Be honest, do I look like a dog with mischief in her mind? I’m walking along, enjoying the snow and woods, how could anything go wrong? One word – squirrels! Those pesty tree rats ruined our fun outing to the dog park! I tell you, they are bad news. There is no getting around it, squirrels are out to ruin the lives of dogs, I know it!
Mom, Bailie, and I headed off to the dog park the other day. It was a dog park we rarely go to because it is heavily wooded which makes Mom nervous even though it is fully fenced. The first time we went there seven years ago, we lost Katie for about twenty minutes. She headed off after a squirrel and disappeared into the trees. We did not go back for a long time, and now we only go there in the winter.
Did I hear wiener?
Hold that wiener! I’m on my way!
With age, Mom gets smarter and this time she brought wiener slices for Bailie and me. The plan was to practice our recall when nothing was going on and have us so thrilled about wieners, we would come when called no matter what. As you can see in the above photos, we couldn’t get back to Mom fast enough when she called us.
Bailie and I enjoyed sniffing stuff together. There are a lot of critters living in this dog park, we are sure of it. Now we only have to find them.
I went wild with all the fun scents to sniff and roll around in. Mom says I look like I have become possessed or something.
Bailie was enjoying strolling along sniffin’ the breeze, eatin’ some snow.
And then it happened…a SQUIRREL appeared…ran across the path and into the woods. Bailie was on it immediately giving off her hunting call as she ran. I joined right in behind her.
Our hunting techniques are complimentary. I prefer to attempt to climb trees to get at those rotten squirrels.
Bailie is all about tracking the scent on the ground. Yep, this is why she is in tracking and I am not.
Now for the swell recall attempt with the wieners. Mom called out our names and said come. This is what she got. A big fat nothing. The woods are thick and we were darting all over the place giving off our hunting calls, vanishing out of sight and reappearing. Mom was standing helplessly on the path not knowing what to do except wait. I checked on her now and then, but not close enough to get caught. Bailie was far to busy to worry about Mom. After about ten minutes I returned to Mom and was immediately leashed. Bailie saw me getting some wieners so she came over and got caught too. Mom said we were leaving immediately and we had been very bad girls. Darn squirrels! It wasn’t our fault! Why are squirrels allowed in a dog park anyway?
Don’t forget to stop by and enter to win a fashionable dog collar from Up Country! Click here or the photo for all the details and to enter! Up Country also has a squirrel collar, which we have, in case you want to wear these naughty creatures!
I am joining the Monday Mischief blog hop brought to you by Alfie’s Blog, Snoopy’s Dog Blog, My Brown Newfies.
We think it is just our nature to ignore everything when squirrels are involved.
Exactly, a dog needs priorities!
LOL those darn critters. Now you know why we use ecollar. Treats do not always cut it with brown dawgs when there are critters.
Mom has considered it for years but never has gotten one. If I’m alone with Mom I am old enough now I will come back and not stray too far, but Bailie is a wild child!
LOL a big fat nothing is what my peeps gets too. What they think we are going to leave those pesky tree rats alone? No way. Happy hunting dudes. Have a Marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly
We knew you would appreciate our story. Tree rats need to be caught.
Squirrels are trouble makers, that’s for sure!
I wish we had a dog park like that near me. Even if there are squirrels.
–Wags (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.
I have a feeling we won’t be going back to it very soon unless Mom gets her nerves together.
I ignore squirrels now, I know they will just run up the trees so why waste a good chase? Taffy on the other hand, is like you, she’ll want to climb the tree. I don’t think she had many squirrels in her back yard. It was definitely the squirrels fault and you and Bailee were just being sniffing dogs. Love Dolly Pees: I wish I had a dog park like that!
Ignore squirrels, never! I’ve come within inches of capturing them, and it is on my bucket list to get one. I guess you get in less trouble that way. Also, with two of us, we egg each other on which Mom is not thrilled about.
Those tree rats are a problem. The Mom tells me they run on the top edge of our fence. I have not noticed them yet. In your “possessed” picture you look like Bailie. Emma, I cannot believe you made your mom unhappy as that is the job of pups like Bailie and me. XOXO Sparkle the PBGV
Wait until you see a squirrel, it will open a whole new world for you! Mom was happy I did not stray that far and kept coming by to check on her. Bailie on the other paw was really naughty and never came back!
It looks like you were having a great time until those silly squirrels appeared. Barley and I only saw one squirrel all weekend–usually she’s very good at redirecting her attention to me, but winter squirrels seem a little fatter, a little lazier, and a little more oblivious to the world around them than they do the rest of the year, so sometimes it’s just too hard to ignore them 🙂 We totally understand.
Nothing will stop us from a squirrel or wabbit. We are perfect angels until the critters show up. Many breeds will ignore critters to please their humans, but not a GBGV, we are programmed to hunt them down and pleasing the human is secondary.
great photos Emma!!! You and Bailie look so awesome. Mom said her favorite is the one is the one of your two bummies. She said that is usually her view on our walks (but of our bums!!). She also said “poor Emma’s mom how frustrating when pups don’t recall “. I said to her: “there were squirrels mom!” Gee whiz. These moms don’t get it. Your doodle friend Dash (and Lilly!!)
Mom loves our butt shots too. It is usually what she sees unless we take a detour, then she gets our faces. She was pretty mad about the squirrel thing. I mean it is a fenced park, but she worries a lot when she can’t see us.
I’m glad the magic power of the wieners brought Bailie back to your mom too… that mean tree rats…. bet that was a complot to ruin your walk…. that screams for revenge…
Mean tree rats combined with an over protective mom makes for a storm of trouble but we had fun and we were both dead tired after our fun romp.
