Dog Days of Summer

It was a cool summer day here in north Texas. And by cool, I mean the TEXAN definition of cool for summer: which falls in the unheard-of low-80's.

That being said, I declared it a "park day", packed the kids and the pup in the car, and hit the road. We located a cool little dog/people park less than 10 miles away, parked, and made our way to the enclosed area for dogs so I could tire the energetic pup out first.

Ranger

 Ranger-the-pup was a big talker the whole way to the enclosed dog park: barking in his lowest, toughest register and straining against the leash as if to say to the other dogs watching our approach "if only this girl weren't holding me back...! You'd be TOAST...!"

I undid his leash and set him free once inside as the kids and I made our way to a shaded picnic table to set up camp. Ranger relished the unleashed freedom and immediately took a few joyous victory laps at full-speed around the perimeter, ears flapping and tongue dangling out of his open mouth.

And then THEY came.

His excitement-filled laps around the dog park turned to petrified, run-for-your-life terror as he suddenly realized he was being pursued by the dogs he had, only moments before, been intent on dominating. And, being a dog park novice, how was he to know that they only wanted to play? Perhaps do some no-strings-attached sniffing? In his puppy eyes, certain death by ALL THE DOGS BEHIND HIM was nigh. The time to have his barking bluff called, to (as they say) "nut up or shut up" was at hand, and Ranger--- well, I have never seen that dog reach those speeds before.

It was in that moment that he almost completely took out me and the kids in utter terror.

So although he was never in danger, and the herd of dogs (who DID eventually catch up) only wanted to say hi and play with the new guy, from that moment on he did not trust the situation OR the group of stalker-dogs, and stayed within a 30 foot radius of our group for the rest of our time there. And he spent most of it under the table, eyeing the other dogs warily.

It was an auspicious introduction to the world of dog parks for him, definitely.

Afterward, we traipsed across a grassy area to a playground to let the human children frolic. It amazed me to see how much BETTER they all are at playground-ish things than last time I took them. Given, last time was last spring, when the twins were around 18 months old and needed constant individual adult monitoring as they navigated the play equipment.

So they wouldn't, you know, step off a 2-story ledge.

This time, all three kids let it be known to me that THIS TOWER and it's slide were Buddy's, this OTHER TOWER and slide were Brother and Sister's, and Devyn.... well Devyn, she can just sit at the bench with Ranger if she wants... And they'd tell me if they needed me.

Just as I was thinking how sad it was not to be necessary to their playground adventures anymore, all three kids called down to me to come up to the towers with them, see the view, try the slides, and play "explorers on a pirate ship" with them.

So although I may not be necessary for their playground safety purposes as much as before, I'm still wanted for the games and fun part.

I can live with that.

And the icing on the cake after the fun, park day? All three kids AND the pup napped without a fight when they got home. Amen to THAT.