Nugget Returns and an Overnight Trial For Chip & Maggie

 Chip & Maggie have been making great strides in their comfort level while away from mom & dad. We've been easing them into longer visits in preparation for a 5 day stay with us in July.  With each visit they've been meeting a new visitor and this time it was the 7 yr olds,  River and Nugget. If you don't know or remember Nugget you can read about her here  Nugget 
Suzy Q, who they've met before also visited.  I knew Chip and Suzy were comfortable with each other and hoped Maggie would be less anxious with her this visit. I kept Maggie on a long lead to begin with. I wanted to eliminate the possibility of her bolting. The idea is for her to gain confidence and a sudden bolt could undo the progress she's made thus far.

Maggie is more relaxed  with Suzy this time and allows her greeting.

The reintroduction with both Suzy and with River was quite uneventful and I was hopeful meeting Nugget would go as smoothly.

Hello, Im Maggie.
Oh, hi, I'm River

Chip is a very social guy and I've only seen his happy, fun personality.  Meeting River went as I expected and I was looking forward to Nugget arriving. 

Chip and River say a polite hello

Chip was ready to begin a fun day, if River was willing. She was for sure. The four of them, Suzy, River, Chip and Maggie seemed quite comfortable with each other and could safely stay together.  

My plan was to go slow, with quiet, easy one on one introductions to Nugget with each. It's been quite some time since Nugget visited but I remembered her fun loving energetic personality and had her favourite balls ready for her.  Meeting Suzy was quite uneventful.

Hello Im Suzy. Have we met?

Meeting River was all about ball play. Yep, saw that one coming.

Nugget - "Hey, Wait up!"

We went indoors to meet Chip and Maggie. Chip clearly did not want the new girl anywhere near his sister and made no bones about saying so.  They still had lots of time to get familiar with each other so I let the visit unfold with no pressure either way. Nugget didn't seem to care and simply ignored Chip.

Chip - "Can you keep this new girl away from my sister please?"

Outdoors, Nugget, Suzy and River seemed to hit it off.  I wanted to prevent zoomies from kicking in before Nugget had a chance to get re accustomed to our yard, so I initially had Suzy and Maggie back on long leads. They each said polite hellos and Nugget found a ball again. She already had her day outlined. Easy peasy.

Maggie was unsure but accepted Nugget's presence.

Nugget will run and play ball for hours on end and that's exactly what happened.  She ran and played while Mags and her brother did zoomies in another area. River roamed the yard watching for birds, Suzy rested and watched all the goings on. They were all happy. Not necessarily socializing but content to just be.  I don't believe in putting dogs in a situation they're not ready for. Being together can look different for different dogs.  They can visit through fences and become accustomed to each other with out feeling the need to defend. The longer they had to check things out and feel content the easier the rest of the visit would go.

Chip - "You just stay with me, Maggie and I'll take care of you."

I spent a watchful 24 hours with the four munchkins. I feel quite confident Maggie and Chip will do just fine when July comes along. They'll be back again for more visits and meetings before then. I think Chip will be back to his more comfortable self when they meet Nugget again. She was nonthreatening and I'm certain he'll remember that. I wonder if having just one more newcomer this visit was more than he was ready for. He's a really good big brother and he means to keep his sister safe.  He'll learn that's part of my job and he can relax and just have fun.

In the meantime, River and Nugget seem to have a great report. Everyone played in and out and rested comfortably during the day.

By the time bedtime came around they were tired.

Heading to bed was an easy time for all. Chip and Maggie found the large crate, snuggled down together and were fast asleep in no time at all. Nugget chose the medium size crate. She gave a few minutes of soft whimpers, which tugged at my heart strings, but she soon followed suit into dreamland.
As usual River was asleep before anyone cozied under her pink blankie. I hope everyone dreamt of fun happy times. I'm looking forward to seeing them all again soon.
Chip and Maggie will go home in the morning and Bailey will arrive for a playday with Nugget! 
Stay tuned!

Good night sweethearts. I love you all

Surprise Toys Day

River and I had just one day alone last week. She helped me get ready for the next group of visitors. She kind'a helped herself to the tiny toys as I sorted them to make sure all were still safe to play with. She gave them her seal of approval by sneaking one off to snuggle with.

