Goofy Girl

I know I've mentioned this before but Jill is a little ditsy sometimes. I say "little" only in an effort not to hurt her feelings, but people who know her well will agree wholeheartedly with me. This is the same girl who tries, over and over and over again, to "fluff" up the tile in the kitchen before she lays down on it. She will only eat if someone is sitting right next to her keeping her company, and when she was a puppy, she would get so scared of the vacuum that she would run and go into our pool and swim laps so the evil vacuum wouldn't get her.

She is also petrified of plastic bags, anything that makes a loud noise, and likes to sleep with her head hidden, either under a bed, behind a door, etc. Now, mind you, we got her when she was 8 weeks old, and she has never, to our knowledge, been traumatized by any of those things. She is just quirky, very, very quirky. Sometimes I blame her odd quirks on her having had hip surgery when she was quite young, and a lack of training on our part after that. We spoiled her like she was a little princess...lifting her onto and off our bed, catering to her every need, etc.

She is extremely endearing though, and is probably the most sensitive of all of my pups. If she hears someones voice getting upset, she will come to comfort you. She will nudge you and snuggle with you until you feel better. When my Pops is around, she is 100% devoted to him. She never leaves his side. She is a real love muffin. A quirky, goofy love muffin.

All of this is leading to a quick story about a little incident at the park today. I took the pups to the park, and met up with Val and her pups Joey and Kealani. We did our usual routine, threw the ball for the pups, chatted a while and got ready to leave...Since it was sunny and quite warm, we'd decided to meander over to a little old wooden picnic table in the shade. A couple of the dogs had gone under to enjoy the coolness of the dirt beneath it. Jill followed, and relaxed with the others. When it was time to go, Val and I got up, and the dogs followed as we started to make our way to the opposite side of the park, where the gate is. Everyone except Jill. Apparently, she'd figured out how to get under the picnic table, but couldn't figure out how to get out from beneath it. Seriously. How blond is she?

I called her name. She barked. And looked at me. And stood there. I walked a little further away. I called her again. This time she howled a little bit, as if to say, "Mom, come get me!" I called her name again, and she still stood there-doing nothing but waiting for me to come and help her. (Similar to the "act" she pulls about not wanting to use the doggie door we have. She will get half way through, and start barking and howling for someone to come and open the door for her, at which time she backs out of the doggie door and walks nonchalantly through the regular door. She is perfectly capable of going through the dog door, and does so quite often when no one is home, but she chooses not too if she knows someone is there to open the door for her. - Another of her quirks...)

I finally gave up, walked back to her, and lifted the table up, so she could saunter out. She took her time too...she wasn't panicked or anything, she just wanted someone to come and lift the table, which I did.

Now that I think of it.... Opening the door for her, keeping her company when she eats, lifting the table for her....WHO'S GOT WHO TRAINED? Smart girl that Jill...