My Life with Dogs

This was my last trip to West Virginia….it is actually kind of sad in a way.    I really grew to love that state and the people in it.   Even though I was there for work, I lived in an apartment there 2-3 weeks out of every month in 2008, so I really got to know the area.

Mia on her new bed in WV

Because I was closing up the apartment, I only took Mia with me this time and I boarded the boys at the Yorkville Animal Hospital.   Mia is such a little sweetheart!   And a great traveller – except when she wanted to sit on my lap, which was the whole trip!   I tried to seatbelt her in for a while, but it was more fun to have her on my lap!

Her leg really seems to be doing well – when she walks around, she uses her leg fine.  When she runs sometimes, she still lifts it.  It is amazing how well it is healing!

Boy, this was the first time in a long time I had only one dog to take care of….I realize what a lot of work having all three really is!    But, though it is a challenge with the boys, I love them all dearly!

Sitting with Mia in the evenings, and just having her follow me around and look at me with that cute little face…I don’t know how anyone cannot love dogs!

Well, it took me much longer than I thought to pack up all my stuff from WV…boy, I sure had a lot of crap there!   But, I finally left late a.m. and got back home around 8:00 p.m.

I love to drive! I mean, I really love to drive! Miles and miles of highways, cruise control – I love it! Thankfully, the dogs love it too!  All the dogs travel well – I usually put Mia in the passenger’s seat,and the boys are in the back of the Subaru – I have a dog guard, so that is their spot!    Of course, we make the appropriate number of rest stops depending upon the length of the journey.

The boys fighting over Mia's dish in WV

As I mentioned before, last year, my job had me travel to West Virginia at least 2-3 weeks out of each month, so driving the 10-12 hour trip became our recurring road trip for 2008.    I returned yesterday after spending a week plus out east.   I returned actually a day early, to avoid a major storm that was forecast to hit the east coast.   So, we went through the traditional routine of me packing everything up, the dogs getting upset because they know I am leaving.    Don’t I always bring them with?   Yes, but they never seem to remember that!   Finally, I put them all in the car and then I do my last minute run-through the apartment to turn off the heat and lights, make sure I took out the garbage, and make sure I didn’t forget anything.

Once on the road, for the most part, the time is mine.   Driving Route 80 through Ohio and Indiana is just a great trip – put the car in cruise and drive!  This time, I had a minivan, so the boys were in the back, and I had Mia in a small cat crate, so she wouldn’t move aroung because of her hip.    We stopped at a rest stop, and I walked the boys.    I love the rest stops along route 80 – the truckers always talk to me when I have the dogs with me.   No matter how burly or surly the truckers look, I always get a smile when they see the dogs.  This time, I got two comments – one from a trucker who started telling me about his jack russell.  He actually had the dog with him and brought him out for a walk too.  Another trucker sporting a mullet asked me if the boys were Aussies.   I replied that they were, and he then proceeded to tell me about his Cardigan Welsh Corgis he had at home.

I really think that dogs bring out the best in people….and, remember never to  judge a book by its cover!

Shelby with the dirty ball

It is amazing how dogs can recognize words…like “Dog Park.” When I ask the dogs if they want to go to the dog park, Shelby and Bandit will jump into the car, no questions asked! Shelby particularly, knows exactly when we are getting near Lincoln Dog Park in Aurora, our home park.

Today, we were going to the new dog park at Krepps Park in Morgantown, WV.   It is a beautiful park – wooded with rocks.   Not like Illinois terrain!   The boys ,  as usual, upon hearing the words “Do you want to go to the Dog Park?” were in the rental van instantly.   As I neared the park, I noticed the cars parked on both sides of the road near the colliseum…oh yeah, WVU Men’s Basketball game!   Cars had filled the parking lot of Krepps Park, but I was able to find a spot on the street directly across from the fenced in dog area.

