A Weekend Getaway!

[Wendy and Myla]

We travel a lot and always take Myla.  Last weekend we decided to visit our brother and sister-in-law in Vancouver for three nights.  We have done this many times in the past.  They have an 18 year old cat, Tyrone, who tolerates Myla when we go to visit but usually hides.  Unfortunately Tyrone is  very ill with kidney issues and we decided that it was not the time to stress him out with a visit from Myla so we asked our son Steve (who is Myla's favourite person in the whole wide world) to look after her.  Steve is a counsellor at a men's drug addiction facility here and decided to bring Myla to work with him.  I was skeptical - we have worked really hard at socializing Myla but I wasn't sure how she would react when we weren't with her. On weekends, Steve takes about 8 guys out to different lakes or hikes in the area to fish or swim so he figured Myla would be in her element.  I was a basket case after I dropped Myla off - Steve knows that Myla loves to swim but I forgot to tell him that Myla needs to be told that she is allowed to go in the water (our rule as lots of times we are at dangerous currents or eddy's).  I also forgot to tell him that when Myla mouths her orange toy, it means she is totally stressed.  I also forgot to tell him that she will stand at the door (quietly) when she has to go potty.  I knew that he would let Myla sleep on his bed, but I didn't know if he had a rug by his bed because if he didn't, she would slip jumping off the bed.  OMG, I dropped my kids off for weekends with my Mom when they were young and didn't worry this much!!!!

I did text a few times, but tried not to sound like an over-anxious Mom and he texted back really cute pictures of Myla swimming in the lake (obviously, they figured it out or maybe it's just us that she only needs permission when she's with us - I didn't ask :) )

Apparently Myla was a hit at "Bill's Place" - they do have a resident dog, a pug named Josie, who apparently grunts a lot and Steve told us that Myla didn't really like the grunting and tried to imitate it which sounded like Chewbacca.  Steve said that all of the guys had a different relationship with Myla and Myla seemed to know what each person needed - whether a quiet time or a play time or whatever.  When we went to pick her up, the guys told us that they had taken up a collection and had a couple hundred bucks, hoping that they could keep Myla - as if.... !!!!!!!

When we brought her home, she slept for almost a day - I think she had to process her new adventure!  I was so worried, but I am so proud of her!  Another bonding time with Steve and an untrained "therapy dog" to boot!  

I love her so very much!

[Dee McGrath]

What a lovely story and one that most of us doodlins can relate to as we love our family members so much. Thank you for sharing.

[Lisa & Sunny]

It sounds like Myla had quite the adventure while you were away! Do you think she'll go back and do some more therapy work with you son? She obviously made quite the impression on the folks there.

[Wendy and Myla]

Thanks Nancy - I was so happy with this experience for Myla - Steve has taken her camping a few times - one-on-one - I was just really nervous at the treatment centre but she held her own! 

[Wendy and Myla]

I totally agree Lorry - they just seem to know instinctively who needs what!  I'm so glad that Turbo knew what to do with small kids - it can be scary :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thanks for sharing this experience.  I really enjoyed reading about Myla's visit.  She is one special girl!

[LORRY SWETLAND]

I have found with Turbo that he knows who he can and cannot play rough with. My cousin came with her 6 yr old grandson and he never jumped on him and dropped the toy when he said drop it. He had never been around kids before but his instinct was too just let the kid be boss. I think doodles have this ability to be calm when needed without being told.