CANADA AIREDALE WEEKEND
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Maureen Scott writes:
On Friday, 26 May, our good friend, Sandy Gotthardt, arrived to spend the Memorial Day weekend up here in Canada with us. Naturally, she fetched along some of her Airedales since no trip to visit us would be complete without at least half a dozen dogs in attendance. Thus, for three days, the Circus expanded to include our Angie's daughter, Rosybud, and her nephew, Harrison. Adding to the fun was eight-month-old Madison Marie. Are you counting? We're up to six Airedales (and a wannabe) at this point.
When Sandy arrives, the Airedales rush out into the yard to greet each other. They runrunrun and chasechasechase. They rub noses and sniff at each other and bark ferociously at the dog in the adjacent yard who nearly faints when he discovers the Airedale population has doubled.
Finally, everyone staggers inside and collapses for the night. For the next eight hours, only gentle snores, little whimpers and the occasional moan is heard from the Airedale clan until Madison Marie decides it is time to go out. Now. Right now. Sandy escorts her to the door; Rosybud & Harrison escort her to the yard.
They all discover Kato, the Bouvier next door. RARRARRARRARRAR! yells everyone. Kato booms back. Kato's owner is heard frantically trying to hush her dog. Sandy is heard scolding Airedales. The Circus comes alive all at once with a booming blast from Pix and some AAAARRRROOOOOs from Angie and LL. The time is 6:00 a.m. . . . .
Sandy & Jim, LL & Harrison
So the day starts. Dogs are fed. People are fed. Dogs play. People go shopping, coming home with, naturally doggy stuff! New leashes, collars, special Canadian-made doggy treats . . . . Then everyone is bundled off for a walk to the marshes. We arrive, unload, leash up and head out but not without a number of tangled leashes, recalcitrant dogs who wish to travel north while the remainder of us are going south and statements like, "Just try that again, you little weasel, and see what happens!"
Ms Pix
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Madison Marie |
We eventually get everyone sorted out and off we go. Angie & Pix are let off leash when we reach the diked areas. Littlest Lunatic is zinging along on her Flexi. Sandy has Harrison and I have Madison Marie & Rosybud.
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The Troop Marches Out
All goes well until we encounter several dogs with their owners. Harrison takes exception. The dogs are large, black and wolf-like in appearance. Sandy and I wait while the alpha male goes on ahead with LL, Pix & Angie who all play nicely with the wolves.
Then the wolves head for us. Harrison paws the ground and barks piercingly. Ms Pix takes in the scene and calmly herds the wolves back to their master. Harrison, on the surface, is embarrassed to be saved by a mere female but secretly, we think, is grateful to Pix. We note that he is much friendlier to her when the walk resumes.
Time for a treat
Another one?
Harrison & his Aunt Angie
We continue with pauses here and there to haul a dog out of the weed beds, encourage someone else to stop playing with the coyote poop and to offer treats to keep various little mouths busy.
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