Today was a great day. The evidence lies in the sight of our completely exhausted puppy, who is passed out in the middle of the living room. This afternoon we took Sadie to a nearby state park. It was an outing we've secretly been promising her for months, but Nick and I never had coinciding weekends off.
The day started out with a dog who felt very sorry for herself. Perhaps it will be strange for people who have never experienced the many emotions of a pet to imagine, but Sadie moped for the better half of the morning. She woke up and immediately ran to the front window. There she stood for several minutes, wagging her tail and then turning to look at Nick. She was hinting for him to take her out on a walk. Then she decided she might have more luck getting us to play in the backyard. When we let her out she just waited for us on the back porch. The minute we stepped foot outside, she darted off the steps grabbed a stick and brought it back hoping for a rousing game of fetch or tug.
You see, yesterday was a day filled with house projects and yard work. Sadie didn't get her usual walk, and had to resort to the solace of the drowsy side effects of her allergy medicine. We didn't feel too guilty because we knew she was in for a grand adventure today. However, it is impossible to explain this to a dog. This morning we just watched her and laughed because we knew what the day had in store for her.
When the time finally arrived for our grand adventure to begin she was more than ready to jump into the car. After a quick jaunt to Northfield, and a comical run-in with a random parade, we finally arrived at Nerstrand State Park. Sadie was elated and we couldn't get out of the car and on the trail fast enough.
We finally got far enough along the trail that we felt comfortable letting her off leash (technically a no-no in State Parks) and that's when the true colors of our happy pup shone through. If you haven't met Sadie she is an incredibly energetic and enthusiastic canine. She loves to sniff, chase, run and generally be outside in the vicinity of her "pack members" (a.k.a. Nick and I). She is a shepherd mix, and has this awesome gazelle leap that is very characteristic of German Shepherds. She tore circles around us. Sniffing out squirrels, finding the streams and puddles, leaping through bushes and over sticks, and then quickly returning to reassure her "pack" that all was well.
Her less than stellar moment came somewhere along the path when she decided to roll in poop. A surprise we discovered when the leash went back on. It resulted in an unplanned bath in the river, an attempt to avoid a malodorous drive home.
I know I am not a parent yet and dogs are much different than children, but dog ownership has often given me a glimpse into the adventures of parenting. Today, I couldn't help but see the analogies between dog ownership and parenting. This morning, with the dog feeling so sorry for herself, Nick and I chuckled about the times in our upcoming parenting lives when our kids will be convinced that nothing exciting will ever happen to them. Sadie's impatience in the parking lot was just a snapshot into the warped understanding of time of that of a toddler, and the times to come when we just won't be able to move fast enough. Even more, I was able to imagine the combination of fear and pride as our children spread their wings and begin their own exploration in the woods of life. I also laughed at the thought of having to drag our kids out of whatever piles of dirt or poop they find themselves in (both literally and figuratively). I guess even the best laid plans still leave room for surprises!
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