Rusty's Journal Latest (6) Doggy Day Care

It started like any normal morning - both humans were at home and dressed in the sort of clothes they wear when we are going walking. I should have known when I saw the car was out of the garage. Either the vets or the seaside, I know which I prefer!!!

The river, we usually walk? and a lively play with my pals Teddy, Odie and Max. Some swimming, well for me anyway, Max just stands in the water and barks and Odie being a Ridgeback is not really the swimming type. Teddy waits until we are all running and then bounces up and down leaping over us and grabbing ears and fur as he goes. Some of the other humans who walk on the river have taken to avoiding us as we bowl along knocking other dogs for six like skittles. I must confess we have taken out the odd human in the past but thankfully we have not been hurt in the collisions!!!

So walk over I am back in the car and then !!!!!!! at Doggy Day care. I have been before as you will know and I don’t recall being told about it in advance then either. Still I think it does my humans good to manage without me for a little while, I am not sure how they will cope. A couple of weeks ago I spent a day at my Pal TJ’s so I can only think she must be busy and can’t fit me in on this occasion.

I should have noticed my food being handed to the man who owns the day care centre and the most suspicious thing of all was that my fluffy gorilla “Gus” was with me as well, but I was so concerned about my humans and how they would manage that my finely honed survival skills were a bit lacking.

They have gone, without so much as a backward glance. There are lots of other “abandoned” dogs here as well, what can their humans be thinking. I don’t want to sound ungrateful as it is a very nice place but I did not expect to have a sleep over. Well two to be precise, how are my humans managing, who is guarding them, who is walking with them and more to the point when WILL they be back.

The lady owner (she shares the doggy day care with the man) is very nice to me and puts me on a special lead to take me for a walk. She didn’t reckon with my special survival skills, which have kicked back in, and my ability to wriggle my head and reverse rapidly at the same time. I have perfected it at home any time the hosepipe has been unravelled, not that my humans have actually washed me with it they use a sponge and hot water of course. Anyway I digress. So wriggling and reversing and oh would you believe it I am FREE. Now where to go……….. down the drive turn right turn left I can’t quite remember how we got here in the car, what should a dog do.

The lady owner is running to her house, which does look very inviting, and what is that she has in her hand…………..a CHOCOLATE biscuit. I am mean I am keen I am hungry. I like the house it is to my taste and the biscuit well it was made for sharing. The lady owner likes me I know she does, she keeps telling me I am a very special dog and so I resolve to keep close to her and for the next couple of days she walks me round the fields and shows me the play pen and lets me sit with her in the office. None of the other dogs get to do this so I must be special.

I still have to sleep in the day care unit with the other “abandoned” dogs, even though I would have preferred the house, but I can understand why the lady can’t be seen to have favourites and I wouldn’t like to usurp any of the other dogs, they may be here for longer than me. I feel sure my humans will be missing me and be back VERY soon.

You sometimes get what you wish for and after two sleeps here they are. My food and Gus are back in the car and yes please let me in, we are off to the River………….oh no that’s how it all started.