Molly's walk

Last Wednessday we were able to take Molly on a nice long walk.  We started from our house and headed to the library where I wanted to pick up some holds and then on to Jerry's IGA to grab some canned food for the kittens, and finally Hessell Park.  When Molly first arrived she was extremely sedate on walks, but on this walk we realized this was just a part of her insecurity  and she can benefit from a bit more experience on a leash.  By no means is she unruly  or a puller, but now that she is more comfortable, she is also  bit more likely to jump for squirrells, insist on being way out front or to react to other dogs.  She has such a gentle nature, though, that she is truly a pleasure to walk with, even without much obedience training.

Along the way we met lots of people, and even a fire engine wailing down the street.  She really enjoyed watching the kids at Hessell  and would have loved to join in the play.  Unfortunately, a thunder storm was brewing so we cut our visit short.  I wouldn't worry about Molly in a storm though.  She was just fine, even with the thunder booming right over our heads.

On Thursday, I had a garage sale, and I let Molly hang out under my table to meet lots of people.  She was enjoying herself thoroughly, until one customer was unsure of her -- and Molly became very unsure.  I ended up moving her farther away where she could still see everyone, but they wouldn't walk right up on her.  She didn't like that as well and ended up chewing through her leash.  So I moved her closer, but not right under the table, and this spot worked wonderfull. 

Molly has a variable pitch bark.  Most of the time her bark is nearly silent and wheezing from a very tight throat.  She almost squeeks it out and it is mostly just the sound of escaping air squeezed through her vocal chords.  Yet, she can really bark -- she just doesn't do it very often. She did bark at the insecure woman at the garage sale.  And she has barked at another dog we met on a walk -- one that was raising absolutely all sorts of cain at her. Her normal high pitch squeek is what she has consistently used when she wanted out of the crate, or bathroom, or any time she can see me, but can't get to me for some reason.  Her full bark is reserved for being left in the crate when we are not at home -- she doesn't seem to do this when we leave her in the bathroom, or for something she deems a truly serious situation.

The pictures below and in the post below show the day that we let her actually meet the kittens.  She had been sniffing them unrelentlessly under the crack of the door, and they were obviously very interested in her, and not scared a bit. She had met them through the walls of the crate, and they never showed even the slightest bit of apprehension.  So I brought them out and let them meet.  Molly wanted her nose right up in their faces, or the other end, and Midnight did her give her one very mild hiss.  Which made her immediately drop to the floor and roll over on her back.  She finally got up her nerve to come back, and this time Midnight was just fine.  She sniffed and sniffed, and then began grooming them with her tongue.  I am not really clear on whether dog saliva is particulary healthy for growing kittens, so I ended the visit, but they were content enough to have gone to sleep together if I had let her go on.