Who is this dog?

Yesterday morning Ike and I met up with some Shelter-agility friends for a play group at my friend Marlene's (with the two Goldens). I am very jealous of her backyard - it is fenced and gorgeous! I have mentioned it before. ; ) Since Shelter agility was cancelled for the rest of the year due to a parvo outbreak, we decided we would have a weekly playgroup. A lot of the dogs would rather play than do Agility-for-Fun anyway!

Yesterday our friend Maria, who has a very sweet ShepherdX named Gypsy, was able to make it and she brought her older dog Jazmine as well. Well, Jazmine is a red hound-like X, and wouldn't you know it...Ike took a liking to her! At this point I think the red dog thing is beyond coincidence, I think it is a preference! Weird.

At first Ike was horrified because there was a lot of running and rough housing going on. Kody (GR), Sandy (ShepherdX), and Gypsy (ShepherdX) all LOVE to play rough and tumble. Amazingly, Ike didn't feel the need to act like the fun police, he just removed himself from the scene. Cool. Maybe 20 minutes into the hour and a half Ike was back with us hanging out when he all of a sudden started sniffing Jaz and doing the butt check. Yay!

He actually started grappling with her and playing. Jaz is bigger than Ike and usually the dogs he likes and singles out for play are his size or smaller, so this was super cool. Michele pointed out that Jaz is older and gentler, so he might feel more comfortable with her. Periodically throughout the playgroup I would notice Ike over sniffing Jazmine or butt checking her. How awesome! I am going to have to beg Maria to bring Jaz every week!

The other exciting development is that Ike likes Marlene's across the street neighbor, a 9 yo girl (Kayla)! He actually seeks her out. I think they are going to form a mutual admiration society. Her mother came over to meet Ike because Kayla had been talking about him all week. Kayla came and hung out with us a little later and Ike actually sat as close to her as he could.

Who is this dog and what have you done with my scaredy-Schnauzer? Just kidding!! Believe me I will take these changes any day of the week!

After a very successful (IMO) playgroup Ike and I headed up to PetEdge and my mother's in Reading. Ike was really off at my mum's. I am not sure if this is because he was really tired after the playgroup & PetEdge or because he was afraid I was going to bring Nellie home with me.

Nellie was AWESOME. she was so happy to see us and playing like a mad dog with me. I was down on the ground doing playbows to her and tossing a new toy I had grabbed for her at PetEdge. She was responding and being super playful. Yay Nellie. Ike looked on in abject horror, of course.

My mum has not yet scheduled a vet appointment for Nellie, but she said she would. In her defense, she has been sick all week. Apparently at Nellie's appointment in February the vet told my mother her weight was fine. Eeeek! She weighs 32 # and is not that much taller than Ike. You can't feel her ribs! I think this is a classic case of a vet thinking it is not worth rocking the boat about a pet's weight. Bad, bad, bad. Poor Nellie. She is so fast and agile. Imagine if she was within her normal weight range? I'm going to keep working on my mum.

Schnauzer haircuts today and a practice session with our friend Shaya and her all-American Tom tomorrow (and possibly Cat). Yay!