Ahhh yes! The tiny squeakie duckie my favourite!

River always seems to find the little duck or chicken leg first in all the tiny toys. Sneaking one is inevitable and I always allow her to when we're alone. She loves the tiny toys and is gentle with them when no one else is around.

River - "This is not a chicken leg or duckie. It's a tiny cow and I'm claiming it!"

When the toys and the living room are done we head done to the bedroom. Theirs always bedding, mats and covers to be washed.  It's boring for River, so she decides to head out the door to rest in the sun. She lays on the heated mat watching the trees for birds.

River - "Why you staring at me? Is your work done lady?"

Dare I say, the snow is melting fast. 
More birds will soon be here

I get the laundry started and sort out the bedding for this weeks little visitors. Karma, Chip, Maggie and Nugget would all be overnighters. They all need warm, clean,  private, and cozy spots. I have no idea if they'll be buddies or not.  So in came the accommodations.
River came in to see if I was doing my chores right and gave it her seal of approval by checking out her fresh bedding. We are set! Bring on the littles.

Are you paying your helpers in cookies?

Later that morning we had surprise objects suddenly appear in the yard. River was the first to spot them and made off with one quicker than I could see what it was. “Some sneaky person” had thrown a few brand-new toys into our yard. He left one little squeaky squirrel hanging on the gate post to watch me. Oh good grief I laughed. There was only one person who has done this before.  A neighbour friend of Bailey's dad gets new toys often and has way to many, so she passes some on to Bailey. Who in turn passes them along to us!  Thank you, Mr. Bailey’s dad. You are a hoot!
The dogs are going to love them!

River - "I think it must be my belated birthday present! They just dropped from the sky"

Mr. Sneaky left his squeaky squirrel friend calling card

River loves to bury her toys and she zipped back and forth throughout the morning trying to find just the right hiding place for these new treasures.

If you watch her as she's found a spot, she zooms away and finds another hiding spot. She will carry a toy all day until she finally feels she's found the perfect place that no one has seen. Then she returns to take the next new toy and repeat her task. What a funny little girl.

 

She never found the right place for the big yellow chip bag toy. It is just to large and the ground is still to frozen. Ah well. another time. Besides its not really one of her favourites. It's just new.

River was still sneaking toys away even when Karma and Suzy arrived. They're not really interested and let her sneak away with a toy in her mouth. The new toys wont get a proper initiation until another visitor who loves toys arrives. Then it'll be a FUN day of race and tug and play for sure.

River, Suzy and Karma enjoying the last of the snow oblivious to the new toys.

The thrill of the new toys wears off quickly and before long Karma notices the balls and his day begins. Balls seem to be his toy of choice.  I gather as many balls as I see around and up the sloped backyard we go.  It's perfect for playing ball. I keep a plastic bin in the shed filled with balls where I initially sit and throw them. For some dogs including these two, I sometimes have to retrieve them myself. Once all the balls are thrown, I head to the lattice solar frame and gather the ones I just threw.

River - "Hurry up Lady. Why you not throw another ball?"
Karma - "Maybe she checking for cookies?"

Throwing them up hill makes more sense of course, so they can roll back to me.  That's where I usually stand for the rest of playtime.

Running back and forth and up and down the hill is quite a work out for 11 year old Karma. In just a short time he's had enough and it's rest time. 
Karma, River and Suzy Q are part of my 100% recall buddies. When I call, "house-time," they are THERE! We head indoors and they easily find a comfortable spot to lay down. It's going to be a quiet day.

Karma and River take turns sleeping on the lounge. They often share it.

This time Karma gets the lounge and River finds a different place to rest.

Ahh rest time. My favourite

 Not everyone goes to sleep right away. It takes Suzy Q longer. She has a little toss 'n tumble play with a toy before she snoozes. That doesn't seem to bother River too much. She just likes the company.

The rest of the afternoon the toys are forgotten and it's mainly a relaxing day until bedtime. The toys will wait for another day. Another couple of visitors will have their fun with them.
I'll be sorting through all the 'big toys' soon and many won't be making the cut.
New toys are on the horizon!
I think Karma doesn't care as long as I keep my hands in my pocket. I wonder what he dreams of?
Toys, or . . .