The boys were so excited to get out of the van and into the park!  I let them in, and unfortunately, a woman with her dogs were just leaving, so no one was there to play with.  Bandit started running, and Shelby looked at me, waiting for the frisbee.  I did not bring it with, because I wanted him to run and play – and besides, I kept hitting the trees with the frisbee last time we were here!   But, with no other dogs at the park, a bored Shelby finally brought me a stick to throw.   We had a few exchanges before Shelby found the deflated basketball.   What a treat!   Shelby grabbed this wonderful thing and ran around, shaking it and bringing the dirty thing to me to throw!   My jeans and boots were covered in mud, but Shelby was focused on the ball and wanted nothing to do with other sticks or Bandit or anything else.

Bandit, on the other hand, had a look of total joy in his eyes as he ran around the park, nearly bowling me over as he usually does as he runs towards me.   Bandit has so much more energy than he used to have.   Now that he is relatively stable with his epilepsy meds, he has started to run more, and even tries to herd other dogs who come to the dog park.   When Brian with his dog Custer arrived, Bandit went into herding action, barking and trying to get Custer to run.   Custer would have nothing to do with it, and Bandit ended up running into him!

We were there about 45 minutes, and my gloves and jeans were already filthy from Shelby’s dirty ball.   I wanted to make sure that we got out of there before the basketball game ended – that would be a traffic nightmare!   But, the boys were not tired yet, so I decided to take them for a run offleash on the trails of Krepps Park outside the dog fence.   Shelby was in his element!   He loves to run, and he also gets the joy in his eyes as he runs ahead, but when I call him back, he is ears down, full speed ahead!   Bandit was much slower, running ahead a little, then waiting for me to catch up.   Shelby runs ahead, and started exploring off trail.   When I whistle, he returns, and when he is far ahead and I yell “Shelby, come!”  he runs, no holds barred, as fast as he can – really a beautiful sight.

They enjoy the run so much!   When running, I feel they are truly at one with their primevil selves.   They run, they are free, they run for the sake of running!   I love that look of joy in their eyes!

Bandit relaxing in the bathroom in Morgantown, WV

The dogs and I made the trek out to Morgantown, WV. I have been traveling here for work basically all of 2008. I told my company that I was willing to travel….but I had to take my dogs! So, they rented me an apartment! It has really been a great experience, and having the dogs with me has made it even better!

This trip took a little longer than most…I got caught in a snowstorm in Indiana, and another one in PA, so 12 hours later we were there.

I had to keep Mia in a little crate which I strapped in the passenger’s seat so she wouldn’t move around after her operation….I haven’t told you about Mia’s operation yet…o.k. that will be tomorrow.

There is about 8 inches of light fluffy snow on the ground…the boys just love it! This a.m. there were deer tracks all around – right next to the apartment…of course, Bandit found some deer droppings…

I have been taking each dog out by themselves, as they each have different needs…I can only let Mia take a few steps so she is quick, Bandit has to walk and sniff and still won’t go until he finds just the right spot, and Shelby is quick to do his business…but he needs more of a walk to work off his energy.  

So, after coming home from work and taking care of Mia and Bandit, I took Shelby for an extended walk around the apartment complex.   We ran into Boyce and Guiness, so while Boyce and I discussed how much we loved the snow, Shelby and Guiness ran around, played, chased, and made their own little dog park!   Then, later, I took Shelby for round 2 at about 9:00.   As we made our way around the the complex and turned to walk on the gravel road next to the complex, Shelby stopped and pricked up his ears.   He could see or sense something ahead, so when I stopped and looked carefully, I saw what he saw…three deer had come up from the wooded valley.   They come for the birdseed and whatever else the apartment dwellers leave for them.   We stopped and watched them for a few seconds, before they silently headed back down the hill, only, I am sure, to come back up once we had passed.   Shelby did not make a sound, and once the deer had gone, he happily continued his walk.    Between the silence and the snow and now the deer, it sure made for a beautiful evening.