Puddle mania!

... the ones the rain leaves!!!!! NOT the other kind!

I have a dog.

When he was a smaller puppy he loved water puddles and would "snorkel" them and rear up and splash down with both his front paws together to see (I am imagining...) how big a splash he could make.
During that time of his life he frequently resembled a ball of mud. A big furry ball of mud, to be sure, but a muddy one none the less.

Now he's a BIG puppy (1yr 1mo+). He seems to have developed a degree of decorum. Not a big degree to be sure, but some. He now walks AROUND puddles, disdaining to get his beautiful coat dirty.

Decorum wise... that's pretty much it. He still sleeps belly up and all and sundry exposed to view. Evidently decorum and modesty are different.

I recently took him on a 2 mile walk and he behaved with decorum and manners. The perfect picture of a well behaved dog. When I stopped mid hike for a rest he sat right by my knee and enjoyed the breeze and view with me. We were VERY dignified looking. All I lacked was a pipe to smoke, if I smoked, which I don't. Danny was perfect. A veritable TV commercial for the quintessential Golden Retriever. Head up, breeze lightly ruffling his fur. Magnificent. I could have held the pipe in my mouth and pretended to smoke!

When we got back to our house and I took him into the back yard and released his leash he promptly ran like a mad thing around and around the back yard doing high speed laps, just to let me know (I think) that HE at least still had plenty of energy. I did note that he very quickly came up on the back porch and sat down next to me and panted. That might have just all been for show.

It worked.... he showed me. Next time I will run him around BEFORE I take him on a long hike and see how much he wants to show off after that! We'll see whose butt comes dragging home then! (other than mine)

I'll have to go find a pipe and some bubble soap so that next time I can look cool too.

Regards,
WebMouse