Good Dogs, Good Kids

Louie was nice enough to take us to Silver Lake, so there we went again. We bumped into a couple of our old friends - Henry and Chewie, a Chihuhua and a Shepherd mix - just outside the dog run (which was peculiarly empty). Their respective owners were sad to hear of Marge's run-in with an aggressive dog there in the beginning of the year. I hung around with them for a few minutes. Marge probably remembered them, as she promptly started up a chase game with Henry, just like she always has. Other dogs started to come around, though, and although I was assured they were harmless, I didn't want to push it. Aside from agility, where I know everyone, she hasn't been in such a social situation in a long time, and handled it very well, without showing me any real signs that she was uncomfortable.

That's the sad part about not going there anymore -- because there ARE good people there who liked Marge and understood her needs, and they owned dogs who were quite compatible with her. But, as I explained, Marge has shown that she doesn't have the same "bounce back" factor as some other dogs do, and I simply cannot risk her fear issues in a place with so many unknown variables. I assured them I'd see them around the park, just not in the actual run, and I hope it is true. Marge REALLY enjoys running around on her 20' leash in the open grass, so I will hopefully get back to going there.

The rest of the time, we mozied along through the park, stopping at some points to sit and relax. Two young boys yelled out to us, asking what kind of dog Marge was and such. I invited them up to say hello to her, and they gave her some of the treats I provided. Marge, being a quintessential foodhound, kept trying to jump up on them to retrieve the treats. But, overall, it was great experience for her. It is very rare to find children who wait for clearance before approaching a dog, so I, of course, welcomed the encounter. What a breath of fresh air.

A successful day, over all. Good dogs, good kids for Marge to play with!