Camp Dogs

One of my favorite camp activities is unofficial. I like to call it, "Camp Dogs and Campers Get Mutually Tired". After dinner, cabin groups have "free time" before evening activities. During this time, I take the dogs out for their evening play time. So often, dog play time and camper play time become one. The campers love to chase the dogs chasing the ball. It works out well because everyone gets tired and after 15 minutes or so, I get to send everyone on their way and I have two tired happy dogs and counselors have tired happy kids.

Living the Good Life

Staff training lasts about two weeks- the first few days are lifeguarding and CPR and then it is 12 hours a day of nonstop activity. It's been BUSY but you don't need to worry about Grif and Liv- every short break I had was spent playing with the puppies and they also got to come to some of the all camp events, so they have been just fine.

It's a tough life being a bulldog...

Griffin doesn't really enjoy playing- he'll chase the ball every now and then. But he very much enjoys getting his belly rubbed. Lucky for him, we have an AMAZING assistant camp director who not only keeps camp running, but also spends her free time on the field with me. I kick the ball for Liv and she and Grif lay in the shade and relax. Here is a video of the most ridiculous dog in the world!

Olivia is staying busy with her ball, lounging on the porch, and bossing the staff around. Griffin is super affectionate and lovable, and the staff have taken to him. Meanwhile, I have had more than one staff comment that they think Olivia looks like she is judging them. I told them they were accurate in that observation. She mostly thinks she is better than everyone and doesn't have time for them unless they have something for her. 

At the opening campfire, Olivia and Griffin joined us. I know bulldogs aren't supposed to eat marshmallows, but Olivia loves them and I am not a perfect bulldog mom, so I let her... I know, I know...

As soon as we got to the fire circle, Olivia started DEMANDING a marshmallow. After she interrupted my opening speech to the staff a few times, I looked at her and said, "10 MINUTES!" She sat down, closed her mouth and waited patiently. One of the staff said, "does she really understand?" I know it makes me sound crazy, but I really think she does understand. 

When I started roasting a marshmallow, she leaned against me the whole time, acting like she'd like me to give her the stick, knowing the marshmallow was for her. After eating hers, she attempted to help Abby hand out marshmallows to the rest of the staff and then helped everyone clean off their sticks between marshmallows.

At the all camp game later in the week, Olivia appointed herself referee. She insisted on being in the middle of things. This is a photo of the two of us. I would like to note that I was sitting there first and she jumped up on her own and then wiggled her way behind me so she could be in the best position. She can't jump on the couch- she prefers someone lift her like a princess, but when she wants to be somewhere, she develops an amazing ability to jump. 

My biggest battle has been with the bulldogs and dirt. They LOVE rolling in the dirt. I brush them and wipe them down with wet wipes, clean their ears and wrinkles, brush their teeth and feel so good when I snuggle my clean puppies. And then as fast as they can, they find a pile of dirt and roll around- absolutely joyful. "Oh don't worry about it, I'll just wipe my face off on your sheets or on the couch" is the look they give me when I find them. I continue to try to keep the house (and the bullies) clean, but it's not going well. If that's my biggest issue, I guess I'm doing okay, but I am going to keep trying!

Campers come today!! Let the fun begin!!

Dog Thoughts

This is Olivia after she buried her bone in the wet, muddy sand. She walked around for a long time and after some thought, she went behind some bushes. When she came out, this was her face.

I burst out laughing and grabbed my phone to take her photo. This was the fourth attempt because she did NOT want her picture taken and kept turning her head away from me.

When I finally got a picture, she looked utterly disgusted at me and stomped off. When we went inside a little while later, she emphatically jumped on the couch and refused to come to bed with me.

Dogs can get embarrassed and angry too.

Griffin has also been doing some thinking lately. Yesterday, we were sitting inside but the door was open. The staff house is only about 30 feet away from my house, so when they make noise, we can hear them.

They were being pretty loud and Griffin noticed. I thought he was just barking at the noise, but when he continued to bark and whine at the gate, I eventually let him out. He marched right over to the house. When he got inside, he made the rounds, sniffing and getting petted by everyone.

He looked pretty content sitting with a group of them who were playing the guitar. He was not a happy puppy when I made him leave shortly after arrival. He was ready to hang out with all of his new friends and I ruined his night.

So overall, I'm the mean puppy mom right now. Poor bullies...

Freedom Lost

We left the woods today for a brief (2.5 days) trip home. I have some meetings and am running a 5K.

Olivia and Griffin are SUPER unhappy. They've spent the day sighing deeply and collapsing dramatically and looking at me like, "why are we here when we could be rolling in dirt, exploring the woods, laying in the sun and playing every hour?!?"

I'm sure they will survive, although if they keep carrying on with the dramatics, I might leave them here. 

Back to Camp

We're back in the woods for the summer! We've been at camp for almost a week and Olivia and Griffin have adjusted quickly.

We start each day with breakfast, followed quickly by Olivia freaking out until she gets to play. Here is a video if you don't believe me-

In case you are feeling bad for this poor mistreated puppy who is obviously being tortured, let me clarify... We play several times a day for 20-30 minutes each time. In between playing, Olivia chews on one of many bones, alternates between laying on the deck or on the couch (because the door is always open for her comfort) or joins me for walks around camp.

The great injustice of Olivia's life is that there is an area of the house where she is not allowed. We re-arranged the furniture and created two couch areas. We covered the couches on one side so that the dogs could lay on them. We blocked one side so that they dogs couldn't go onto those couches.

I haven't been able to get video of Olivia, but within a few hours of being at camp, she looked at the off-limits side, looked at me and then climbed her fat little body over the back of the couches as if she were a cat. Here's a video of her from later in the week.

Olivia likes things her way and I think she thinks that now that we are back at camp, we are all here to wait on her. So we're adjusting... it's good to be back in the woods...

A Weekend at Camp

It was Work Weekend at camp and so Grif, Liv and I headed up North to kick off the summer. We had 60 volunteers helping us clean, rake, and get camp ready for another great summer of fun.

Olivia and Griffin LOVE camp. Olivia got to play with her ball about 50 times. In between, she rolled in the dirt and explored the woods and when she was too exhausted to do anything else, she curled up on the couch until she had enough energy to repeat the whole thing. 

Griffin played with the ball every time anyone besides me was also on the field. He is a show off like that. 

We still have a few weeks until we move to camp for the summer, but I think the puppies are ready for it now! Here are a few videos of them at camp.

Anyone who knows O&G know that Olivia LOVES her ball more than anything else in the world. I probably need to stop taking video and photos, because there's nothing new, but it still makes me happy to see her so content!

Griffin found a frisbee. He was quite content to lay on the field and chew it while Olivia played.

This is Griffin playing with the frisbee with his good friend Meghan. Meghan was one of the program directors last year and lived with us during the flood. I am not sure if she misses Grif more or if Grif misses her more, but they got to hang out at work weekend and life was good!

Spring Pictures

After the winter that would never end, it is finally Springtime in Minnesota.

Here are a few shots of Olivia and Griffin.

So tired...

Snuggling

Olivia thinks Nate is the butler. 

Griffin is so tired...

"Seriously?"

Hanging out together

Griffin found a fort that the neighbor
kids had built at the park.

After 10 minutes, I was afraid he
might be trapped.

Olivia and her ball in the mud.