Makin' Us Look GOOD...

This past week on a simply beautiful day, we took Maeby on a walk to Goodale Park. To paint a true picture of this park, you have to understand that it lands smack dab in the middle of Columbus' urban oasis known as Victorian Village. It is about the size of 2 city blocks, and is green with flowering trees and laced with sidewalks. At the center, above the pond and gazebo, the sidewalks join on a little hill. This is where the Dog People gather. On nice days, they emerge from their Victorian mansions, old and young, men and women, singles and couples, bring their purebred perfectly-trained pooches, and judge other dogs and owners. Some days, we can count upwards of 50 dogs in the park at once...each tempting Maeby to lose her mind and all of her training...

On our first trip to the park this Spring, Maeby took off into the park the second that we let her off her leash. She's always been well-behaved when we go to the park, but that day the most curious thing happened. She circled back to us as we walked through the park, gave us a little lick, then took off again. Time and time again, she checked in, then took off, checked in, took off. She would often sniff other dogs or people, but nothing obnoxious. We kept walking through the park, through Dog People territory, then past the gazebo, with Maeby following us all the way. When we started to make the loop around the pond, she trotted directly between us, heeling like her life depended on it. As we headed out of the park, she sat quiet as we put her leash back on and heeled like a champion all the way home.

I don't know where we got this dog. It seems so silly to wax poetic about an animal, but we've just heard so many horror stories about terrible dogs, that it is amazing when Maeby has moments of brilliance...especially when we never thought we could teach her to make US look good!