playful and spirited group. Chevy is quite smitten with Lexy. He doesn't leave her side the entire time they are out. Sam is enjoying hanging out with Jax who is also a bull dog. They are practically the same size but Jax is a tad more energetic then Sam. Nessy loves playing with Laszlo and Dawson. The more dogs in on the game of tag with this group the better it seems.

I got to walk this morning with Harley and Wolf again. I adore these two guys. They are super friendly and absolutely love it when you show up to take them out for a walk as well as when you stop by to just say hello. They are really well behaved too. They have a couple of new dogs in their group today. Teddy, Kizmet, Ginger, Flanders and Jake have joined them for play time. I can see how Ginger got her name, obviously from the colouring in her beautiful coat. Kixmet is really quiet. During groups he toured the play yard checking everything out then sat on the door step and just watched the other dogs.

Shiloh had a fun morning playing with the new basketball in the yard. She has figured out how to move the ball around using her feet and nose. Too cute and smart! Mojo got in on the game but was more interested in trying to keep up with Shiloh then actually chasing the ball.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

2011-11-30T07:21:00.000-08:00

Ceilidh may be small, but she is not afraid to put Ben in his place when he plays a bit too rough! She made sure to keep him in line!

Nessy, Lazslo and Lexy have a blast when they go out with their group! As soon as the doors open and they see each other, the playing begins and doesn't stop until they're back in their own kennels! Kaeko - though not as rough & tumble as the rest - still enjoyed the company.

Dolan and Chloe were paired for their walk this morning. An unlikely duo, Chloe was quick to prove she's a small dog with a big dog attitude! She would run ahead of Dolan, turn around and stand with her front paws in the air as if to say "race me, I dare you!" before bolting forward to keep her title as 'challenge winner'.

Flanders was so dog tired after his walk with Oscar, he decided a snooze was in order! That never stopped him from jumping up and doing his happy dance in his kennel when it was time to go out again!

Dakota and Maya joined our little dogs group today. At first the two seemed very shy, but with some kind reassurance they start wagging their little tails again and happily marched outside with Sidney, Nestor, Ceilidh, Mojo and Chloe.

Harley and Wolf are a very happy-go-lucky pair. They're content no matter where they are, who they're with, or what they're doing. Great to walk with, and greeting everyone with a wagging tail, they're a real pleasure to have around!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

2011-11-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

Mojo and Coal had a very nice relaxing walk together and spent most of their time looking for new and interesting things to sniff.

Sidney and Nestor also had a great walk and were really excited about it even though it was raining.

Harley and Jasmine had a good time in the yard playing with the new basketball, both awesome offensive players. We could make a new Air Bud movie with these guys. Wolf, Teddy, Kismet and Flanders also got along very well in their group. Flanders loves to tour around and roll in the grass while Teddy and Kismet thoroughly inspect the yard. They leave no blade of grass unsniffed.

Lexy played just as hard as all the big boys today. Coal, Scoobie, Issac, and Jake know that she could probably out play them even during tug-o-war. Ah, to be young and full of spunk!

Blazzen and Laszlo, who was new to the group, hit it off really well. They played together very well and Dawson jealous of all the fun they were having decided to join in and all three were very hard to separate when it was time to go back in.

Jax also took a liking to Pepper, who though a bit wary and intimidated at first eventually warmed up to him.

All the little dogs got along great. Poppy and Chloe were very playful on their walk together and chased each other through the long grass on the side of he path.

Brie and Klipper both had a spa day today; Brie in for a pedicure and bath while Klipper did got clippered!

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

2011-11-28T11:08:00.000-08:00

Poppy, Chloe and Mica were great on their walk together. Chloe kept trying to get Poppy to play with her.

Lexy wanted Jake to play with her on their walk. But he had one thing on his mind, walking.

Shiloh and Pepper had a wonderful walk together and got along great, they enjoyed zipping through the field.

Coal and Issac were very energetic this morning when it was walk time. It must be all the awesome smells in the field.

Blazzen and Dawson played non-stop outside all day. They raced all over the play yard, wrestling and tumbling all over each other.

Mojo had an extra spring in his step today. He wanted everyone to play with him but he forgets he's a big dog in comparison to his side kick Chloe.

Friday, November 25, 2011

2011-11-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

Woot woot its Friday!! And its really mild out so double woot woot!

Morning walks went really well again today.

Chloe and Pepper were paired up for their stroll this morning. Chloe enjoyed chasing after Pepper through the long grass, disappearing in it only to pop out seconds later and running full-tilt towards her!

Sam was a sight to see today... We have new gates out in the play yard and leading to the walking field. The frames are a little higher then the old ones. Sam being low to the ground figured out he had to suck it in to get over the bottom of the gate. I have never witnessed a dog do this before and found it quite funny. Awe we love ya Sam.

Blazzen is loving his new play group today. He really likes playing with Duffy and Rupert. Watson, Toby, Dawson, Chevy and Sam make up the rest of the group. Dawson fit right as well. He immediately started to play with Watson a mini version of himself, checked out Toby and then play bowed and wrestled with Blazzen. Toby likes being around the action but prefers to watch the antics of the others. He and Duffy were happy to see each other this morning and zipped around the yard together. Watson found a stick during his walk today and pranced happily all around the field show casing it.

Rupert was very affectionate today during his walk. He walked right at my side and kept looking up at me with doe eyes. I'm a sucker so I kept stopping and would pet him when he did this. He caught on fast that with that one look I'd love him up. He was paired up with Shiloh for the walk and they got along very well.

We brought out a new basketball today for the dogs and Shiloh loves chasing it! He figured out how to maneuver it around using his nose and front paws. Then he'd stare at it till someone threw it again for him.

Mojo and Bridie had a stroll together this morning. Bridie despite sore hips loves to play but Mojo was a little shy with her. I think Mojo has forgotten that he is a big lab and not a pug like his best buddy Chloe. Probably for the best anyway as we try to promote with the dogs that walk time is to walk and play time is during groups.

Bridie is grouped in with Harley, Wolf, Yorvik, Levi, Becky and Jasmin. Bridie and Jasmin are the most playful in this group. Levi loves to play but he is more of an independent player. He had found a play rope in the yard and it is his favourite thing. He parades around with it but no way will he give it up so you can throw it for him! The rest of the group is pretty sedate. They like to mosey around and check things out with a good sniff. They also all love to be showered with attention. Who doesn't though...

Harley and Wolf had a great walk today. They were really intent on smelling every patch of grass that the snow had melted away from.

Yorvik walks very well. He was so anxious to get out to the field this morning. He was yipping and whining till we hit the outer gate. I swear he smiled at me when I opened the gate for him and Levi to go through.

Little Lucy is doing well. She had a great but short walk with Sidney and Nestor this morning. When they got back we wrapped a couple of soft blankets round Lucy and she snuggled right into them. Sidney and Nestor as usual curled up with each other for their morning nap. These guys are grouped up with Mica, Chloe, Shiloh and Mojo for play time. Mica was paired up with Duffy for their walk today. As fast as Duffy goes, Mica was always a step or two ahead!

Bentley has figured out that if he comes in and goes straight to his kennel instead of laying on the floor in the hallway he'll be rewarded with a treat. Smart puppy...

Thursday, November 24, 2011 (2)

2011-11-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

Its another busy Thursday here at Tails and Trails. And its very hard to believe Christmas is a month away!!

Little Lucy is back for a stay. She is the tiniest thing you ever did see. Her wee paws were wet this morning after being outside and I kid you not, she came in and wiped her feet on her blanket not once but twice. It was adorable. I wish all the dogs knew this trick, ha ha.

Lucy is hanging out with Sidney, Nestor, Chloe, Mica, Mojo and Shiloh. Shiloh doesn't know what to do with herself today - should she go with the big dogs or little dogs? I think she's missing her buddies Windy and Brooke. Mojo is like the shepherd for the little dogs. He watches over them and loves their company. He is a wonderful Chocolate Lab and his bestest buddy is Chloe the Pug. Chloe is friendly but is acting a bit shy. She had a great walk this morning with Mica, a little Schnauzer. Mica loves to give kisses it seems. She gets jealous when you pet the other dogs in her group and tries to squeeze between you and them. Don't worry little Mica, there's enough love to go around.

Dolan enjoyed his walk very much this morning, running through the snow like he had never seen it before! Lexy and Jake also had a blast stopping a couple of times to tumble and play. Jake's nose always comes out covered in snow.

