A 'RUNNING' COMMENTARY OF ACTIVITY WITH MY LOVABLE CHARGES

Springtime in San Francisco

As we walked into the forest, once again I was taken aback by the beauty of the day. A faint smile played at the corners of my mouth as I recalled the past few weeks’ worth of shenanigans from my pack. The ephemeral streams that formed during the rainy season are now just blemishes in the landscape. The once lush green hills are filled with yellow and brown grasses that soon will dominate our park. Even though our trails are changing, the beauty remains.

Akiva and Payton are Monday-through-Friday kinds of guys; however Trixie, Jake, Beatty, Bailey, Maria, Charlie, and Zoe join in on different days throughout the week.

Recently we had a guest by the name of Leeloo — a floppy-eared Harlequin Great Dane with a base color of white, black patches, a couple of merle spots and a sweet black and white face.

On Leeloo’s first day Akiva took the lead, with Trixie and Zoe in hot pursuit. Leeloo, Payton, and I were bringing up the rear. Since this was Leeloo’s first day of pack walking, I kept her leashed along with Payton. Payton, being an old hand at leash walking, decided to help me out and take Leeloo’s leash by holding it in his mouth. Every time she went to take off, he would give a powerful tug that brought her back into focus and close to us. For Leeloo, he was a happy confluence of mentor and play buddy. I must say that I was thankful for his assistance, for a couple of times she tried to take off after Akiva, Zoe, and Trixie.

Zoe, our Boston terrier, is a kick. She loves the ball and is very proud when she wrangles it away from Akiva or Payton. Payton will lose interest after a while, but Akiva will follow close on Zoe’s heels and bark raucously until he finds a way to lay claim to the prized ball once again.

Jake and Beatty are housemates and in a league of their own. When we are safely inside the trail, I begin to release each dog from his or her leash to run free. Jakie, with his beautiful eyes, always responds when I call — no problem there — but that little 11-pound Terrier, Beatty, is independent and stubborn. I have found that it is easier to keep her on a retractable leash than try to find her amidst the tall grass once she has dug a hole where she can hide her tiny body. Recently she was furiously digging for an underground critter when she got bit on the nose. Ouch! Did that deter her from this activity? No!

Our next character is Bailey, who has been traveling of late. When he does join the pack, however, he enjoys the freedom of working off all his 2-year-old yellow Lab energy. Recently, while his parents were vacationing and he was visiting a relative, his dad got a call from a pet rescue agency telling him they found his dog. “Hmm,” he said, “I didn’t even know that he was missing.” Apparently, Bailey is an escape artist and decided to explore the new “hood” he was visiting. A Good Samaritan, who was familiar with the wayward traits of Labs, saw Bailey running free and called him to his car; Bailey being the friendly sort, readily jumped in. He was returned to his hosts without a care.

Following along behind the pack, I noticed Maria and Charlie chasing each other in the cool grass. Maria, a sweet little mix of Chihuahua and Terrier, is a rescue pup with attitude, style and swagger; she’s my next-door neighbor. I have watched her blossom from a Salinas street dog used to relying on her street savvy into a doggie secure that her mom will always be there, love her, and continue to provide the loving home environment that she has grown to know.

Charlie’s mom is home now after being out of the country for a few months. We will all miss his trailside antics.

Finally there is Trixie with her dulcet personality. Initially she was reserved around the pack, but now she blends right in. Each Monday when I pick her up, she gives me the biggest smile at the door, runs into the back of the car and gives each member a big lick. Unfortunately this Monday she was a bit under the weather after rolling around in the drying grasses and catching a foxtail in her ear. She is still under the weather: Let’s all say a special “Get Well Doggie Prayer” for her.

"WE PROMISE TO LOVE THEM AS IF THEY WERE OUR OWN"