A Puppy's Wonder

It's quite entertaining to watch the world through a puppy's wonder. We humans sometimes take nature for granted, yet it provides constant entertainment for Bella. The sashaying, descending oak tree leaf almost gets caught in her mouth. Instead, she will pick it up by the stem, and prance around the yard with the leafy stogie hanging out of her mouth. After she drops it, the shredding begins, followed by the chewing and ending with my fingers pulling leaves out of her mouth.

She's still not the brightest bulb, but she has caught on to "Go get it!" I could barely see her as she darts through the over-grown grass to retrieve the bright yellow ball. Zeroed in on the ball like a laser, the only possible distraction is everything. The wind shakes a blade of grass. Bella's thoughts: Stop. Bite the grass. Was that a twig I stepped on? Pick it up. Chew for a bit. Then run wild until I trip over a vine. Stop. Bite the vine. Pull the vine. Pick it up. Run like wild, trailing behind a train of ivy leaves. Stop. Collapse against fence. Rocks, yum. I'll just lay here and chew a couple. When I'm through with them I'll sharpen my fangs on the concrete step. Okay, okay I'll stop. What? Get the ball? Oh, yeah, that's right. Where is it? Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, ouch. Hey, that's the ball! Got it! Back to mommy. Hey, what's that white flying thing? A butterfly? I'm going to catch it. Jump, snap, run, jump, snap. Dang! It went over the fence. I just gotta chew through this chain link and that butterfly is mine. Okay, okay I'll stop. Instead, I'll catch this little ant and eat him. Mmmm, squiggly caviar. What? The ball? Oh, yeah, that's right...I'm looking for the ball.

More times than not, I have to get up and show her where the ball is. Sometimes I have to even kick it for her to notice it. Maybe the grass is too high...maybe.