Coal, Scoobie and Isaac were, as always, raring to go! The three of them jump in unison in their kennel when we stop by. Their playful play group included Bentley, Buddy and Blazzen as well. Coal is always looking for someone to pet him and if you're busy he'll just squeeze himself between your legs demanding your attention. Too cute. Issac is super playful but we are careful as we don't need a recurrence of an old injury. Scoobie's mini me, Marley, went home today. My goodness those three dogs are big (Scoobie, Coal and Issac).

Duffy and Watson played outside with their old buddies Keeper and Rupert again, and were joined today by Ben, Toby, Oscar and Maggie. Duffy who usually only has eyes for Watson was very intrigued by Toby. They played and played! They tuckered each other out. Watson wasn't lonely though, he and Ben played tug of war with a rope toy they found in the yard. Rupert joined in their fun briefly but then decided playing with Oscar would be more exciting.

The 'big' dog group consisted of Wolf, Harley, Levi, Yorvik, Dolan and Tanner. Levi probably has the most playful energy in the whole group. Tanner gets along with pretty much every dog he has met here. He is always a pleasure to have stay with us. He loves a good rub down too. Massage his shoulders and you've made a friend for life. Yorvik is fitting in wonderfully. He seems to really like the Shepherds, Wolf and Harley. I can't blame him, I'm partial to them myself :).

Late in the afternoon the fence guys showed up to change the gates in the play yard. All the groups greeted them with jumps and sniffs. The guys were really good about it and all the dogs got some extra attention from them too. Can't wait to try the new gates this evening.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

2011-11-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!

All the dogs were full of friskiness this fine morning with the arrival of the snow. Dogs big and small were eager to get out and frolic. The huskies tore out of their kennel at warp speed and made major tracks in the snow.

Marley and Wrigley were the first dogs out for their walk today. Marley was all business; its walk time, while Wrigley buried his nose in the snow every few feet. When we got back they were just as thirsty as if it were a hot July day.

Flanders absolutely loved the snow. He likes a good roll any day and today was no exception. He was also sprinting ahead, although his sprint looks very similar to a gallop. He was accompanied by Levi on this mornings stroll. They got along very well so we grouped them up together with Harley, Wolf, Wrigley, Blondie and Mocha. This is a calmer group. The dogs are all well behaved but not huge players. They all like to meander around, check things out with a thorough sniff and then vie for some love and pets. Mocha doesn't particularly care to go into the indoor play room but is quite content to come back in to rest.

Coal, Issac, Scoobie, Bentley, Marley, Jake, Buddy and Riley make up a wonderful play group. Its a solid mix of players and observers. Marley is like a ultra mini version of Scoobie. Coal and Issac were really excited about the snow this morning on their walk. We think they want to try out for a sled team! When group time was over Bentley decided to roll over and play dead until the treats came out, then he sprang to life again! Go figure. Jake found a ball and rope that he put a death grip on. I tried to explain to him that it's very hard to play fetch if he doesn't let go.

Sidney and Nestor who usually require coaxing to go for a walk were eager beavers to get out in the field today! Sidney led the way and decided that he wanted to do the entire field. And where Sidney goes, Nestor follows. I bet Nestor was happy to see his comfy bed when we got back though.

Holly got to walk with Donna all by herself today the lucky critter. Donna showers lots of love on the dogs so Holly would be the envy of the resort today for sure. During groups she got to run and play with Duffy, Watson, Sidney and Nestor. Duffy really enjoyed his time in the snow with Watson. The two came in half soaked from wrestling with each other in the white stuff. I think they enjoyed being towelled dry almost as much as wrestling. Nothing like a little one on one time to make a dog chipper.

Kobe, Keeper, Lexy, Chevy, Sam, Rupert, Zoey and Jersey make up another fun play group. Lexy doesn't have a mean bone in her body, she just loves to play with any dog. Chevy and Sam just adore her. When they came in from outdoor groups, Chevy was gonna follow Lexy right into her kennel.

Zoey had a great walk with Sam today. I tried a pinch collar on Zoey and talk about a wonderful walk. It was like night and day. She loved her walk and didn't drag me around the field. With all the snow I was concerned about wiping out, but Zoey kept ahead of me and never tugged the leash once. Way to go Zoey!

Jersey had herself a wee afternoon at the spa. She got a nice shampooing, a brushing and then a blow out. Rupert fits right in with this play group. He's a friendly dog with energy to burn. He's all tuckered out when its time to come in so you know they are all having a blast together.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

2011-11-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

Harley and Wolf are always pleasant to walk on the trail. They seem to enjoy the sights, sounds and scenery as much as we do!

Buddy and Oscar also loved their walk, playing and taking turns chasing each other the whole way around! It seems like Buddy has found his new best friend. Keeper and Maggie, who also played their entire walk running circles around their walker, also seem to have hit it off!

Cabot and Tupper's favourite basketball is sadly looking more like a pancake these days from all their play - but the two don't seem to mind at all and still try and instigate a game of fetch any chance they get!

Watson is quite the little scavenger. On his walk with Kobe he found three sticks which he proudly pranced around the field with until he found a better one to pick up!

Lexy and Ben were once again inseparable today! While outside, the two of them ran around the yard wrestling and soon it caught on - Rupert joined in, followed by Maizy, but they could barely keep up with them for longer than a minute!

Coal, Scoobie and Isaac are more excited than anyone to go for a walk or outside to play! They're like a blur of Labs zooming to the door, the fun can never start soon enough!

Monday, November 21, 2011

2011-11-25T07:11:00.000-08:00

November is almost over and the weather is unseasonably gorgeous!

Flanders and Teddy had a great walk this morning. Flanders had some extra oomph in his steps today! The first half of the walk he was speed walking, until he found somewhere choice to roll, then slowed his pace down. Teddy as usual is a fantastic walker. He doesn't pull at all! He is content to stroll by your side till we are done and then time he curls up for a nap.

Issac and Marley were paired up today for morning walks. They walked wonderfully together. I was a little worried that Issac would pull me around the field as he is a rather large yellow lab but I was pleasantly surprised. Marley is a chocolate lab but he is much smaller then Issac's buddy Scoobie. Their play group is full of labs today, with the exception of Buddy the Vislas, Sam the Bulldog, Jake a Retriever mix and Chevy the Collie. There is Coal and Wrigley both black labs, Scoobie and Marley the chocolate labs and Isaac the yellow lab. Buddy loves this play group. Its all happiness and excitement when they go out to play!!

Harley and Wolf greeted me with excited little yips this morning. They know me as the treat lady I guess and a little morning massage endears me even further to them. Flanders has decided that he really likes a good massage too. They have a great little group today with Molly, Flanders and Levi. The whole group has a great dynamic together.

Kobe's eyes looked much better for a bit today but his cone cracked and he managed to rub at one eye. We found a new cone and fixed him all up again, the poor thing. It must really be itching him.

Maddie is a cutie pie, and incredibly docile for a collie mix. He is also really happy to meet new dogs and people alike. Maddie is in a group with Kobe, Keeper, Chase, Cabot, Tupper and Rupert. Rupert is a very quiet dog but loves to play. The entire play group is full of happy go lucky dogs. Chase is a ball of energy and quite intelligent, a typical husky. Cabot and Tupper took up their usual vigil over the deflated basketball, waiting eagerly for someone to throw it for them, while Keeper strolled around the yard smelling all the fence posts. The whole group enjoyed a game of fetch with Pam during indoor play this afternoon. Lucky dogs!

Duffy it appears, is eating very well. He is polishing off all his food with no extra coaxing at all. Watson his buddy is a happy little guy. He looks as though he is smiling at you when you greet him. They are both in a group with the little guys, Sidney, Nestor, Clove and Lucky. Duffy and Watson are the big guys on campus today I tell ya! Clove is the gentlest thing you ever did meet and has a super soft coat. Lucky is a wee bit shy but that doesn't stop her from having a great time with the dogs. Sidney and Nestor were very eager for their walk this morning; Sidney even led the way. When we got back they both hopped into bed, curled around one another and settled in for a great little nap.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

2011-11-25T07:09:00.000-08:00

Sherman and Maddie were crazy on their walk, racing every which way and play bowing to each other.

Duffy and Watson wrestled during their whole outdoor play. They are going to sleep well tonight. Jake, Chase and Kobe chased each other around the yard while Keeper kept watch. Meanwhile Cabot and Tupper raced around with the basketball wanting someone to throw it for them.

