Dog Park Adventures

Last Monday we took Darby and Serena to the Lake County Dog Park off of Independence Grove.  It was a perfect day for the park!  Serena knows where we are the moment we turn into the driveway.  She gets all excited and won't sit still.  Darby has no clue what is going on but since Serena is excited he thinks he should be too.

First we walk through the woods.  The path borders a small lake so the dogs go into the lake while we walk around the edge.  It makes for super happy puppies.

We then cut off to the Des Plaines River and explore that area.  This time we hiked up a little stream that connects to the river and went exploring.  The dogs thought it was super cool that we were hiking up a path made of water.

Some parts we a little deep for Darby so he turned into a water monster and swam. 

Serena thought it was more fun to hop over logs in the stream than go under them:

While exploring the stream, Serena found a little path up the hill.  It opened up onto a random grassy trail.  It was so very pretty!!

After exploring up the stream, through the field and down the river, we continued our hike around the dog park.  We met a bunch of other dogs so Serena and Darby ran and ran and ran.

Darby was stalking Serena:

The dogs were super tired and super happy when we got back to the car.  What a great Monday!

Darby's First Trip Alone

Yesterday I went into Chicago to see my friends for dinner.  I took Darby with me as my date.  This was his first time going on the train by himself.  He was great waiting for the train and ignored the giant crowd waiting too.  He got very unsure of himself when the train pulled up and we started walking with the crowd to the stairs of the train.  He backed up and started panicking.  I didn't have time to try and get him to come on his own and the stairs up to the train are still too steep for him to really get up them well so I just picked him up and carried up onto the train.  He then settled down and walked calmly to a seat and then slept the whole way into Chicago.

I carried him off the train and then let him walk downstairs to the street.  He tried to freak out about going down the stairs with the crowd to the street but I just kept walking and he gave up and decided he was okay. We then walked wonderfully to my friend's house.  I love his loose leash walking!  So so wonderful.

Darby then joined us for dinner at this cute corner pizza cafe.  The head person of the restaurant was unsure of Darby at first and said that dogs had to sit outside the dining area.  I explained he was a service dog in training and he would go under the table and you wouldn't know he was there.  He was totally cool with that and let us in.  We sat outside and Darby did a great go-in under the table.  My friends have never been somewhere with me with a dog and were in awe of the number of looks and comments Darby received (both good and bad).  But once Darby went in and acted like a perfect gentleman I think people really liked him.

We took the train back home and Darby did wonderfully.  When we were waiting to get off the train the little room you wait in got really crowded.  Everyone loved Darby and were making cute puppy noises at him.  He stayed in a perfect sit and just wagged his tail but did not approach anyone.  I am so very proud!

Darby goes Riding

About a month ago we took the dogs over to play at Saddlers Row North (our lovely tack shop located on the Sunflower Property).  They have a Darby sized riding horse there so of course I popped him up there and he went for a ride.  The little pudge thought it was a blast!