Robert Redfur...How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways: Playing "I'm Gonna Getchyoooo" at 11pm!

[Adina P]

Do you ever get a good look at your doodle and just think...you are the cutest thing in the whole world????
(I guess who doesn't think that of their doodle, right?)

This weekend I started trimming my labradoodle Rosco's coat and face ( it's a weekend long process for me) and I can see his eyes so well now and I love him sooooo much... and I have been telling him that a lot lately! I just can't get enough of this face!

Anyway back to my story...
I usually am pretty beat by 9 or 10 PM, but last night I was up and feeling good much later than usual. And since I went to the movies instead of doing laundry, around 11pm I went out to the garage to change laundry loads when, as usual, Rosco rushed to join me out the door. As I came back into the yard, it was evident that Rosco was ready to play. He grabbed his squeaky pig and did "the stance." You know the one! The invitation to "chase me stance." He looked so cute I could not resist! I raised both of my arms up in the air, and shouted out "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'm gonnna GETCHyooo!" Then the chase began! I ran a little bit and stopped just in time to have him bounce out of my way. Then ran a little bit more and repeated. If I can tag him on his butt or tail he runs even faster. Last night, I made a point to crouch down a little and stand still while he also stood still and faced me, rubber pig dangling from his mouth, tail wagging. Who was going to make the first move? Momma? or Pup? It's always me... he is far more patient.

I love playing this game with him and he loves it too. And last night I could tell he only wanted to play with me :-) because when I came back inside Thule was ready to run out and join us so I let her run toward Rosco so they could play. But Rosco was waiting for me to come back out. He wanted his Momma! It was so sweet... I just had to share how much I love my furry apricot beast :-)

*Now, I know that it's usually not recommended to give in to the "chase me game"... but this is truly a game for us. He doesn't do this with things he should not have... so I have encouraged it as a game and make it very obvious that we are playing. when it's just the two of us, he will respond to "come" and "drop it" as needed.

[Joan and Rags]

OMG... Love it...I thought I was the only one who is absolutely bonkers in love with my dog. I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I have to tell my husband. That was a great story, and it totally made me feel better about my cooing and gooing all over my most lovable creature on the planet. I don't know what it is about dogs, but they have that power to fill you up until you're gushing love out of your ears.

[Nicole Wayne]

I know EXACTLY what you mean about staring at our doggies and thinking they are the cutest, most lovable, beautiful creatures on the planet (sorry, I'll try to reign it in a bit...) And because I'm not exactly the quiet type, I pretty much babble and coo and say "what a good girl" etc. ALL THE TIME. The funniest part about it for me is that 99% of my cooing and babbling to Mazie is completely unconscious. John thinks I'm absolutely nuts. He'll ask me "Why did you just tell her she is a good girl? She didn't do anything." And I'm like, huh? That's just what my (crazy, dog-loving) family has always done. We talk to our dogs like they are people. Whenever we'd lose a dog, the first thing that would hit us the very next day was how quiet the house was. And empty. But it really wasn't quiet (3 kids, foreign exchange students, au pairs, you name it) it just SEEMED quiet because that automatic talking-to-the-dog-thing would be gone. Until we got our next (seriously fortunate) standard poodle and the adoration would continue. So why should Mazie be any different? I tell her she's the cutest dog ever around 100 times a day. There are worse things!

[Leslie and Halas]

I usually leave the socks and underwear where he can't reach them, but he steals them when I'm sorting. He's fast about it, too. And he knows he'll get a head start, because I have to finish loading the washer before I can chase him.

[Adina P]

Haha Halas!
I have gotten lucky in that none of my dogs has any interest in underwear or socks, because when I'm sorting laundry it's all over the bedroom floor (I'm a messy sorter! but otherwise these items are NOT on my floor...LOL) until I get it into the appropriate baskets.

[Leslie and Halas]

I know what you mean. I love the hair-in-the-eyes look, but then when the eyebrows are cut a little bit, and you can see their eyes again, they're just the cutest things. And they'll just sit and stare at you with those eyes - you know they know how cute they are. Halas and I play chase, too. He sometimes tries to start it with a sock or a pair of underwear, but I just calmly follow him, tell him to give, and he'll usually go into floppy puppy and give it up after a couple of jumps and spins. So I usually try to grab an appropriate toy and play some chase after that. It's his favorite game. He spends most of his time at the dog park playing chase.