Maddie greeted Maggie with some kisses and they hung out together by the door. Maddie is so sweet.

Harley, Wolf and DJ all joined up for their walk this morning and even though they may all be be big dogs they were perfect on their walk. I did have to remind DJ that she had to wait till playtime to play with Harley and then we continued on our way.

Flanders almost made it through his walk today without a single roll...but just as we reached the gate he stopped, dropped and rolled. He would make a good demonstration for what to do if you ever catch on fire.

Teddy enjoyed his me time outside and curled up for a quick nap in the sun.

Sophie and Mischief just wandered around the yards together outside.

Sophie and Lily were raring to go on their walk and took off out the door before I could catch up. They sure do like to have a good time.

Cara was crazy playful today and wanted everyone to play with her inside and out.

Sherman and Wrigley really like each other. Hopping and drooling all over each other. Its a dogs life

Bentley was bouncing and full of energy today just like usual. He is always so happy and I can't help but laugh and love him.

Issac was a little stiff today and left the rough play to Coal and Scoobie while he watched.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

2011-11-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

Duffy and Watson coudn't stop playing with each other today in their playgroup inside, all the wanted to go was role all over each other, it was amusing to watch.

Kobe is wearing his cone like a crown. He has mastered the art of eating and drinking with the cone on. His eyes are looking much better and probably feel better too.

Cabot and Tupper are like two best friends, they go everywhere with each other, side by side. The only time they leave each other is when I call them to go inside, Tupper just races to the door, while Cabot runs away to go play chase with Jake.

Molly's a very independent dog, even though she loves to play with the others alot. She also likes to be on her own. Today she was enjoying the cool weather outside, just laying down in a patch of sun.

Sophie and Lily like to play and it doesn't matter who they play with. It can be other dogs or people.

Flanders and Teddy are so cute when they are together. They're both very calm, quiet and independent dogs. I think they like to play but they are a wee bit older then the others. They were laying down outside together today, it was really sweet.

Harley and Wolf are both really friendly to people and with other dogs. I went in their kennel today to give them a little loving, I think they enjoyed it.

Abby doesn't really like to go up in the playroom that much with her playgroup. I'm not really sure why, because she has alot of fun outside, escpecially with Kody. They were hanging out outside today alot.

This morning when Brooke was giving waters to Coal, Scooby and Isaac, they got a little too ecxited with meeting a new person a knocked it right out of her hand, she ended up mopping the floor and giving them new water just so they could do it again. What a great game!

Marley's a very athletic dog, she wanted to play tug-a-war with the other dogs in her group today but it seemed like no one was up for it. Maybe it was the cloudy weather that was making everyone tired.

Cara and Levi are great together, they were together almost the whole time today in their playgroup, even when I went up to them to say hi they were both too engrossed with each other to notice me.

It seemed like all the huskies stopped to say hello to Quincy today. Her and Clove got along really well too, which I'm glad about. They are both very calm, nice dogs, even though Clove isn't as hyper they both have a lot of fun.

Maggie and Bentley had a lot of fun on their walk today, Bentley grabbed a stick and started to fool around with it. Maggie got a little frisky though and was trying to grab it from him, so before I knew it they were running. Sadly I'm just not fast enough to keep up so I had to throw the stick away for them to play with after.

Wrigley and Sherman are new to the group so while Sherman was a tad shy, Wrigley was jumping right into everybody to get them going and then he enticed Sherman to play with him instead. They both had a lot of fun together.

Friday, November 18, 2011

2011-11-21T10:25:00.000-08:00

Felt a lot like the beginning of winter this morning, its not far off now!!!

The new tunnel in the play room was finally tried out by our brave little Sidney. He zipped right through it while Nestor and Quincy observed. Then Sidney and Nestor both ventured inside it to curl up and nap! Maggie was very curious about it and sniffed it thoroughly but didn't give it whirl, maybe next time...

Sam really enjoyed his walk with Dally this morning. Dally likes to 'dally' along and smell every blade of grass. Sam had the zoomies again today so he spent most of his time running as far ahead as he could then he'd sit and wait just to do it again.

Buddy, Bentley, Chevy, Lexy, Dally and Sam make up a very playful group. Buddy seems very comfortable with this crew but still doesn't particularly care for the indoor play room. He spent most of his outdoor time zipping all over the yard with Lexy, Dally and Chevy. Bentley had found a bone and wanted nothing more then to gnaw away at it in a quiet corner of the yard.

I love Cody and Abby's easy walkers..! They are fantastic. Everybody enjoys walk time with these. Abby had a great stroll this morning with Buddy, she even stopped to have a good roll in the long grass. Cody was paired up with Bo. Another fantastic walker is Teddy. He walks right at your side for the entire stroll. He met Molly this morning then was grouped with some quiet and friendly dogs like Sophie, Lily, Harley, Wolf and Flanders. Flanders true to nature had a good ole roll in the grass on his walk today. He looks like a puppy flailing around on the lawn. Too cute. Harley and Wolf are like pee camels, marking every blade of grass and fence post along their walk. Today they waited till we got back to sit pretty for their treats, such good dogs.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

2011-11-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

Since Ripley and Django left last night, our small dog group is very sedate and perfect to give Dixie a little company. She has been missing some canine companionship and just perks right up when she sees Theo. Theo might be a little too playful though. He and Damien have been very energetic and seem to want to play more than ever. Dixie can get her fix with Sidney, Nestor and Quincy today.

We have a new small dog tunnel in the playroom, but Sidney, Nestor and Quincy find it puzzling that I want them to go through it. Too funny. Sidney and Nestor found enormous nylon bones each and gnawed happily on them while Quincy explored everything in the room but the tunnel!

Keeper and Riley were paired up for their walk this morning and absolutely loved each other. It was hard to convince them that there would be ample time to play later during groups but eventually they zipped their way around the field.

Tupper and Cabot were vibrating in anticipation for their walk when I came to get them this morning. Once we hit the gate it was full steam ahead! They trot side by side the entire time and stop to sniff the same random things. They're a cute pair.

Harley and Wolf caught on fast that I keep treats in my pocket. During their walk they kept randomly coming up to me and would sit down, then they would offer me their paws. When I clued in as to what they were doing I had to giggle. Treats are given when the walk is over, but I caved because they were so adorable and tried so hard to earn them.

Damien and Theo make quite the pair. Damien has really settled in nicely and is quite sweet. When its time for their walk or to go out for groups he is like an excited puppy. Best of all is the way he buries himself under his blanket so that when he stands up the blankie is draped over him. Wonder if he trying to tell us he wants a coat for the winter... ;)

Lexy made another BFF today in Riley. They look a lot alike but Riley has a slightly wavier coat. The two of them could barely make it out the door to the play yard because they were so excited to meet! Then they met Abby and Marley and it was off to the races. They were zipping and yipping all over the place. Marley was really playful with Oscar, while Ben ran all over wanting to get in on the action but not sure who to play with first. Buddy fit right in with this group. He is a little difficult to get outside but with some coaxing (read treats) he zooms right out and sniffs everyone. He even played with Riley for a bit.

Dolan must of been able to smell the treats in my pocket because he was on me like white on rice today. He even jumped up and licked my chin, which is out of character for him, the jumping part anyway. He must have the nose of a blood hound!

Molly is a super affectionate dog. She loves to be pet and to have your entire focus. Her coat is so soft too. She doesn't like to run around as much as the other dogs do but she is a great listener.

Kobe wasn't feeling so great today. His eyes were looking a little red and puffy. He had a special visit from his friend Kathy and even got to go on a car ride with her to see the doggie doctor who assured us everything will be fine and that its most likely allergies.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2011-11-17T06:48:00.000-08:00

We have had a wonderful morning today. Walks were fantastic and groups were playful.

First out of the gates was Chevy and Lexy. These two love to play and race each other. As we progressed round the field we kept getting tangled up in the leashes. If dogs could smile these two would be grinning from ear to ear.

Chevy is in a group with Buddy, Wolf, Harley, Marley and Abby. Abby and Buddy were paired up for their morning walk and did wonderful together. Buddy is always a wee bit shy when he first arrives here, so grouping him with Abby gave him some needed reassurance. Buddy's other pal is Chevy so he is having blast during play time today. Harley and Wolf are big german sheppards who have an even bigger bark but they are really gentle and kind dogs. Marley was like houdini this morning! He was so eager for a walk that he somehow managed to open his own kennel door!! I wonder if he has opposable thumbs...

