Yikes! I'm Being tested!! It's Not Fair!

(NOTE: No animals were hurt or injured in this hub story)

Oh boy, there goes a deer! Wait! There goes another one. Oh no, a squirrel just went by me! Oh, all those ducks! Which one can I chase!?!?

Yes, we are once again back at our summer campground and mom & dad are getting ready to go to work soon (if that's what you want to call it). Now me on the other hand, I truly have been put to the test! I'm once again back in my ole' territory and yes, I remembered it!!

Last year at this time, if you even thought about leaving me off the leash-I would go after all those deer, and squirrels and geese and maybe I would come home on my own free will. But this year mom and dad are really putting me through a test-and I don't like it!

After arriving here at Robinson Point, mom put on my shock collar (Yeah, I hate that thing, too), and allowed me to run free. The first day or two all I wanted to do was check out to see what critters or rather smells have been left behind in my area. Well being gone for a few months, there was lots of new smells for me to check out. I did behave and never once thought about the woods nearby.

Now that I'm settled in, the deer are coming around and the squirrels are hanging around, teasing me and then all those ducks down by the lake. There for a while mom & dad just wouldn't let me off the leash; I guess they feared I might run away again. I just wanted to have a little fun, that's all.

Now here goes that shock collar again. Mom puts it on, and allows me off the leash. We first start out with our yard and surround area by our rig. The squirrels are running rapid all around me. I want to chase them, but I do remember what can happen with that collar around my neck. So instead of chasing them, I sit down and just start whimpering. Mom and dad praise the heck out of me. Yeah they are proud of me, but boy am I bum....maybe a good treat will make up for it.

Now that they are comfortable that I won't run away, we start going for long walks in the campground (shhhh-don't let the rangers know that I don't have a leash on). I like to stay well ahead of my parents, I'm not going to run off, but I like to keep my parents on their toes....now I see my buddies, the deer, once again I'm so tempted to just run after them. I don't want to hurt them, I just want to play with them! Anyways, instead of running after them, I sit down and wait; because I know that mom (or dad) is going to give me that command to sit and stay-so I just beat them to the punch. I'm once again praised for not running after them...And yes when we get back home, I get a special treats (besides the cheerios I get on the walk for being good).

Once again we go for our long walk in the campground, now there are ducks in the lake. Mom and dad both laugh at me (no, it's not funny), because I want to go after them so bad-but their in that cold water and I just refuse to go swimming! Oh wait, there is a pair on shore! Oh please let me go after them. YES! Mom actually gives me the command to chase them! I run as fast as I can, but they are just way too fast for me-they go flying off into that cold water! I keep following, until I got my feet wet. That was far enough for me...

But now I truly put my parents to the test. They call me back and I won't listen, I wonder back and forth on the edge of the lake, getting my feet all muddy, in hopes that the ducks will come back to me. Mom, not thinking about my feet being wet gives me the ole' one two shock! Yikes! That smarted!!! Okay, okay I will listen, because I don't want that shock getting me again...Gee, I wonder if they will let me have that kind of fun again.

Now it's days later, and yes, while the park is still close to campers, I am able to run free most of the time while on walks. I even get to go on the walks without the shock collar on. Oh don't worry none, because mom has it with her just in case she thinks that I should need it. Occasionally I am hooked to a leash. They tell me once campers start coming in, that I won't be able to be free on my walks. And I guess mom doesn't want me to forget how to walk on the leash.

We are outside enjoying a nice camper (while the weather permits us), and I'm free for the most part and even without the shock collar. The the regulars (deer) that hand around decide they would come for a visit. Mom gets a little worry and hooks me up. Then she decides that it would be a good learning lesson for me, so she goes and gets the shock collar and yep, puts it on me....

I do my usual, I want to chase and play, but instead I just sit down and whimper...The deer don't mind that I'm around as long as I don't go chasing them. They are so close that while grazing, mom starts to talk to them. Man, I HATE when she does that!  Don't she know that riles my fur and gets me more upset!?!?

Mom loves animals and she thinks she needs to "talk" to everyone of them (yeah, she's a bit strange, but what can I say-I love her very much).  I personally feel she should only talk to me, okay, and few of my friends, but not to all critters around.  If she keeps talking to them, then they will have the tendency to hang around, and that irks me only becauseI have to behave myself. NOT FAIR!

Oh well, life as it such is....In all reality, mom's hard work in training me and me being the wonderful pet that I am, all has paid off.  I won't go wondering off on them anymore (I might miss a meal again), and it also lets all you pet owners know that even us hyper dogs CAN be trainable!  I do appreciate the fact that I am able to be free once in a while and they do allow me to run to my full capability and also allows me to keep a little bit of my curiousity. 

Happy Trails and who knows-maybe we will see one of ya's this summer!!