Karma dreams - " I wonder if my mom will be home tomorrow?"

Saying Farewell is Never Easy

Already more than a week ago, 3 1/2 year old Sage and her mom stopped in to say a farewell. They are moving out of town and won't be visiting us for daycare. It took me a while to get through writing this post. It was an emotional time and I took a few moments in between photos to pause and remember Sage's visits.
We are very sad to see them leave but we know they'll have a wonderful life and meet a brand new pack of buddy's. It was a day when Bailey, River, and Ruby were all visiting. This is Sage's farewell photo with three of her very good buddies. Little did they understand it was probably the last photo of them here altogether before Sage heads off on a new adventure. 

Ruby - "Why you leabin' us Sagey? We gonna' miss you."
Bailey - "We're going to give her a prezzie right?"
River - "Can we share her good bye cookies?"

We first met Sage in the Summer of 2020. She was just 8 weeks old.  This tiny little chocolate border collie came to visit us with a friend who would soon become her very best buddy, Miss Hazel.
Even though Sage was so young, her mom wanted us to meet her and let me know, she would be applying for daycare when the time was right, and her little bundle of energy was old enough.
Oh my goodness I melted. This little bundle of fluff captured our hearts FULL ON!
My heart also said, "OMG not another puppy!" A purebred Border Collie, Oh man!

When her time for a M&G came along she was only 8 months old. A fluffy girl, full of confidence and mischief. She had her little nose into everything and although she was small, she demanded that the other dogs love her and do zoomies with her, right now! 
She wouldn't come for a full day of daycare for another few months, but when  she did she was raring to meet new friends.

Sage - "Come on mom! Let's get going!"
The daycare dogs are waiting to meet me!"

She often came with her friend Miss Hazel and the two of them became a bonded daycare pair very soon. Sage made many other friends over the short 3 years she was here. Those friends are definitely going to miss her fun games. We really hope one day she'll drop back in to play. Until that time, we know she's going to make a lot of new friends and she'll be seeing her old best buddy Miss Hazel. Yay Sage.

Sage - "Do you think they'll like me Hazel?"
Hazel - "Yes, Sagey, they'll love you"

Sage could often be seen doing some of the same things Hazel had done on her previous visits. Playing hide n seek under the lounge was a favourite. When I couldn't see where she was, I only had to move the lounge a bit to reveal her sweet face. 

Sage - "Leeb me alone. I tryin' to sleep here."

Sage made friends easily and there weren't many times I had to separate her. If she was separated it was because of her excitement and the other's reluctance to participate in her high energy games.  After all, she had learned many lessons from her wonderful daycare mentor, Miss Hazel.
They were often the first to arrive and started my day with a the biggest smile and a warm glow in my heart. What a way to begin my days.
Video - Good Morning Sage & Hazel

Another one of Sage's most favourite friends was the fun loving Lupin. They were friends out of daycare as well and when they visited for play days, the other dogs had to clear an area for them. Like Hazel, Lupin has also moved away. We miss them so much!

Video - Tug Team Sage & Lupin

Each time Sage arrived at daycare she made sure to say a polite hello to Our Royal Lady May before any others. There was never a time when Sage missed an opportunity to show respect and to give out a daily dose of ear washes to everyone. Lady May always asked her to stop but really didn't seem to mean it. Even though Sage was a high energy, active girl, she knew how to show proper respect to her seniors and never crossed that line. I would often keep her on lead, when others may not approve of Sage's kisses and face washes. She seemed to understand, being on lead meant there might be a safety issue and she curbed her advances. Our late Marchioness lil Molly could be a bit tough with new youngsters, but Sage won her heart over in no time at all. 

Sage - "Look! I bring you a toy!"
lil Molly - "Yes, ok but dont kiss me."

lil Molly - "Okay maybe just a little kiss."