Stupid squirrels. I think they give off something that makes every dog in the world forget their training and manners.
They do, and they are so very mean to us as well.
Squirrels can be such bullies can’t they??
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Rotten creatures but so fun to chase. It is a terrible addiction.
Emma, you’re hilarious! Squirrels need chasing! They’re cheeky little critters! Doesn’t mom understand this?
She totally understands but she wants us to stay around where she can see us and it is simply not possible when we are so busy chasing. At least I check in now and then…Bailie just took off.
Sorry friend, you look guilty. BOL
Lily & Edward
Oh man! What kind of a pal are you??? 😉
Love that photo of Emma rolling in the snow. Don’t love those squirrels who ruin everything from fun outings to my shoulder socket.
Mom says she no longer has shoulder sockets because her arms have been pulled so much!
You never can trust those crazy squirrels!
I think we need to work with cats to catch one. Maybe cat up in the tree, I chase the squirrel up the tree, cat chases it back down and snap, I get it! Sounds like a decent plan to me.
A wooded dog park – WOW! you all have the best places in MN. From the photos Emma – it looks like it was loads of fun, squirrel scents and all.
Mom is dreading the wooded dog park after the bad squirrel event, but yes, we have lots of dog parks with woods, this one has the most woods by far, though.
Those squirrels love to play games.
They are a dogs worst nightmare!
SQUIRRELS are the BANE of our Existance, aren’t they? We just Wonder HOW all that Evil can fit into such a small package.
I know, and they are not even smart, but they can climb a tree…dang it, why can’t I climb a tree?
Squirrels are a nightmare! I know they planned to get you in trouble. It is just their nature. Grrrr! I never get to be off leash except in my backyard. I am my own dog, I do not bow to the recall. (a.k.a. Stubborn as a mule) Pierre goes berserk over squirrels in our yard.
Bailie and I love recall practice because it nets us tasty stuff like wieners, but if there is something better going on, we gladly close our ears and forget about the recall nonsense! Bailie and I went berserk for over ten minutes racing back and forth, doing our loud hunting calls, having a blast. We were exhausted by the time Mom leashed us up and forced us to go home.
Darn squirrels indeed!!! But I’m with you on those weiners!! Yes, ma’am!!!
Wieners are great unless there is a critter, then, who cares about a wiener???
It definitely sounds like you were set up by those squirrels….no fair!
They really got us in a fix with Mom!
Oh Emma, you girls can’t scare your mom like that. Hehe, the photo of you rubbing your back on the snow reminds me of when my Boo Bear did that the other day. He found an interesting smell – it was so interesting that he had to put up with a late night bath. Hope you escaped that humiliation at least, lol.
It was nothing dirty and smelly, so I didn’t have to have a bath. I was out in the snow and stuff all day, so I think it all wore off anyway.
Wow! I would love to have a dog park so big and wooded like that! The only ones I’ve ever seen are the little squares full of poop and aggressive dogs. Yours sounds wonderful!
We have so many huge dog parks with ponds, trees, fields, I have to say for dog parks the Twin Cities is pawsome!
Squirrels are born trouble makers!! Dory says they are the only reason she has to stay on leash when we are on walkies….
Smileys!
Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo
Squirrel and wabbits are the reason we are always on leash too. I think squirrels should be leashed, not the dogs!
Those are some brave squirrels! Mr. N chases wildlife but he comes right back.
Nope, not us…we follow the scent and keep going and going until we are worn out.
Awe! I’m sorry about those darn pesky rodents!! They ruin Zoe’s fun all the time, too! <3
They really get us dogs into trouble with Mom! They are irresistible!
Nope, it most definitely was not your fault. BOL
So glad you agree!
That’s good mischief! I’ve never had a dog I could get to come to me in the throes of chasing a critter! It’s tough to compete with a critter! Maybe if your mom would carry a critter of her own, you’d always come running! 🙂
Can you imagine a woman carrying around a squirrel in a dog park? That might be a death wish kind of scenario!
Skwerrils are evil.
The absolute worst and they are especially mean to dogs!
Such a cute post! I like the photo of Emma rolling around looking “possessed.” We dont have many squirrels where we live, but we do have these awful, huge raccoons that show up when I’m walking Ace at night. Those things freak me out! They’re fat from feasting on food in the dumpsters!
We rarely see racoons around here, in Germany we never saw squirrels, but here…squirrels are taking over the town I think.
Whoops, well you girls had fun while it lasted!
We don’t regret our actions which does not make Mom happy, but she understands our desire to chase and as long as we came back eventually, all is good.
oh you two!! Squirrels will get you in trouble faster than you can wag.
LeeAnna at not afraid of color
So true! Squirrels are bad news on so many levels!
Those squirrels are bad news. What makes me so mad is that I am not allowed to cross the street by myself and the 1st thing those squirrels want to do is run across the street and turn around and bark (make fun of me) teasing me saying “Ha ha, your a baby and can’t chase after me! Dang Squirrels!
That talking at us and teasing us is simply the worst! They are the most rude and frustrating creatures around!
My bipeds say my recall leaves a lot to be desired!
We only believe in recall when nothing better is happening!
Sometimes you just gotta follow your nose! 🙂
Bailie and I tend to do it a bit too much according to mom.
But that’s the fun of squirrels in the park, except blowing off your recall wasn’t such a good idea. I can understand how mom felt, this is why Delilah is usually leashed. Heaven only knows what gets into that girl’s head.
Mom knew it could happen, but she thought wieners would win us over…so totally wrong! We are only off leash in fenced areas, but nervous Nelly mom doesn’t like us out of her site there either.