A blog post by Josiah, the leash-free Yorkie puppy
Miss Janet and I were walking in the yard when my aunt (Beauregard’s mom) drove up. She had dropped Beauregard off at the groomer for a haircut. She invited me to come play at the farm while he was away. Oh, boy! What an adventure. Miss Janet and I jumped right into her car.
So Much to Explore
When we got to Beauregard’s farm, Miss Janet took me off the leash. Wow! I couldn’t believe it. I was free to run wherever I wanted. Miss Janet followed closely to be sure I didn’t get into trouble.
Miss Janet also got hold of yummy treats from Beauregard’s treat jar. Wow, those were super tasty. I wasn’t going to stray too far when Miss Janet had those treats in her hand.
I had been wanting to explore Beauregard’s huge farm. I couldn’t wait to see what was there. I ran through so many fields—I just kept running as fast as I could go. We even went down to the creek. I stuck my paws in the water and felt the mud squish between my toes.
Stones and Steps
I got to run around the giant magnolia tree and through the beautiful garden. I had to hop from one stone to another along the garden path. I was afraid of the big stones at first. But then I realized they felt nice and smooth, so I just hopped right along, enjoying the wonderful garden smells and watching the butterflies kiss the pretty flowers.
Then, a really amazing thing happened. I learned how to walk up and down the three front steps of the farmhouse. It was tricky at first, trying to figure out how to get all four feet onto a step, all at the same time. Then I discovered I could put my front paws on one step while my back paws were on the step before it. That was so cool! I went up and down, up and down, feeling like a grownup puppy.
I Love to Splash
Miss Janet took me to the swimming pool next. I had been to the pool on the night I met Beauregard. My aunt had set me in the water for a minute then put me on a float. But I hadn’t explored the water much. I just remember feeling wet and shivering, and my aunt wrapped me up in a towel.
This time, Miss Janet held me so my feet were in the water. I started to swim. Somehow, I just knew how to move my legs in the water. When I realized how good the water felt, I started to splash. Miss Janet kept holding me, and I kicked harder and harder and splashed water everywhere. She laughed. It was so much fun. I liked the sound of all the splashing.
Then I got to swim to the steps—and I climbed up the steps! Because now I knew how to climb. I was soaked with water. But I knew how to shake off the water. I shook and shook till I felt drier. I think I’m going to like the swimming pool a lot.
Sit, Down, Come
My aunt asked if I wanted to learn how to sit. Yes, I want to learn everything. So, she taught me how to sit.
I learned it really fast. But sometimes, I just forgot to actually sit. A bee buzzed by, or I heard a bird nearby. I turned to look and forgot to sit. But I think I did pretty good for my first lesson. I liked getting the treats whenever I remembered to sit.
Not only did I learn how to sit. I also learned how to lie down. I liked that one better. It’s more comfortable to lie all the way down. It seems funny that the humans get to decide whether I should sit or lie down. I should do what I want! But they seemed happy when I did either one. And I got more treats.
Miss Janet also taught me how to come to her when she calls to me. She used Beauregard’s fancy treats for that one. She said if I’m going to run around Beauregard’s farm without my leash, she has to be able to call me back if I’m headed for trouble. Those treats are super tasty, so I went running to her as fast as I could, every time she called me. She told me I’m a very good boy.
Apple Chase
I was having so much fun and learning so many things. Just when I didn’t think I could possibly learn anything more, my aunt brought out an apple. She rolled it on the ground. I ran after it and brought it back.
We played that game for a long time. Once, I was running so fast, I tumbled over my head. I felt a little dizzy, but it was fun. I grabbed the apple and ate a little piece. My aunt said it was okay for me to eat a small piece of the apple, as long as I didn’t eat any seeds. The seeds aren’t safe for dogs.
Miss Janet brought the apple home, so I could keep playing the game. She cut the seeds out of the middle, so I wouldn’t eat them. There was a big hole all the way through the apple. It looked so funny.
After we’d play, she’d let me eat a little piece. It tasted so good. It reminded me of the grass under the apple tree on the farm—sweet and yummy and cool.
Nap Time
I had such a fun day at Beauregard’s farm. I didn’t know there were so many fun things to do. I asked Miss Janet if I could stay at Beauregard’s farm. Of course, I was kidding. I like our home. But his farm is really pretty awesome.
Soon, it was time for my aunt to pick up Beauregard, so we got back in her car to go home. I fell asleep on the way. Next thing I knew, I was lying in my play crate at home, just waking up from a big nap.
When a puppy naps, our brain is sorting through all the things we experienced that day. I bet my brain was super busy with all those things I did on the farm. I still remember how to walk up stairs. I even remember how to sit and lie down, but I still forget to actually do those things sometimes.
Whenever I sit on my own, Miss Janet says, “Good sit.” I don’t get a treat when I do it on my own, so it isn’t as fun. But maybe it’ll help me remember next time she asks me to sit. I still don’t see what the point is of telling me to sit or lie down. But if she’s willing to give me a treat, I’m willing to try.
I wonder if Beauregard is running all around his farm, smelling all the cool things I did while he was at the groomer. Maybe he will be there next time I visit, and we can do all those fun things together.
I hope you have a fun day filled with adventure. Don’t forget to sit sometimes!
Josiah
The Inquisitive Yorkie 