Flanders enjoyed his morning stroll with Damien, while Theo walked with Quincey. Damien and Theo are still a happy group of two but its nice to see them making new friends. Damien gave Theresa a big wet kiss on the cheek during out door play.

Keeper is so friendly and quiet. She gets along fantastic with her group members. Duffy and Watson absolutely adore one another. They were tumbling and fumbling all over each other during play time outside. Even with a bit of an upset stomach Duffy still has lots of play in him. Kobe and Mocha like to watch the hi-jinks but mostly keep to themselves. Blondie likes to socialize but isn't really one for play.

Zoey, Sammy and Lexy are just a blur of fur when they play with each other. Tupper and Cabot let out little yips when someone tosses the basketball for them. Even though its deflated it seems to give them endless pleasure to just trot around with it in their mouth or gnaw on some of it.

Django and Ripley were raring to go for their walk as usual. Full bore ahead! They seem happy all the time especially when someone scratches their backs. They twist and turn in circles the entire time.

Sammy has the routine here down pat. She knows when group play is done outside that we're heading for more fun in the indoor play room. She is like a dog herder! The whole way down the hall she is circling back to hurry up any lolly gaggers. What a good helper.

Sidney and Nestor are so cute when they are cold. They get these wee mohawks when there is a chill in the air outside. Then when they come in they curl up around each other and settle in for a warm cozy nap.

Holly really likes hanging out with the little guys. She has made good friends with Quincy. They sniff one anothers noses thoroughly and then they're off to the races. Zooming all over the play yard.

Sam is doing awesome. He has a real soft spot for Lexy. For a stocky dog he has no problem running around and keeping up with dogs that are twice his size. During walks, if you tell him he's a good dog he takes off like lightening then stops and waits for you to catch up and then takes off again.

Last but not least we have Dixie. She is still camping out in the kitchen and loving all the special love and attention showered upon her. She definitely has the spring back in her step today.

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

2011-11-16T10:09:00.000-08:00

Damien and Theo are still happy with just each others' company for play time. Theo manages to still keep up with his bigger companion while on their walk!

Shy little Duffy had a most enjoyable walk this morning with Watson, the two of them stopping occasionally to play.

Dolan and Keeper joined the quiet group with Kobe and Flanders, in which they felt right at home. They had some playful bouts, but mostly enjoyed sniffing around.

Sometimes we wonder if Django wants to be a human - he is always standing on two legs! He's excited to go outside, to go for a walk, or for his food... just loving life! Ripley is more laid back but still just as happy!

Cute little Quincy always greets us with a wagging tail! He enjoyed his walk with Ripley and Django this morning.

When letting the small dog group outside this morning, Sidney and Nestor decided that once they were out of their kennel they would take a detour and scavenge for dropped food! They were a bit disappointed none of the other dogs left a single crumb behind, and redirected themselves out the door.

Sammy and Maggie had quite the exciting time today! While on their walk the two couldn't stop playing, and continued their games once put out with their group - Abby, Tupper, Cabot, Ben and Lexy. Ben and Lexy also couldn't get enough of each other, wrestling all around the yard. Not to be deceived by his small size, Ben is quite the opponent!
Cabot always manages to find the basketball wherever it is in hopes that someone will play fetch with him!

Buddy, though still sometimes nervous, likes his group with the girls Maizy, Maggie and Marley. Quiet yet playful, he fits in perfectly! Once he feels more settled in we know he will make even more friends!

Monday, November 14, 2011

2011-11-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

November 14th and its another wonderfully mild day out!

Walks went really well this morning. All the dogs were eager to get out and stretch their legs. First walk of the day was Bob and Abby. Bob as usual did his super wide circles the whole way around the field. I swear he gets twice the walk by doing this. He is so sweet, and he loves a good cuddle. Abby is uber friendly and full of energy. She loves a good rub too but then again what dog doesn't!?

Abby and Bob share a group with Jake, Lexy, Sammy, Chevy and Sam. Bob doesn't know what to make of Sam the bull dog so he barks at him then goes off to play. Sam and Lexy really have a lot of fun together, its funny to watch them wrestle. Chevy, Jake and Bob run ceaselessly during outdoor play. Its great as they tire each other out. Sammy would rather play ball until Abby comes out that is. The two of them wrestled and ran all over during groups.

Duffy, Watson, Kobe, Sasha, Flanders and Georgie make up another one of the groups we have today. Duffy and Watson seem to really like one another. Flanders once again found a couple of lovely spots to stop drop and roll. He walked with Sammy this morning and they did very well together. Georgie seems to be enjoying his play time with this group. Sasha is a gentle soul. She listens so well and loves going outside. She enjoys indoor play time as well but as an observer.

Our little dog group is Sidney, Nestor, Django, Ripley, Jack, Rudy and Quincy. Quincy has the most adorable tail. It looks like a genies pony tail. Quincy walked this morning with Rudy and Jack. Rudy likes to be in the lead and is quick to playfully let others know. Jack and Rudy are a cute pair and quite friendly. Sidney and Nestor seem to be sleepy heads today which is pretty much the norm for them. Ripley and Django are always busting at the seams with energy, today being no different.

Damien and Theo form their own little posse today. They were doing really well in separate groups but were starting to miss each other so they are back together for groups today and quite happy about it.

Dixie is definitely on the mend. She is a wee bit sore today but its only been a couple of days since she's been off the pain killers. She is still lapping up all the loving she can and enjoying being spoiled in the kitchen.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

2011-11-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

Theo and Damien are hereby nominated for cutest odd couple. They sure do love one another. Theo is like Damien's baby. Where Theo goes Damien follows.

Amy and Chelsea came in yesterday. When it was time to go out the two of them would go bounding towards the door at warp speed. They were full of beans, running and exploring. Amy walked with her look a like, Bentley, and the two had some good play time with Sarah. Chelsea met Lincoln, the other Great Dane. They were a bit shy at first, but friendly. After walks the two girls had some good outdoor and indoor play with a whole bunch of friends.

I hung some pretty lights in the playroom and the first thing Bentley did when he went in, was to jump on the toy box and see if he could reach them. What a monkey!

Abby wasn't too keen on going into her kennel at first. Gradually she minded less and less and by evening she was completely in sync with the routine and welcomed some time to herself. She was having fun outside with Damien this morning.

Jack and Rudy, Ripley and Django had a great time tearing around in the playroom while Theo opted to rejoin Damien. I think we are going to have to give these two a group on their own this afternoon.

Quincy and I had a great game of fetch the tennis ball, until he started to worry about the other dogs' interest in his prize and he just ran around with it. Kobe had a great time catching the bouncy kong on a rope...it bounces off the walls too.

Sasha T. really has a lot to say and she expresses herself loudly. She liked being up front, but not shut in the playroom, so we gave her hallway time, which seems to have satisfied her more. She is probably a little sensitive being too close to other dogs while they are playing inside due to her sore leg.

Sidney and Nestor were a little hesitant to go on their walk this morning. They were as snug as bugs in a rug. Once we got out and about they kept going. The rest of the day they enjoyed just snuggling in their nice warm bed.

Jack and Rudy were super enthusiastic about their walk. They see the leashes and are raring to go!

Watson was a little shy when he first went out with his group and preferred to hide behind my legs. It didn't take long though and he got in on the action. Zipping around the play yard.

Bob and Bentley found a new favourite toy in the playroom. They both liked to grab on to the tennis ball with a rope attached and play with it. I think Bob ended up carrying it around most of the time though.

Dixie and I had a nice lunch hour together. She went outside for a short walk and then we enjoyed some down time together in the kitchen.

When I looked into the playroom while Flanders, Charlie, and Jasper were up front, they all were just relaxing and lying on the floor.

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

2011-11-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

Mishka and Jasper has a good walk with Kiera this morning. Diesel also did great on his walk with Gus.

Abby and Noah took an immediate liking to each other and jumped all over each other all day. Caesar also joined in the fun with Abby.

Damien really liked Gandalf. He kept licking his face outside.

Flanders sure does love his walks, and he made sure to get a few good rolls in as usual. Meanwhile Charlie waited for Flanders by checking out all the new and interesting smells.

Lincoln wandered around outside and greeted everyone. He's really sweet but still a bit nervous.

Bentley got some extra attention outside and enjoyed every second of it.

Kobe and Georgie had a good walk and were trying to play.

Damien was encouraging everyone in his group to play while inside. Sophie and Gandalf joined in the fun.

Drake and Tikhii played really well outside. Tikhii was in 2 groups today and had a blast.

