Let's Play!!

One of the biggest changes that's occurred in our home is rediscovering the joy of play.  While the initial fear and uncertainty of a new dog has settled, and the girls have come to realize he's not the devil in a dog suit, we are starting to see something beautiful.  Play!  Watching dogs at play brings a smile to my face each time.  They play with complete abandon and carelessness.  The essence of glee!  But each dog has her or his own style of play.

We'll start with Arwen of course (who else?).  We've discovered that Arwen has the worst play skills of any dog ever.  Really - ever!  Her version of play involves complete and total subjugation of the playmate (Fenway).  If the playmate tries to get up or, you know, "play", this results in loud "woos" and stiff body posturing over said playmate who's only option is to roll onto his back in total submission.  Game over.  If this playmate decides to run, butt-biting is perfectly acceptable, then the standing over routine, complete subjugation again and this is sometimes followed by laying on top of the playmate to assure he can't get up.  It's a bit like watching a cat and mouse "playing".  Or like watching Vlad the Impaler in furry form.  Needless to say, there's a great deal of human intervention involved and even more time-outs.  She could never quite do this with Nyxie because of Nyxie's size.  Nyxie prefers toy play rather than being bit on the butt.  I can't imagine why...

So for years, poor Nyxie has longed for a true playmate.  One that will grab hold of a toy and tug!  One that will chase her silly self as she bounds from couch to ottoman and back to couch in a single graceful motion without biting her butt.  After her initial uncertainty and fear of our new little pup, she now seeks him out to play, toy in her mouth.  She'll bark at Fenway and bow, showing beautiful play-skills.  Sometimes she can get out of hand and starts "mouthing" the top of his neck,  but a quick correction from us sends her sensitive soul to settle down.

Finally, there's little Fenway.  Coming into our home as a new pack member is not for the canine faint of heart.  Neither one of them was terribly welcoming, but through some sweet talking and posturing, he's winning them over.  He learned quickly to lay on his back or find a human to cuddle against when things would get too rough.  And best of all, he plays like a pro.  He'll eagerly follow when teased to chase, but can end a play session with a look.  He easily entertains himself with a chew bone, but can hang on to the other end of a Wubba like a champ!

Sometimes all you need is a little fun, however overdue it might be...

 

Part V - Growing Up

Nyxie's awkward puppyhood seemed to be zooming past me at break-neck speed.  There were days that I'd look at her adoringly in the morning, then by evening, she'd look older.  I loved seeing her develop, but I also realized how much I was starting to miss that fat-bellied little pup who first came home with us.  She was becoming more agile, more able, even graceful.

Nyxie Noodle (One of our silly names for her - an offshoot of Noodle Cart Nyxie - don't ask, we're not really sure.) never had that super lanky, noodly GSD look, though.  And her ears stood pretty quickly on their own.  As she grew, she looked like a tiny version of what I see today.  A mini German Shepherd with fairly even proportions.  This was something we were surprised by after watching so many other GSD puppies go through the long legged, ears falling into themselves and every which way stage.  Unmistakable adolescence - you can see it a mile away.  We've been told this was due to her diet.  The raw diet being more appropriate for a dog, so therefore the stages of growth were more even.  Maybe this is a myth, but we saw it in action.  Her head, especially those enormous ears, and her paws were the things that stood out and gave us a hint as to her future stature.

In an effort to socialize this growing girl, and blow off puppy energy with zoomies, my friend Jamie and I had weekly play-dates with our pups at one of the Portland dog parks.  She would bring her delicate (but speedy) little Italian Greyhound, Vinnie.  And I would bring my clumsy little pup, eager for playtime in the grass rather than on pavement.  They were about the same size, and when Nyxie's excitement would get too much for Vinnie, he would let baby Nyx know in no uncertain terms.  Puppy Lesson # 3681 learned.  "THAT was too much bitey-mouth..."

Another good friend, Heather would occasionally bring along her Springer Spaniel, Napoleon, to these play-dates.  Poor Vinnie now had 2 wacky pups to contend with rather than the one.  Mostly, though, the 2 pups would entertain each other in a jumbled ball of puppy energy.  Colliding over and over, toppling clumsily into legs and fur, with tails, teeth and ears flying.  Dog park days were magical - there's nothing more joyful than watching puppies play.

The water bowl was in constant need of refilling.  Nyxie discovered the art of digging and loved the feel of the brown earth on her paws and nose.  We practiced recalls, sits, stays and walking heels off lead.  My little Nyxie blossomed!

Nyxie loved to tear around the wide open spaces and play chase with the other puppies.  If an adult dog chased her, she'd run until they overtook her, then she'd throw herself on her back and scream.  A long recall and a treat would usually snap her out of it.  Back she'd fly, her little puppy legs betraying her and sending her sprawling.  She'd bounce back up, shake it off and bound over to me.   She played well with Vinnie and Napoleon.  As always, she was loyal to her pack.   

On one such dog park trip, Nyxie went to hop back into Jamie's van and into her crate.  Her paw got stuck in the slats at the bottom of the crate door.  

She screamed.  I screamed.

She panicked.  I panicked.

Jamie calmly reached in, pulled her paw back and released her.  I cried like a weenie.  That's when I knew how deeply I was in love.  Like a mother whose child gets hurt for the 1st time, I felt her pain, her fear.  I'd have to learn to toughen up.  Nyxie shrugged it off, lay in her crate and sunk those puppy teeth into a big rubber ladybug that protested loudly with each chomp.

"I'm ok, mom, I've got this ladybug!"

We hadn't left the parking lot before she was fast asleep.