Vern and the Man in the Lawn Chair!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Most of you know that our Vern is a big ol' chicken. Yesterday, I was doing some training with them up at the state park and both dogs were doing beautifully until Vern spotted a man sitting in a lawn chair. I did not have my camera, so some of this blog will be a reenactment. Here is how threatening the man appeared:

Vern started backing into me and nothing I did could get him to refocus his attention. He started acting like this:

and like he had this hot on his tail:

Fudge kept looking at Vern and me like she was thinking, "It is a lawn chair, Vern! Get a grip." or maybe even like she was thinking this:

Luckily, because the man never moved from his spot, we were able to escape and make our way to the car. There was one scary moment, when he shifted in his chair and adjusted his hat, but we kept moving. When we got home, Vern was exhausted. After all, it isn't being such a good watchdog!

Monday, we are going back to the park in search of more men in lawn chairs and we'll keep going back until Vern conquers this fear. I only hope I can find subjects and distractions that look like this:

and not like this:

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thank  you so much for making DH and I scream in laughter. Dealing with  Starlit's fears, I've never found humor. Thanks to you, I'll never look at   Mr. Wind  or men the same again!  

This hits so close to home and is now my all time favorite blog!   I love you Vern

[Adina P]

Because that will remind him perhaps he's been in the sun a bit too long.  Then again if he hasn't gotten skin cancer by THAT age...then tan away!

[Lorraine Bromley]

I love it!! my sons dane puppy is a scaredy cat too. A great big wussy dog! She is just a puppy so we're hoping that we can curb her issues a bit before she becomes an adult. HA like thats going to happen!

[Adina P]

To the brave Fudge: What you SHOULD do if you do ever encounter a resemblance to the last photograph is get a BIG drink of water, poke him in the belly and rest your loving chin on his thigh (either left or right is fine).

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hey, Vern, tell your mom it was the chair being where a chair shouldn't be that scared you. I feel the same way, and nobody better dare call me a chicken!

As for your sister's snide little comment, tell her that I said that any doodle who doesn't know that furniture doesn't belong in a park is not exactly a Mensa candidate, either.

Your friend,

Jackdoodle

(AKA the Cowardly Lion)

[Carol and Banjo]

That's right Laurie.....AND an umbrella.......OVER the top I'm SURE!

[Anna and Achilles]

Gotta love Vern, Tell Vern that Achilles is afraid of snack trays. You never know when one of them will turn on ya!!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Carol, I think I remember a picture of Banjo in a lawn chair. That would be way too scary for Vern.

[Carol and Banjo]

LMAO!!!!!  Laurie you've outdone yourself with this one!!!!!!    Vern, please come live with me....I love you - you big chicken!!!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Jane, Training can be hard sometimes, but we do it because we love our dogs...haha!