Jack and Rudy are a lot of fun on their walk. Rudy would stop, turn and look at me, then bounce his way to me, get a quick pet and run back to Jack.

Watson was with lots of bigger dogs today and is doing great.

Bob and Ceasar were playing like crazy outside.

Django and Ripley were as crazy as ever and had lots to say.

Theo decided he just wanted to go back to his kennel with Damien after outdoor play.

Friday, November 11, 2011*

2011-11-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

It was pretty cold today for Remembrance Day observances, but for those of us who are looking forward to snow and winter, it was very exciting to see the first bit of white stuff come down, if only briefly.

Donna was off today with a sore back so Deb came in, did walks, and groomed Tanner - and it was wonderful to have her. She was quite surprised by Caesar's strength and came in from the cold air looking flushed and wild eyed. Silly Caesar is very very strong!
We have lots of bigger dogs in today - 3 Newfs and 2 Great Danes. And some amazingly sparky little dogs...must be the terriers in the mix.

DJ and Chevy arrived at the same time this morning and went straight to the playroom, where DJ promptly started worrying about her "big guy" toy that she couldn't bring in with her. She jumped and barked and then sulked, while Chevy waited patiently. Finally, she gave up on her toy and started running around with Chevy. He was so happy!

Dixie is sharing the kitchen with Sidney and Nestor. Nestor took her bed, so Dixie is snoozing on her pillow in a crate. She seems very happy for the company. We let her down the hallways this morning and she was so pleased to see the other dogs, even if it was through the gates. She seems to smile when she touches noses and says hello.

Everyone knows not to leave any back packs, etc. in the kitchen when S & N are in there! For older, quiet gentlemen, they are swift and sure when it comes to food and things that are chewable. One of them even nabbed the end of Chloe's pear today!
Flanders had some tummy trouble last night but seems better today. He had lots of rolls in the field this morning and came in with bits of dried grass everywhere!

Bentley and Noah love each other and can't stop playing inside or out. Jacob and Caesar are also firm friends and seek each other out to play.
Loki is such a cheerful, lovely older boy. He doesn't seem to mind being separated from Noah for groups. In his quieter bunch, he gets to explore without a whole lot of commotion. We aren't sure what he gets for dinner, but it must be some miraculous and healthy mixture...just not sure we want to try it...Noah seems to want to try it though, and I had to keep an eye on him this morning. He kept an eye on me, too, trying to wait for me to move far enough away to get some.

Ripley and Django have settled right in and although Django is still a going concern, he has accepted us as leaders and we are all much happier.

What a beautiful girl Tikhii is. It's been a pleasure meeting her. She is quite confident and ready for anything and she joined in with Bob, Noah and Bentley for some good mouth wrestling this afternoon. She walked with Lincoln, our other Great Dane guest, and they were a fine looking pair. Lincoln is shyer than Tikhii but he is settling in with a light hearted group and was quite comfortable with staff today.

Jack and Rudy obviously haven't looked in a mirror lately because these cute little Westies think they are much much bigger than they are. While they are wonderful with their group and friendly with all, they act as though each large dog walking by them is their mortal enemy when they are in their kennel.

Damien was doing very well today...until we moved his kennel! He was convinced that his kennel was still in Soft Spaw, but he and Theo had been moved to Ruffin' Ritz. Well, he wasn't too pleased at that and the girls decided to give him some time with just Theo until he has gotten used to the switch. Little Theo is adorable and I can tell that Dixie would just love to meet him!
No Jake D today, but our current Weim guest, Winston, is actually a bit calmer today. He loves being out with his group but has some ongoing anxiety issues about being separated. It is good to see him looking so cheerful.

Little Roxy B is here for daycare and she fit in with the little dog group without a hitch. She is one of the easiest going Jack Russells but does lots of jumping jacks when she's in her kennel.
Miss Mishka knows it's Friday. I think she thinks that coming to us every weekday is her job and she looks forward to the weekends. She also knows when it's getting close to pick up time every day. This morning, even after she had had her walk, she was looking a bit longingly as I got Merlin, Teetu, Tasha and Chander ready for some scooter training. I have tried Mishka in harness before, however, and she thinks walking backwards is the way of the North. Maybe we'll try again this weekend.

Sasha T had a mishap this morning before she arrived and hurt her back leg. Since she has had surgery on her other knee already, we are keeping walks short and she is with a nice quieter group.

Bailey is another wounded soul and he wasn't too pleased when Theresa bumped his sore rear yesterday. He has been mostly himself, but worries way too much about who is where and when and where they are going. It is the very strong herding instinct that drives him and sometimes he can hardly tear himself away from the door to go to the bathroom...wondering what you are doing and if he needs to be involved.

Charlie has been super mellow this visit, always looking pleased and happy. He is in the independent explorer group. He and Flanders and Jasper, along with Bailey make up a nice pack. He and Jasper are a bit reactive at doors and hallways, but they all know the routine here and are pretty careful not to let the doorways bother them.

Little Foot and Gandalf just came in this morning and they have settled in well with Sophie, Sasha the Newf girls, and Lincoln. Gandalf has a bit of a sensitivity about his nether regions so these were all great dogs to make him feel comfortable.
Sophie is still playful and happy while Sasha loves to explore.

Sam the Bulldog is so funny...he has been so playful all week, but he doesn't particularly like to get up in the morning. He goes outside, has his breakfast and then sprawls on his bed. Once the playing begins, he is right in there. Theresa discovered this morning that if Sam is lagging behind, saying "aren't you a good boy" perks him right up and he runs ahead!

Sammy loves fetch (without actually bringing the toy back) and running with the pack, but she also enjoys a bit of independent exploration. She is a lovely girl and had a great day today.

Kobe is very routine driven and thrives on knowing when and how things are going to take place. He is always alert and very tolerant with his group, but you have the feeling sometimes he might be a bit smarter than the average dog...

Gus switched groups today and he and Flanders had a bit of play together. We are finding Gus a bit different than normal. Outside he is happy and playful and he loves his walks, but inside he seems a bit slow and stiff.

Tanner had a great day. Not only did he have a wonderful time playing with Caesar on his walk, he got to have a pedicure and bath and dry with Deb and Chloe. What a lucky boy.
Gordon is adorable and is adored by both Ripley and Django. They love playing with him and he is so submissive but happy he is a joy. Often he tries to entice the other dogs or us humans into one more game of tag before going in. He also has the most adorable light mop on his head!

Surprisingly, Watson isn't a big fan of bigger dogs. At first when he was paired up with Georgie on his walk, we thought it was just because despite being 13 and arthritic, Georgie loves to play and may have startled Watson. After an initial upset, they did fine together. But apparently it isn't Georgie, but most big dogs who upset him. He was just fine with the medium sized dogs and even Tanner and DJ today, but meeting them on a leash or for the first time requires a bit of maneuvering.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

2011-11-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

Another gorgeous fall day, not as nice as yesterday's 16 degrees but beautiful just the same.

Its shaping up to be a very busy day here. We have seven wonderful groups of varying sizes and numbers today. There is a three way tie for most playful group between groups 4, 6 and 7. Group 4 wins by a hair though. The dogs in this group are Bob, Noah, Winston, Lexi, Tikhii, Bentley and Wally. They do nothing but run, tumble, play and repeat! Winston and Noah seem to really like each other, acting like one anothers shadow. Lexi and Bentley are both Dobermans, I think I hear church bells. Actually Bentley was very playful with Bob and Tikhii. Tikhii is a Great Dane. Wally was very interested in Tikhii I think because they are close in size.

Jacob, Caesar, Sam, Lexy and Marley make up group 7, our runner ups. These guys are really playful as well and have lots of energy. Sam absolutely adores Lexy. Caesar, Lexy and Jacob looked like a giant ball of fur outside. They were wrestling and tumbling so much with each other. Marley likes to run with the others but prefers to smell every fence post while the dogs are rough housing. Sam was so tuckered out from playing, he was the last one to come in, but he was smiling from ear to ear.

Group 6 gets the honourable mention. They are Watson, Ben, Sammy, Oscar and Maggie. They love to play as well but on a more individual basis. Maggie's favourite toy again was the deflated basketball. Sammy likes to chase the ball as well but never brings it back which is just fine by Maggie. Little Ben didn't know what to make of Watson at first but when he saw Oscar and Watson playing tag he wanted in on the game too!

