Socializing meG

Now that I am home, camper is packed away and I am officially "in hibernation", I have to remind myself constantly that I have a puppy and said puppy cannot hibernate unless I would like her to become an anti-social hermit.  So I take meG everywhere with me:  the bank, the grocery store, the mechanic, the feed store, visiting friends etc.  She stays in the crate in the car while I do the "non-doggy" errands, but I bring her out wherever and whenever I can, allowing her to get used to busy streets, cars, trucks, other animals, kids, being carried, walking on leash, climbing on things, meeting strange people (often doing ALL the wrong things, making them seem weird and scary:  "OMG!  A puppy?  Is it a Berner?"  (said while leaning in menacingly and reaching overhead to pat between the ears).  meG takes it all in stride; you can almost see her little brain processing everything before she decides on her course of action (which, with the help of meatballs and liver treats turns into a wiggling session of tailwagaerobics).

Last week, meG and her pack went to a good friend's house and joined her two dogs (a 13 year old GSD and a 5 year old BC) for a walk in a new location.  Much fun was had by all - especially Uncle Mirk, who managed, within the first minute, to find a stinky pile of godknowswhat to roll in.  He was thoroughly covered in slime and needed an impromptu shampoo and rinse in the pond.  Otherwise, he was not riding home in the truck!

All photos below by France Poulin.

meG - future agility star as well as a sheepdog?

Bathing stinky Mirk in the pond.

She looks good with the equipment :)

The gang (minus Mirk, who was off rolling in filth) GSD "Kami", Red BC "Indy", then (L to R) Fen, meG, Grandma Tap and Mommy Gem.

meG wanted the stick, but not necessarily, to swim and get it!

The oldest and the youngest (Kami and meG)

meG is getting too big for her backpack!

meG and Uncle Mirk

The Creekside Family...Fen waiting for the Frisbee.

meG enjoys the mud.  A good thing, I guess!

Pretty meG

meG is not sure about all the hype over the Frisbee.

"This?  This flat, pink thing is what you all want so badly?"

"'Scuse me, this is mine."



Exploring pond-side.

 

meG and her mother, Gem.

 

meG trying to keep up with Indy.

Thank you France, for the amazing photos and the fun afternoon!

meG also made her first visit to the Feed Store - Clarke et Fils, in Lennoxville.  This is the most amazing place - choc full of everything you could ever need or want, from housewares to coveralls to pet and equestrian supplies to 50 lb bags of feed for your cow; all in what appears to be complete disarray, but obviously isn't, since staff are always able to - immediately - locate exactly what you ask for.  There were baby bunnies in the store.  And the two resident African Grey parrots were full of righteous indignation and many a speech was delivered to meG as she watched them, riveted.

 "These are not chickens," meG seemed to ask.  "No, meG, they are not."

"Can you come out and play?"

Thank you to Sydney, a student at Bishop's who took the cute photos of meG with the bunnies and parrots!