Energetic dog

Chica is sitting with me here, now, chewing on her Kong which I filled with treats. It's a good way for her to calm down after a walk.

I have had the flu and bronchitis, but luckily Steve D. was here to go to my brother Jon's photography show in Malone and he stayed on taking Chica for her walks while I hacked my lungs out at home.

Now, I'm back to walking her myself. In the morning, it's basically to get her out in the air, sniff the various smells, pick up the local gossip, and do her business. 20 minutes. When I get home, I let her out to pee in the backyard. After we eat dinner, we go for a walk of around 40 minutes. During the week, I can't often take her somewhere where I can take her off-leash so that she can have a good run, so we go to the park and I throw the ball for her. She just loves playing ball and will keep chasing it long after she stops running and starts ambling back. Even though she seems pretty tired out, she keeps bringing me her ball, dropping it in my lap, nudging and nudging. Before the house was painted, I used to sometimes throw it down the hallway a number of times to try to wear off her energy. If I hide it behind my back, she will dive into the chair and scrabble it out. These days, I am giving her her Kong or a rawhide to calm her. I think she has gained weight.