Our largest group once again is the little dogs. Sidney, Nestor, Shannon, Toby, Quincey, Jack, Rudy, Gordon, Django and Ripley make up this big posse. Jack and Rudy give Django and Ripley a run for their money as the most lively in the bunch. Quincy is the best listener, while Sidney and Nestor are the slow pokes in the crew. Shannon and Toby are the smallest dogs in the group but probably the most enthusiastic. They are happy, ready to go for a walk and out to play all the time.

Dixie is still our little kitchen buddy. She is getting some much needed rest and TLC. Her scar is healing up very nicely. Its nice to share our lunch break with her, she keeps us company as much as we keep her company.

The last group is Loki, Jasper, Flanders, Charlie, Toby, Kobe, Gus, Bailey and Dolan. Flanders and Kobe were paired up for a walk today. They did very well together but it was comical as Flanders' legs are longer then Kobe is tall! However Kobe still led the way around the field. And as sure as the sun is to rise Flanders found some great spots to have a royal roll in again today.

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

2011-11-10T08:55:00.000-08:00

Chevy and Lexy were so excited to go on their morning walk together that they almost forgot the point - to walk! The two are almost inseparable once they start playing! The rest of their playgroup - Noah, Bob, Zoey and Sam are the same, becoming a big but friendly wrestling blur once outside. Bob loves his walks so much, he just does these huge circles around the walker the whole way around the trail.

Flanders once again had his morning rolls on his walk. Toby and Ripley did the same on their walks - they must love the trail so much they want to wear it!

Holly enjoys the company of Quincy and the Dachshund gang. The small dogs love their time outside, more so when it's nice out. Sydney and Nestor were waiting in their kennel for us to let them out, and once it was opened they leaped out and ran to the door. Shannon and Toby were equally eager to get out and play!

George, Jonah and Titan all went together on their walk this morning, which they were very excited about. They all wanted to cover different areas on the trail, making for very entangled dogs as well as the walker holding the leashes!

Our quieter group consisted of Flanders, Jasper, Loki, Toby, Kobe, Blondie, Mocha and Winston. They were all quite content to bask in the sun rather than play.

Little Dixie is doing very well! She's happy as ever and still loving all the attention she has been receiving.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

2011-11-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

Holy moly the fog was thick this morning but it didn't take long for the sun to cut through it. Gotta love the time change! Its nice to drive to work in the morning and see the sun instead of driving in the dark, it just doesn't feel like morning.

Well our wee Dixie got her stitches out last night, what a trooper. Her incision is healing up beautifully and she has her spunk back. She is still hanging out in the kitchen and loving all the attention that is showered upon her.

Bob and Noah were paired up for their morning walk today. Bob loves to motor around the field. Noah does too but he likes to stop and sniff stuff too. The only time Bob stopped was when Noah marked something, to which Bob promptly marked it too. They are both in a group along with Caesar, Lexy (golden retriever), Oscar and Lexi (doberman). This group is like the power players group! When it was time to come inside for indoor play they were all tuckered out. Lexi the doberman was a little shy at first but she made fast friends with Caesar and Bob. They played tag and raced all over the yard after one another. While Oscar, Lexy the golden and Noah decided to wrestle with each other. It was a fun morning for sure.

Looks like Flanders isn't our only roller..! Loki likes to roll too! He had a grand ole roll in the long grass this morning and looked liked he was just relishing it. Loki and Flanders share a group with Charlie, Jasper, Toby, Dolan and Kobe. Toby is an uber quiet dog and very gentle. Charlie really enjoyed his morning stroll. He walked with Caesar who is very strong! Charlie likes to take his time and smell everything and Caesar likes to motor. Dolan is happy and well behaved as usual. He is the type of dog who gets along with everyone.

The little dog group is our biggest group again today. We have six dachshunds named Sidney, Nestor, Shannon, Toby, Rocky and Rebel. As well as Casey, Bailey, Gracie and Quincy. Sidney and Nestor really enjoyed their walk with Quincy this morning. They were full of life, trotting along the trail, and when both came up to the small rut in the path they jumped over in unison! Casey, Bailey and Gracie all look stunning after a day at the spa! They're all proudly sporting their new haircuts.

Lucky is enjoying his time in daycare today! He made friends with Jonah, Titan, George, Ben and Sam while playing outside. Little Ripley and Django joined in as well and fit in quite well with the playful group despite their slightly smaller stature.

Monday, November 7, 2011

2011-11-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful Monday it has turned out to be!! Definitely milder then the eight degree's they were forecasting that's for sure.

We have six groups today, seven if you count Dixie as a group. She is healing up very nicely. We gotta remind her though not to chew at her stitches. She had a surgery on her back for a slipped disc and is much more comfortable now and moving with ease again. She has been spoiled as her bed is set up in the kitchen so she gets loads of one on one time with us.

The most playful group of the day is Bugs, Gypsy, Chevy, Lexy, Toby and Jake. These guys have oodles of energy! Bugs just loves Lexy, no surprises there though she is a great dog. Chevy and Jake ended up having a riot together in the play room this afternoon, then Gypsy got in on the action and it was a sight to behold. They were playing peek-a-boo round the half wall in the play room and then barking up a storm at each other, it was too funny.

Caesar and Sherman had a great walk this morning once they made it outside... They had poor Chloe all tangled up in the leashes three times before they ever hit the field, its a wonder she didn't fall flat on her tush! Sherman went home after his walk but Caesar stayed and got to play with Shiloh, George, Titan, Jonah and Kobe. Bob was in this group also but he is quite a bit bigger then these guys and even though they all played well outside, the dynamic changed during indoor play so we mixed up the groups for the afternoon.

Bob is now hanging with the big dogs and loving it. His new group is Loki, Noah, Charlie, Jasper and Flanders. Noah and Bob got along great and raced around the yard after each other for quite a while. Loki just likes to be out with everyone but to watch the goings on from a quiet corner. Charlie and Noah enjoyed a fabulous morning walk. They both wanted to sniff and mark every blade of grass for the first 100 meters of their walk. We love Charlies easy walker too! Its a great harness that stops a dog from wrenching a persons arm out of socket. Flanders as usual found a couple of interesting places to stop, drop and roll during his morning stroll, he's a character that one.

The little dogs group is the biggest group today. It has ten dogs in it. They are Sidney, Nestor, Shannon, Toby, Brooke, Windy, Scout (who got a mani today), Ripley, Django and Quincey. Quincey is so adorable and well behaved too, we just love her to pieces. Ripley and Django are like super dogs! They have so much energy its ridiculous and they are always happy.

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

2011-11-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

It was quite a frosty morning, but the sun soon warmed things up and it was the perfect weather for walking today.

Diesel and Drake were great on their walks this morning. Diesel was paired up with lovely Sophie who is very good and laid back. Drake was paired up with Lily and had no problems. He tried to get Lily to play but he sure is a strong dog to hold on to. I told him to wait until he went outside in his playgroup.

I walked all four dachshunds together this morning (Brooke, Windy, Toby and Shannon). It was very cute as all the girls ran ahead trying to be first, meanwhile Toby hung back with me and enjoyed the walk.

Wow, what a crazy group of boys, plus Shiloh. She's a brave girl hanging out with all of them. George, Jonah, Titan, Kaeko, Tatoo, Caesar M, and Sherman made up the rest of that group and they all played great outside. Sherman and Caesar are great friends and loved jumping around and chasing each other.

Danica and Chase were welcomed into a group with alot of dogs this morning, they loved their time outside! When I went to bring them in for indoor play time they were right tuckered out and only wanted to relax.

Jasper is quite a character. He loves hanging out with Lily and Sophie, the other retrievers, but he much prefers outside play time to indoor play time. Really can you blame him?!

Cato and Angus really love to play around, especially outside. This morning they were bugging Tess and chasing her. She didn't mind at first, but after awhile you could tell she was getting really annoyed. That's what we're here for though, to help keep every dog happy.

Even though little Molly doesn't like too play too much, her, Sydney and Nester really get along well because none of them like to move around too much. Just sniff stuff and enjoy the sunshine when its out.

Loki and Noah are great dogs each with their own distinct personalities. When they were outside Noah was playing with Angus alot. They were chasing each other for a little bit but mostly just enjoying the weather. Loki however kept mostly to himself. He stayed back from the other dogs and just watched the monkey antics. However when I went outside, he came right up to me to say hello. He wouldn't leave my side the whole time!

Ripley and Django are super hyper, they love to be heard and get lots of attention. Which is the same with Jack and Rudy. They were all in a group together, plus Scout which I thought was great because they all get along really well. Even though Scout isn't as hyper, the others get him more involved with playing around in the playroom and outside.

