Ray's Big Birthday Camping Adventure

Happy Birthday, Baby Ray!

It's hard to believe it, but Raylene is a year old. She's introduced us to a whole new level of dog crazy since joining our household nine months ago and we've loved almost every second of it.

We've been wanting to take Ray camping as part of our continued efforts to put her in new and different situations with and without people and dogs. A beautiful fall weekend during her birthday month gave us the perfect opportunity!

We recently camped at Sam's Throne Recreation Area in northern Arkansas. If you're not familiar with the place, Sam's is about 30 minutes south of Harrison up a twisty little mountain road and is popular with hikers and rock climbers.

Ray's car sickness, although better, is still an issue and this trip was a given. The trip down took an hour or so longer because we stopped a couple of times to try and abate the issue. She threw up twice on the way down and once on the way home. Luckily, she'd take a nap and be fine.

Ray loved everything about camping and hiking! From morsels at meal times to curling up on the sleeping bags, she was completely at home. The campsites at Sam's sit on a ridge with at least 75 ft. drop offs so we kept her real close to camp but she couldn't get enough exploring. We pretty much had the place to ourselves but she didn't bark or hide from the people we did see. She didn't bark at the owl or the coyotes singing together throughout the valley every night either.

Our weather was perfect and the leaves had just started turning so we were able to enjoy some early hints of autumn color. Ray had a blast hiking and did really well on the trails. We let her off leash for a little while and she would get 20 or so feet ahead then stop and look back at us, waiting impatiently just like Gypsy use to. Ray didn't let us linger very long to take pics or a drink when she was on leash either, she had things to see and smell!

Some of Ray Ray's funnier antics included digging up a steak from a previous camper and numerous small holes around the campsite hunting moles, and laying claim to sleeping bags as her humans were trying to enter them. She also followed us to the toilet, especially me, and would wait outside unless I brought her in. She would apparently get upset if I snuck over with out her. Funny girl!

Ray's definitely going on many other camping adventures with us and I can't wait to get her on the water! An unexpected treat is Ray choosing to sit and snuggle with me a lot more since we've been back, suits me just fine!

The other Rosendogs were left in capable hands, thank you Anna & Amanda!

And the Beat Goes On

Tried to get a new selfie with Ray and had to settle for this one. At least we're both in it.

Raylene managed to lose her fancy name tag and rabies tag. Guessing they came off somewhere in the yard during a wrestling match with Magi. Scoured the yard a couple of times but they've yet to turn up. Now's our chance to turn her loose!

If she continues pleasuring herself in the manner she recently discovered, Sillybutt may have to go elsewhere anyway. Just kidding! But seriously, what's with the masterbating dogs?!

Rosendog Family Field Trip

Very rarely do we take all four dogs anywhere together. A quick trip to Sonic for half-price shakes provided the opportunity to take the girls for a short trip with the boys as company so we loaded them all up and headed down the road. Everyone did really well! Ray had a blast hanging her head out the windows with the boys and looking at everything. Magi did pretty well too although she stuck it pretty close to us. But there was no crying or puking so I call it a win!

Ray brought a stick in yesterday through the dog door. I told her that sticks need to stay outside. She promptly went over, picked the stick up and headed back outside with it. I know she didn't understand everything I said, but Ray shows us everyday just what a smart dog she is.

Pain, Patrols and Rights of Passage

Ray's a big girl now. Yesterday she passed that all important milestone for modern bitches-getting spayed. I hate to put her through it but I also feel strongly about the importance of spaying and neutering dogs and cats. There are far too many animals in need of homes and too many irresponsible pet owners. Sorry, off the soapbox.

Since they were putting her under anyway, we went ahead and had that last baby canine tooth removed. Add in the microchip and Ray had a full day of poking and prodding. Oh, the price of being a Rosendog.

Poor baby had a long day that started with her routine being thrown out of whack. She couldn't have any breakfast or water and wasn't allowed in the backyard to do her morning patrol. Ray's outside more than ever now that spring has arrived. We rarely see her inside unless it's time to eat or take a nap. You can see her weigh her options when we call Sillybutt in the house for any but the afore mentioned reasons. She's sure there's something more important that needs her attention. But I digress.

Ray cried all the way to the vet, again. It makes me sad that she hates riding in the car so much. But I was happy to hear that her weight is up to 36 pounds. Her surgery went well and I was able to pick her up at the end of the day...after a thirty minute detour to reach the clinic due to an accident on the highway. I was really glad though that I didn't have to take the detour with Ray in the car, she really would have hated that. She threw up on the way home just the same. Luckily the seats were covered.

My sweet baby topped off the day by nipping my hand when she snapped at Speck for getting too close to 'her' water. She wasn't happy about being denied free access to the backyard either. Lucky for all of us she's already feeling much better and back to her usual hijinks. I'm sure surviving Ray's teenage period will prove to be a challenge, but I'm glad to have this right of passage behind us.

Sillybutt on Ice

If I haven't expressed how much Raylene likes the cold, let me just cover that now - my dog is a yeti. Ray LOVES cold weather, it seems like the colder the better. She wants to stay out and play long after everyone else has come in. It doesn't matter if the wind's blowing, it's dark or snowing, Ray's out there entertaining herself, or if she's lucky, playing with Magi.

The top of our backyard pond has frozen more than usual this winter due to the unseasonably cold weather we've been experiencing. Raylene can't get enough of the ice! We've given up trying to keep her off of it. She lays on it, leaps onto it and digs at it.

But her favorite thing is to frolic with sweet gum balls - yes, the pointy, brown, pain in the butt castoffs from my neighbor's sweet gum trees. Lieu loves to chew on them as well, but never have I seen him prance and dance with them the way Ray does, especially across the ice! It's absolutely magical to watch at night under the lights, but of course I couldn't get any video of that. Too bad the Olympic figure skating trials are already over, Ray would definitely take the gold!

I have visions of her falling through the ice and having to scoop her out or worse, but it's worth the worry to watch her have so much fun. Jason assures me that she's safe, the ice is plenty solid. And when it does start melting, he breaks it up to discourage Puppy Shackleton from exploring. Then she has a grand time trying to grab chunks of ice from the pond and running around the yard with it.

The pack and their people enjoyed a beautiful day in the backyard yesterday,  taking advantage of the 60 degree day among all of the bitterly cold ones. There was plenty of chase, wrestling and stick chewing to be had. Ray also worked on her tunnel to China in the digging pit and found her way to the top of the compost bin to bark at the neighborhood dogs. Such a busy, busy girl. I took advantage of the warm weather by giving the yard a thorough poop scooping. Such is the glamorous life of a super dog mom.