The dog books were right.
If you want a well-behaved, happy animal, they need a ton of exercise- especially when said animal is a crazy little puppy disguised as a large (and getting larger) dog. So far, we’ve found that when Cholula’s tired after an active day, she is indeed less likely to steal our shoes and doesn’t chew on the coffee table.
We headed back to the nearby pond and trail yesterday. The recent week of extra warm then wet weather worked some flora magic- the trail was just lined with flowers, every shape and color. I decided I need to find a book about the wildflowers of Utah. John forged on ahead while Cholula romped on the trail, up to him and back to me. I was slower because I kept stopping to capture the vibrant blooms on film.
We banked on the no-leash success of the last hike and unclipped the little one. Where did this responsive, well-trained dog come from? And can she come home with us?
We climbed a bit higher than the last time we explored this trail, and were rewarded. With each step, the types of flowers would change. There was wild sweet pea everywhere. The trail led us through tree-shaded tunnels or to sun-kissed rocky overlooks. I felt miles away from home, though I could actually SEE home on the far hillside.
As we headed down the trail toward the pond, the spot where I knew Cholula would be most excited, she stopped and turned her head upward to give me a look of pure puppy gratitude.
That’s what a dog smile looks like. Her face says “I love you, Mama” to me.
As predicted, the pond was the icing on the puppy cake.
We almost got her to swim after her ball at one point. Still too timid to dive in after it, she splashed around the shore , chased birds, wagged her tail a lot. When we got into the truck to head home, she seemed content.
She even stayed in the back seat (unlike here or here)! She was napping before the 6-minute drive home was over. The cure for puppy restlessness is sunshine, sweat pea, and a soggy ball.
It cured mine, too.
the usual bliss 
I love the picture of her when she is wet. So cute! Great shots of the flowers too. I would love to see some sweet pea here! Btw your last link doesn’t work š¦
Thanks for the heads up on the link- I’ll check it. The flowers are crazy right now! Love it!
One of our favorite sayings is: “A tired dog’s a good dog.” š
That looks like a wonderful ramble. Penny loves her off-leash running time, especially when we get to go to dog beach. She used to be SO afraid of the water, but now chase balls and bumpers with abandon — okay, maybe not QUITE abandon… š
It makes sense! The off-leash thing is new for us. Paranoia of new parenthood, maybe. But she seems to reward us for trusting her by sticking around. SO FAR…
lol. Backseat cleanup. Gotta love it.
Ya, the token towel on the backseat is really just for show… But it’s better than 55 lbs of wet dog in my lap up front!
Definitely. This one time my girl got into some mud and it took a while to clean it all out… Your pup seemed to have a great time off leash! š
Beautiful pics! ugh…pics like those and the next 6 months in Cali is gonna be rough:/ Oh btw…I’m sending you my Anatolian to accompany you guys on your next pond excursion. Feel free to send him back when he’s decided to settle down and stop chasing bunnies. Thanks:)
It’s usually a dog PARTY at the pond! Yours would be so welcome… though here, we have little creatures (prairie dogs, maybe?) that might take the place of those tempting bunnies…
ha…impressive grammar! yikes! “is” gonna be rough. Did someone say coffee?!!!!
Aw, she looks like she had a great time! What a fun hike! š
It’s so close to home, which makes it even better.