We have been having some strange-o weather. The last few days have been over warm and today we are expecting thunder storms, which are welcome, but lord-have-mercy, the mud. There has been extreme snow melt and there isn't a square inch in the yard that hasn't got some consistency of mud. We live on a corner lot and our dogs have a little over an acre to run as they please. Samten, who LIVES for the bunny/squirrel chase, spends all day outside sniffing out every little critter that every left a scent beneath the snow, coming back in wet and muddy up to his doggy arm pits. At least he's having fun.
Yesterday AH went outside with a laundry basket and picked up the 75 or so tennis balls that Sam or Cooper took outside and didn't bring back in. Along with the critter compulsion, Samten is also all about the ball. AH stands on the back deck with a tennis racket and smacks the balls as far out into the field as he is able and off Sam goes (we call him rocket dog), quickly returning with the ball. Cooper is not so much into the chase, but rather likes to carry them around in his mouth, usually 2 or 3 at a time, and then drops them and they are lost until Spring. Tennis balls: the simple, but versatile dog toy.
So, AH brings in all these balls and runs them through a wash cycle to get them mildew and mud free, dries them, and then brings them back up to refill the ball basket. Samten is beside himself with joy. He stands over the now full basket and sniffs them all, little tail wagging like crazy. He picks out the ones he likes and drops them on the floor all over the room and finally collapses in doggie joy with the favored ball.
Even the month of MUD cannot diminish the dog love. I cannot imagine life without them.
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