Bugs and Gypsy just weren't feeling playful today, that is until they were in the playroom. They were more open with the others and raring for fun then. They get along with Chase really well.

When I went outside to check on the group, I was greeted by Cabot. Then Tupper came up to me with a deflated basketball in his mouth and dropped it at my feet. I ended up playing fetch with them for a while, and not too long after Calli joined in making it a little more competitive.

Cody and Chase were new to the group and were very shy with the other dogs at first, but not too long later they both joined in with Bugs and got playing, it took a little while longer, but eventually Gypsy joined in too!

Friday, November 4th, 2011

2011-11-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

There is no denying it any longer - winter is coming! We were greeted this morning by a thick layer of frost on our windows and a chilling breeze in the air.

Though our resident Huskies love this weather, the little Dachshunds Sydney, Nestor, Toby, Shannon, Brooke and Windy tend to disagree! They happily march themselves outside, but are soon after found waiting at the door anxious to get back to their cozy beds.
Jack and Rudy, on the other hand, were raring to go on their walk this morning! The two enjoyed every minute of it.

Tatoo and Titan had a fantastic walk this morning. They got along with each other very well, so we made sure to put them in the same play group along with Jonah, George, Kaeko, Shiloh, Lexy and Ceasar. We also moved Chase to this group and he did super well with everyone. Chase was a little nervous in the first group he was placed in hence the move. We like for every dog to feel comfortable and to have fun. And Chase learnt really fast which workers keep treats in their pockets. Ceasar just loves to play and is a ball of energy. Lexy once again made lots of friends, her and Ceasar were really having a blast. They tired each other right out. Kaeko as usual led the group outside and then back in again. He always lets out a yip at the door of his kennel as if to say 'hurry it up already, I want to play'! Shiloh came in with Brooke and Windy however he got put in this group to help burn off some of his playful energy. He absolutely loved running about with George, Jonah and Titan.

It is a busier day today so our groups are a little bigger. Charlie, Chevy, Bugs, Gypsy, Sam, Calli, Jake, Tupper and Cabot make up the next group. These guys know how to play, no toys required. Sam's spunk has returned which is awesome. Bugs seems to get along with everyone and is full of happy energy. Jake likes to run around with everyone but he still makes time to pee on every fence post before out door time is over. Calli really enjoyed her morning walk and listens well. Chevy always plays hard and has fun with who ever is in his group. Gypsy and Chevy hit it off from the get go.

Today the big dog group is the smallest group. The dogs in this group are Cato, Angus, Sophie, Lily, Molly, Loki and Noah. Cato is the most playful one in the group. Angus and Noah got along quite well. Molly was at first unsure of Sophie and Lily but they made friends outside and had a fantastic time together. Loki is a beautiful old lab. Really gentle. And he loves a good massage. He leaned right into it almost with a sigh before laying down and lapping it up! When it was over you could tell he wanted more.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

2011-11-07T08:48:00.000-08:00

November 2011

The last couple of nights have been really mild for this time of year. It was supposed to rain today but so far it has held off and everyone got to enjoy a nice and dry morning walk.

We have five wonderful play groups today of varying sizes. Our largest group is made up of nine dogs. They are Nik, Eddie, Angus, Cato, Molly, Dolan, Gypsy, Bugs and Tanner. Every dog in this group seems to get along with one another quite well. Tanner, Gypsy and Eddie were playing a game of tag around the play structure during out door play. Cato and Bugs made fast friends with each other, hopping up on their hind legs and then tumbling to the ground in a heap. Angus and Nik were really checking one another out but then decided that the game of tag that was going on was more interesting and joined in.

George and Jonah were together for their morning walk, while Titan got to stroll with Kaeko. Boy can George and Jonah ever pull hard. For little dogs they are super strong!! They are all in a group along with Lexy, Riley, Oscar and Wally. Kaeko always leads the way to the play yard, then inside to the play room and finally back to their respective kennels. Wally, Lexy and Riley had a blast today racing after each other. Sweet Lexy seems to get along well with every dog she meets. She has oodles of energy and a great demeanor.

The little dog group, aka 'the little dudes' is still the four dachshunds. They are adorable touring around the yard and play room together as a posse. Shannon and Toby love attention and to be scratched behind the ears. Sidney and Nestor will do just about anything for a treat, but watch your fingers! They seem to have a wee bit more spunk then usual, perhaps its the cooler weather. Sidney is so cute when he gets chilly his hair sticks up like a mini doggie mohawk.

Kimi and Lobo are hanging out with some of our resident huskies, Ivy, Lucy, Tycho and Hibou. Kimi and Tycho really enjoy playing with each other during group time. It doesn't matter if they are inside or out they just wrestle and race from one end of the yard or room to the other.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

2011-11-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

November 2011

Click on the picture above to see our November web album!

The fog was really thick this morning on the drive in. It wasn't till after the sun come out strong and bright that it started to lift. Low and behold it's another beautiful day out and quite mild too.

Things are getting a wee bit busier today. The reno's are coming along really well. Everything looks wonderful. Our little dog group consists of four dachshunds. Sidney, Nestor, Shannon and Toby. Toby and Shannon love to have their ears scratched, their little legs start to shack and they almost coo to! Sidney and Nestor had an awesome morning walk, they went the whole way around the field again today.

Our largest group today has seven dogs. George, Titan, Jonah, Nik, Eddie, Angus and Cato make up this group. Cato and Nik both love to play fetch, but Nik is no match for Cato's speed. He is super fast and agile too. Angus is a large black lab. He's really calm and gets along with the other dogs quite well. Nik is a natural in front of the camera and he really likes the play structure, the slide not so much. :)

Molly was a big suck today. She love, love, loves being pet and snagging your attention. Molly is hanging out with Maggie, Blondie, Mocha, Tommi and Zoey. Maggie, Tommi and Zoey were in a merry battle over the basketball. Maggie seems to always win the right to hold the ball, its getting her to let go of it again, that's the trick. Then there's Mocha. She likes to sit and watch the fun from a sunny patch on the lawn, just out of the way of the action.

Oh lucky day!! Sam has a new bulldog friend here today named Bruno. Bruno is really friendly and he made alot of new friends this afternoon. He and Chevy danced around each other for a good five minutes before they decided to race around with the other dogs in their play group; Lexy, Bugs and Gypsy. Lexy is making a new friend every day! She and Sam hit it off instantly this afternoon. They were wrestling and tumbling all over one another! Chevy and Bruno tired Bugs and Gypsy right out too! When they came in from outdoor play they all had a big drink of cold water and then curled up for a "cat nap".

Monday, October 31, 2011

2011-11-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

It was a cold and foggy drive in this morning, but by nine o'clock the sun was shining bright and morning walks were about to get under way. I really do love the fall and I think the dogs do too. They can play to their hearts desire and not worry about the hot summer sun or the freezing winds of winter.

We have six play groups today. One of my favourite groups to watch play is George, Jonah, Titan, Bentley, Chevy and Sam. They just seem to run, wrestle and tumble the entire time they are together. Bentley is catching on fast that jumping on us isn't always a good thing. He is just so happy and wants to greet everyone but he is getting so big and strong so he gets a treat every time he doesn't jump. :) Jonah, Titan and George are sweet dogs and very smart. Where one goes the others follow. And they know their pen so getting them back in after play time is a piece of cake. Good job guys. Sam seems to b disappointed that the slide is broken, but we'll have it back up and functioning again in no time.

A big congrats to DJ and his family. There is a new baby in the house and we can just bet that DJ and the wee baby will not only be super good friends but spending lots of time together with mom and dad. DJ is a gentle giant and I can imagine that he will be great with any baby.
We have DJ in a play group today with Becky, Jasmin and Winston. Jasmin and Winston seem to have really hit it off and love wrestling with each other. Becky likes to spend her time playing ball or hang out with us and get some loving.

Nik, Eddie, Lexy and Jake make up another one of our play groups. Lexy is changing so fast, her and Jake are almost the same size! They were paired up for a walk today as well and Lexy just wanted to play. It doesn't take long for the leashes to get tangled when the dogs are dancing around one another. :)

The little dog group is Sidney, Nestor, Teddy, Maggie and Cybelle. Cybelle is bigger then the others but she is really gentle and her roomie is Maggie so she is used to the smaller guys. They had a great morning stroll. Cybelle walks really well and Maggie sure can motor for a small dog! Sidney and Nestor had some extra oomph today during morning walks. We usually take them on a short walk and they are content with that however today they wanted to tour the entire field! Woot-woot! Then they came back and slept like babies.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

2011-11-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

November is here, bringing with it the morning frost. The sun is shining and morning walks were once again made pleasant by wagging tails eager to get out and about in the beautiful weather.

