While my mom, Wendi, is busy getting ready for Christmas, I decided to hijack her blog once again. This time I want to talk about one of my favorite things. No, it’s not rain drops on roses or whiskers on kittens…although I do like chasing kittens…but that isn’t the same thing. It is Doggie Day Care. I’m lucky enough to get to go every Wednesday to day care at Cleveland Road Animal Hospital and Pet Hotel in Wooster, Ohio. Mom and Dad (Bobby) say that I need to go ’cause when I don’t, I get to crazy around the house. I don’t care why, I just love to go!
When I get to go to Doggie Day Care, I get so excited. My tail wags so hard that it makes my butt get all wiggly, too! I can hardly stand still long enough for my mom to put on my leash. Once she has finally managed to get it on, I run out to the car pulling her as fast as I can.
When I get there, the first thing I have to do before we even go inside is to check out who has been there since I was last there. That means I take Mom from one bush to another and one beam to another. I have to sniff each one and sometimes leave my own message for other friends. This way they know I’m there waiting for them.
Mom takes me inside and then one of the staff takes me into the day care room. I admit the first time I went, I was a little unsure of what to expect. But now I’m an old pro. I let them take me and I don’t even say good-bye to mom. I mean, I’ve got things to do!
Here is my typical schedule for day care (the times might not be exactly right, cause I’m a dog and I don’t really pay attention to the clock like humans do):
- 8:00-9:00 a.m. — This is the hardest part of the day. This is the time I have to wait for my friends to come. Sometimes I’m the first one there and other times they are there before me. But basically we have to wait in our individual rooms until everyone is there before the day begins. Most Wednesdays, the usual crew come. There is this beautiful french bulldog, Bisou. Diesel is a yorkie and Sam is a yorkie-poo. Toby is an English bulldog and finally we are joined by Molly a yellow lab puppy. (I haven’t seen Molly in awhile. It could be that she has gotten bigger than allowed at the little dog Wednesday.)
- 9:00-12:00 — This when the fun begins! The staff come and bring us out of our rooms one by one. Usually the most calm one gets out first. That typically isn’t me. But the good news is that I’m not typically the last one out either! I guess I fall in the middle somewhere (between calm and crazy).
Once we are out, we have free reign. We can stay inside or we can go outside to play (weather permitting of course). I like to run outside. I’m not saying I’m the alpha or anything, but most of my friends will follow me out. We run to the end of the fenced in yard to check out the poor dogs that are staying at the hotel, but not coming to day care.
In the yard there is a play slide. I think I heard my mom say that it is like the Playskool toys that two-legged kids use, too. All I know is that we like to play “I’m king of the world” on it. That is where one of us gets to the very top and keeps the others off. It’s loads of fun.
Another game we play is one that usually can only happen in the fall. That is when leaves end up in the yard. Then one of us will grab a bundle of leaves in our mouths and start chasing the others around with them. It cracks the staff up, but we love it.
Which leads me to my favorite game. It is chase. I love to be chased, ’cause I’m so fast no one can catch me! I run to the end of the yard and then when everyone follows, I turn and dash back to the other end. It is so fun!
- 12:00-1:00 — This is when the staff puts us back in our rooms for “nap time.” Honestly I don’t ever really go to sleep, but I guess it is time to just rest. I like to spend that time barking. I don’t want the staff to forget that I’m there. Thankfully this is only a little bit of time. I think there is another reason we have to have “nap time.” I believe that is when the staff have lunch. I don’t know for sure, ’cause they don’t share with me. But when they come back, they seem to have the energy they need to handle me and my pals for the rest of the afternoon.
- 1:00-5:00 — This is our play time again. The same process happens like in the morning. The most calm dog gets to go out first and then is joined by the rest of us. Again, I’m not usually last, but I’m rarely first. Although after a morning of playing so hard, we are all pretty tired. This is when we basically relax. We might play a little, but more likely this is when we get petted and spoiled by the staff. I know there are times when I just want affection. So I’ll just go hang out by one of them and let them pet me. If I can get a belly rub out of the deal, that’s all the better.
- 5:00-until Mom comes and gets me — Around 5:00 the staff put whoever is still waiting on their parents, back in our little rooms. (I say little, but it really isn’t. There’s plenty of room for me to move around. Even the big dogs have enough room to move around while waiting.) I just sit at the door and bark. Usually I’m in one of the rooms that can see into the lobby. I watch eagerly for my mom to come. I also keep barking so that the staff remember that I’m in there. I would hate for everyone to leave and forget that I’m still there. My mom sometimes makes me wait in that room a long time. I guess she gets hung up at work. I wouldn’t mind so much, except I have to watch all my friends leave.
When my mom finally comes to pick me up, I can’t sit still. I will bark (of course) but then I also get ants in my pants and start jumping. When someone comes in to put my collar and leash back on, my butt gets all wiggly again. I run out of the room and am so excited to see mom. I have heard her say something about how I should have no energy after a day at day care. But what can I say? I’m just a bundle of energy!
At this point, I say good-bye to anyone who is still there. Then I go out to the car…well after I check to see who has come and gone since I got there. Again, I might leave my own little message for those coming the next day. Then I jump in the car. Grab some water and head on home. Usually be the evening, the day’s activity has caught up to me and I’m a little calmer. These are the days when you’ll find me tuckered out on the couch or hanging next to Mom getting a belly rub. (I do love my belly rubs!)
Before I close, I just want to say a great big thank you to the staff that spend their day with me: Kelsey, Shilo, Alesha, April and Miranda. My mom is able to bring me to day care ’cause she knows I’ll be well taken care of. Thanks everyone! This is Owney signing off until next time. Merry Christmas!
