esrosedotblog

DOGGED

PETsMART Sunday. Dog food is low; we need a new big collar for the big, big dog; we are almost out of dog biscuits (offered only if the plate is clean--about half the time--and they are the same thing as the kibble); no toys, we do not need any more toys. No, no, no. No toys. That last one is for us. Of Franklin's 30-40 words, toys is not one of them; ball, Carl (his stuffed camel), rope; all these he responds to. He does not know what a 'toy' is. But we do and we are soft about it; wet. NO TOYS!

If you have never been to PETsMART, you are in for a treat. Dogs are welcome; I guess other pets too, but dogs are the default pet. There are cages of cats and dogs for rescue; they like to be visited. There are fish, birds, gerbils. Today, Franklin was the only pooch on the premises. He got a lot of attention. Oh, was that on the list? Dog food, collar, biscuits, and attention!

We all needed a dog day out; a long ride in the Jeep (oh boy oh boy); wind in our hair from the open windows and a walk in the smelly aisles--other dogs, dog food, dog toys--on and on; air soup. And the humans have fun getting dog-compliments and watching the ever evolving growth and change of their pup who is slowly but surely quieting down, easing his way into society, and getting to be a bit of an adult. There is no test like a high stimulus place to show the degree of maturity, if any. That goes for the owners as well as the dogs.

We have a good time with it. It takes about an hour and a half door to door. A bonus is in the ride. We go out to the desert to get there and back; see Mt. San Jacinto from afar (he still has snow on his head), take in the wide open spaces! Everyone is tired out when we get home. And for the first time that I remember, we did not get one toy. Life is full enough.