George, Jonah and Titan were no exception! The three of them were raring to go, and after their walk they still continued to play in their kennel until it was group play time!

Toby and Shannon arrived today, and although a bit anxious at first they settled in very quickly and made friends with little Zoey, Sidney and Nestor.

Dolan doesn't often show us his playful side, but today he was running around like a puppy with his buddy Oscar!

Ben and Lexy have taken quite a liking to each other. The two of them could play all day long and never tire!

Angus and Cato are fitting in very well. While out with their group Cato couldn't get enough of playing fetch! Becky, Jasmin and Nik soon joined in as well, but they were no match for Cato's speed.

Eddie and Nik were spoiled with a spa day today - they're now squeaky clean and gleaming!

Sunday October 30th 2011

2011-10-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ozzie and Clay had a wonderful walk this morning and really enjoyed the fresh air.

Sidney and Nestor were like two peas in a pod and were all curled up together this afternoon.

Maggie made a lot of progress today. She was very shy at the start of the day but become more comfortable near the end of the day.

Nelly and Tinkerbell made lots of new friends today in their new group.

George and Jonah had a blast while I took them for a morning run.

Titan had so much fun laying with everyone in his group today, they all played a big game of chase.

Bentley was so happy to have so many energetic dogs in his group today, they played non-stop all day!

Lily and Sophie went for a run this morning and Sophie seemed to really enjoy running through the long grass.

Becky somehow managed to snag Adam's keys and managed to get them around her neck. She was wearing them as if it was a necklace.

Buddy made a new best friend, his friend is Winston. They had so much fun playing with Blazzen and Jasmin.

Jasmin was very fortunate that she had so many energetic dogs to play with today.

TIber and Trixie had so much fun when I took them for a run this morning.

Kaluha, Sidney and Moose were playing and wrestling pretty much all day! It was great to see them all get along so well.

Saturday,October 29th, 2011

2011-10-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

Today on their walk, Bentley and Clay started getting a little rough halfway through. Eventually, leading to a tiff that Andy quickly seperated before anyone got hurt. The two had no problems with each other for the rest of the day, so who knows who said what during their walk.

When Kiera walked Sydney and Nestor she had trouble getting them to go, after a few gentle tugs they seemed to have a kick of energy because they almost ran the rest of the time!

Rocky and Rebel are super loud dogs, who love to hear themselves speak. But they both settled in very nicely. When they first got here I took them on a walk right away, they were very eager to go that by the time I got to the door they were wrapped around my legs!

Ozzie seems like a twin to Maggie, wherever she goes, he follows. Not that she minds, they're both very friendly dogs that love to play. Which is why they had so much fun on their walk today.

Jonah and Goerge seemed to like the fact that I gave them extra blankets this morning, it's very cold outside recently and there's nothing like coming in to a warm bed!

Titan is very shy, almost the opposite of Jonah, today me and him spent some alone time because he looked a little worried by the new people; the other two even got a little bit jealous.

This morning Becky wouldn't go back in her kennel, so Pam had to give her a nice body rub. Jasmin got her snout out of joint, so we gave her one too!
Buddy is a very squirmy fellow. Loves to be hugged, him and Winston had some fun outside today. They chased eachother for a bit, took a break, then chased each other again.

Blazzen is one of the cutest dogs ever, he's always so happy. Today he was greeting me before he even got out of his kennel and met me; it seemed as if he wanted some lovin!

Sophie and Lily are both very athletic and happy pups. On their walk they were pretty much pulling me the whole time, it's like they wanted to run it!

Tiber and Trixie seemed very tired this morning when I was walking them, it wasn't untill they got back that they seemed to have alota energy!
Nik and Eddie were happy to come back inside to see that they moved kennels with a new bed, when their ears both popped up, the sniffing began.

Kahlua is a very calm dog, she didn't play much outside today, ecxept a little running around with Sydney.
They are really good togther, those two, and their playing never gets out of hand. It's been wonderful to meet Kahlua...what a pleasant, happy girl.

Friday, October 28, 2011

2011-10-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Jack Frost definately paid us a visit last night and left his mark on the ground, puddles and vehicles alike. Once the sun came out though things thawed really fast. It's shaping up to be a busy day!

Morning walks went really well today. First out of the gate was Jake the Rottweiler. He has such a proud canter on him! Except of course when he finds something of interest to roll in, then he looks like a giant puppy. Flanders could show him a thing or two about rolling like a puppy, after all it is his favourite past time! :)

Bentley and Lexy are both going to be tired dogs when they leave here as their group is one that plays non stop! We got George, Jonah, Titan, Chevy, Clay and Jake D along with Bentley and Lexy in this group. It's a big group but the dynamic is awesome. They just have fun and go, go, go!

Today Blazen arrived for a stay with us. Blazen is a Husky who is the son of one of our resident huskies, Tasha. Its always fun to see how much the pups have grown since they left for their new homes, what their personalities are like now and how mom and pup will react to each other. Needless to say the reunion went well. Whether they recognize one another or not I'm not sure but they got along just fine.

We took Kaluha and Sydney out for a walk together this morning. Sydney kept dropping and rolling! I'm guessing because she doesn't like her harness, however I bet without said harness she could drag a person to Timbuktoo! For a older dog, she has got alot of umph. Her and Kaluha got along well so we will try them in a play group together with Tiber, Trixie, Flanders, Nik and Eddie.

Becky and Jasmin are in a play group with Winston, Buddy, Maggie and Blazzen. Jasmin and Buddy spent the entire time they were out westling and jumping all over each other. At first Jasmin wasn't sure of Buddy but soon they were playing and then came back in all tuckered out. Maggie and Becky both love to play ball. Thankfully there were two balls in the yard so both dogs were happy campers. Winston literally ran around while this was going on and stopped occassionally to have a roll in the grass. Happy day!

Our last play group for today has been dubbed "the little dudes". Sidney, Nestor, Paris, Ozzie, Maggie and Sam the bulldog make up this posse. Sam usually hangs out with Chevy however lately outside he only wants to sit and watch the other dogs so today we tried him with this group. And surprise our old Sam is back! He just adores Ozzie and seemed really interested in Paris too. He sniffed the dacshunds but they're slow and not as exciting I guess because he took off running to catch up with Ozzie who was on the other side of the play yard. Paris the lucky girl is having a spa day. She is like a little princess that one.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

2011-10-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

What a brisk start to the day!! Fall has just settled in and winter is just around the corner.

Wee Sidney and Nestor are still with us. The little dog group is quite small today actually. It consists of the two dachshunds (sidney and nestor), Paris and Ozzie. Ozzie is a new comer today. He seems to be settling in just fine and likes his new friends. He and Paris hit it off instantly.

We took Titan for a walk with Ben and Paris. Ben didn't really like Paris too much but walks went well just the same as Titan and Ben tour around at a good clip and Paris it seems likes to motor along as well. Titan is a bit of a puller and is interested in everything.

George, Jonah, Titan, Ben and Oscar along with Wally made up a play group today. They all play really well together. Their energy levels are about the same. They play hard then they crash hard. :) Oscar and Ben are always happy to hang out with one another.

Jake is a wonderful dog. He listens really well and walks awesome on a leash. For a big strong dog this is an added bonus. Jake loves to play ball too, and is incredibly focused about it too.

Tiber and Trixie are funny characters. They bark quite a bit when in their kennel but not a peep comes out of them when they are outside playing. They are grouped with Dolan and Flanders today. They are all fairly quiet dogs so the group dynamic flows well. Flanders once again on his morning walk found something to roll in. For an older dog its quite funny to watch the puppy come out of him from time to time.

Nik, Eddie, Molly, Fenway and Lexy make up the final group. Lexy and Dolan were paired up for a walk today but Lexy has way too much energy for Dolan. They walked well together but Lexy wanted so badly to tumble and play with Dolan and he just wanted to enjoy his walk. Fenway and Lexy play really well together as long as no people are in the yard. Molly looks a wee bit older than these guys but she can jump and play just as well as the next dog. Nik and Eddie are doing really well with this group. Nik is actually very easy going, Eddie on the other hand either likes a dog right away or just doesn't.