City Outing

At the time, I thought Kolby was a big boy at a mere age of five months and he would certainly handle a day-outing at a Museum in the city, complete with parks, a dock, water, geese, and boats. This was Kolby last year at the Museum. 

And he didn't prove me wrong that day, he certainly acted like a big boy and there were no concerns nor naughty stories to report. What I didn't realize was the sheer magnitude of taking it for granted that he was only a mere five months old. Both of my puppies have been excellent outing puppies, and I am very grateful. How many times can I roll the dice and get this? Shall I stop while I'm ahead? (kidding - challenges can be equally as rewarding). 

Yesterday I returned to the same Museum with our sweet friends for a day outing, but this time included going on a docked 1889 Tug Boat, walking through a slew of people at a festival, and riding the Light Rail for the sake of the experience in training. 

We had hoped to recreate some photos that were taken a year ago; to showcase the growth of our pups. But the exhibits where we were planning to do this had now been replaced with new exhibits. So, we had to skip that idea and just start over. 

Kolby was happy when we chose to stop for lunch, as he was able to take a mid-afternoon snooze. He got some attention from a table nearby, but was quick to keep looking at me while the lady was petting him. Kolby does this a lot, and even strangers pick up on his perfect eye contact on me while he is getting love from others. I am not sure what to take away from this. He came with amazing eye contact, but sometimes his look is more like, "Eeek, should they be doing this? I'm kinda working." and then his look also seems like he's saying, "Hey, look how awesomely-calm I am being. Cookie, please?" and then finally his look can say, "Really? I know I'm cute, but I was s.l.e.e.p.i.n.g."

The Light Rail ride was great because the Light Rail that we had taken Haddie on was in a city the opposite direction of where I usually live my life, and my days are getting rather short with Kolby to make the trek. So to have this experience for Kolby at a time when we were with friends and already out was perfect.

Like Haddie, Kolby acted like he had been there before and just settled at my feet. In fact, he settled at my friend's feet and used her cute Converse as a pillow. I am sure that his rides on the floor of our RV to go on camping adventures has helped him with the sway and movement of the Light Rail, and the many different noises compared to a car. He has rode a mini-transit bus last August, so perhaps he remembered subconsciously that trip too. Regardless, I am glad to have squeezed in this experience before he leaves to California. 

To get to our parked car, we chose to walk through the Wooden Boat Festival and Race arena where it was packed with athletes, booths, food, and live music with people enjoying their interpretive-inner-dancing-self. I looked down at Kolby and saw him wagging his tail, mouth open, tongue hanging out in a smile, as if he too was getting his inner-dancing-self into rhythm. I really believe he is a music-dog having been next to the piano weekly supporting my students in piano lessons. He just seemed so happy about his day that it made all of us smile and laugh; which just egg'd him on. 

Our day was not complete just yet, and Kolby maintained being out and about in public and on the go for 11 hours by the time we returned home. Upon leaving the city we were meeting my husband in a different town to sign papers on a new car. Although the leg work of finding the car and getting the bottom pricing complete had been done by my hubby the day prior, the paperwork part became equally as long. Nothing is fast about purchasing a car. 

We added another four hours onto our day and Kolby laid at our feet at the desk. When we got up to shake hands and go to the finance room where the signing took place, the salesman (who had come to the pow-wow after we had already been seated) was genuinely surprised that we had a dog under his desk. I found that a great sign as Kolby passed the "blend into the room" test. While we were signing the papers, my kiddos and Kolby remained in the lobby and about every Salesman had to stop by for some Kolby loves. My kiddos said he was great and loved the attention. 

Stopping at the grocery store for some much needed last-minute dinner toss-togethers, and we were pulling into the garage at 9:00p with a very happy puppy and puppy raisers who had lasted 11 hours on the go. 

Kolby proved that he can handle life outside of the house, and I am happy that he is headed to Santa Rosa with another grand experience under his collar. He has proven to me that he is a mellow-guy that can hang with people wherever they choose to go. The bottom line will be the choice of Kolby. While he will go wherever we go without protest or bad manners, he will need to choose if that is what he wants to do in life. Work or Change of Career. His choice. And I support either. 

LOVE YOU, KOLBY!!! Thanks for an incredibly relaxing, entertaining, and busy day.