Enjoying the great outdoors

This Saturday and Sunday, the weather was absolutely beautiful. So what better way to enjoy it that clean up the yard and then chill on my new deck that was built last October, and thus has yet to really be enjoyed. The deck is a perfect place for the puppies. If we put a gate up at the stairs they can't run away, and there's lots of room to run and play and learn to fetch!

Woody has totally turned from a country puppy into a city dog and doesn't really enjoy being outside unless he's barking at our dog neighbors. Still, if everyone else is outside, he wants to be too!

"I really hope you aren't expecting me to bring that back to you."

Izzy and Emma, however, have fully embraced the outdoors, which is great news since we have so much cleanup to do at the lake this spring and summer.

"See, I can help with the yard work, Mom!"

We worked on some training while we were enjoying the sun. The girls seem to be picking up "no bite", since they haven't been gnawing on any of us too much. "Off" is going pretty well too, although the idea of a walk still inspires some very frenzied jumping. Fetching, however, seems to be a skill that will require a bit of work. They like to chase everything, but sometimes forget to bring it back, depending on the toy and the distance. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that if the item is easy to pick up, they will bring it back every time, and expect you to throw it again and again...and again.

"Emma, it's my turn now!!!"

Emma is kind of turning out to be a toy hog. She would be an amazing soccer player, based on her skill of avoiding poor Izzy. She kind of reminds me of Marley, the "labrador evader"! We're going to work extra hard on this, so it will be safe to let them free at camp this summer to play in the lake.

"I am victorious!"

Izzy, on the other hand, is a total lap hog. And it doesn't matter who it is. Here she is with Grandma. I'm pretty sure that she was looking at Emma with her chew toy at this particular moment.

"I point my tongue at you, toy hog...look who's on Grandma's lap now!!!"

Overall, it was a pretty great weekend for this early in spring. The only ones who didn't enjoy it were my poor Henry and Ruthie. Unfortunately, they aren't allowed outside, although a few escapes were made last summer down at camp. With the help of a new screen door installation, that will not be happening this summer.

Poor Little Henry.

I hope everyone has enjoyed this beautiful weather. It's made all of us on Seward Ave even more anxious for summer...