Sage loved so many different styles of play. When she had others to play with, she was a very happy girl.  She certainly had favourite toys, but really, she seemed to love all at her disposal. She would go  straight for the bins and picked out her favourite for that hour. She'd return often and chose another, leaving the scattered remains around the house and yard. Such a monkey.
It used to be a task for me to decide what Christmas present to give, because she loved so many. Balls, squeakers, stuffies, chew toys, tug toys. They all had Sage's mark on them.
Her favourites finally became balls. She would carry one in her mouth and play with a second. She'd wait for me to throw one and zoom after it while carrying her chosen one. When she caught up with it, she pawed at it and looked to me to come get it and throw it again for her. Such a funny girl.  When I played ball with the others, she only ever ran close by them and never picked up the one being thrown or played with. She just wanted to RUN! (with a ball in her mouth) Such a sweet girl.
She loved to share her toys and would often invite another buddy to play.

She had her work cut out for her with Khione. Khione didn't care much for the toys and would often rather get some respite from her puppy brother.  That didn't stop Sage from offering even though it seldom worked.

Sage - "I'll hold on to the toy for later then. After you had a rest can we zoom?"
Khione - "Maybe."

The pool was a favourite summer fun time. She ruled the pool and dared anyone to try to get a toy. She was always two paws in waiting for it to be filled and the toys to be added. Oskar never really cared for the pool but brother Bentley waited right along side of Sage.

Sage - "When the toys come in I get first pick ok?
Bentley - " Ummm mayyy be..."
Oskar - "Not the balls though. I get the balls!"

Step brother Loki and Lupin would just bide their time. They knew Sage would soon get tired of waiting and need to zoom. The pool was a great past time but it still didn't beat a good game of chase.

When senior Cash came to visit, she always respected him and simply followed him around on his daily walk about. This time with buddy Kona.

The recent best buddies for rough and tumble tug or chase or zoomies were Bailey and River. When they were together there was no stopping the fun!

Ruby joined that fun trio once her and Sage had decided they were 'okay' together. It took a bit of slow easy separated days but by the time Sage was moving Ruby had become one of her best buddies, and a worthy tug opponent. Isn't it always the way!

Size never mattered to Sage. She may be small in stature but she made up for it in agility and determination. Henry was truly one of her worthy tug opponents. She rarely lost the tug game with him. He would drop to the ground and eventually lose his grip and Sage would be the winner once again.

Sage- "You may as well give up Henry. Im no quitter."
Henry - "Just let me readjust my grip okay?"

There wasn't always a young, energetic buddy to play with visiting. Sometimes it was a seniors day or week. That didn't bother Sage. She fit in to what ever the days dynamic was.  A ruff, tuff game of tug, or a quiet lazy lay in sun/shade day. Sage was such a loving easy dog to provide for.

Sage - "Come on Bailey. give me all ya got!"
Bailey - "Okie doke. You asked for it!"

Sage spends a quiet day with seniors,
Miss Sadie. Sir Cash, Lady May.

Even when she was a little hesitant to meet newcomer, Coco, Sage kept an open mind and tried her best to make him her buddy. 

Sage - "errrmm, I fink maybe I'll keep my distance from you."
Coco - "No, really, I'm a friendly guy. You'll eventually love me."

Unfortunately Sir Coco moved away before a true friendship could blossom. I know it would have.

Sage - "Okay, Loki, you distract him and I'll grab the ball."
Loki - "Hello Sir Coco, I love your fluffy ears."
Coco - "You can't distract me from my ball so don't even try."

Our extended pack and household will truly miss our Miss Sagey poo and her mom. Sage and her mom became a part of our family that gave our hearts a warm feeling when we visited.  I will miss our drop/off pick/up chats and all the laughs and giggles we had discussing Sage's daily antics. Oh my goodness how we laughed. She was such a delightful visitor.
I'm certain they will have fantastic adventures and can't wait for a few updates as they travel along on their journey.

A snowy farewell day. Sage is oblivious this is her last day with us.

Be a good girl for mommy sweetheart. She's going to need your support on the long journey.

Saying have a wonderful journey to Sage who's probably thinking - "Why you so sad. Let's PLAY!"

Sage was one of the many who LOVED dress up days and we're going to miss her sweet face on those special days. Here's one more glimpse of her darling face in a preview of our upcoming March dressup day. 

We will miss you and think of you often Sage. We hope you write often.

Farewell Sage and mommy