Hundgarten

Mommy and Daddy took me on a special outing today. It was special because Grandma and Grandpa came along too. We have never all ridden in my car before. So that was special. Mommy and Grandma sat in the back so when I would put my snout on the back seat, they would turn around and pet me.

We went to some park we haven't been before. I like parks. I like the trails and sniffing around. It's so much better than the stupid neighborhood Mommy always forces me to walk through. It's always the same streets, the same smells. Boring.

There were lots of people in the park. Then there was a group of teenagers walking by a lake with a bear! He was walking along them and waving his arms. I started barking because it was weird. But Daddy tried to calm me down saying it was a person dressed as a bear. Why? Why would you do that? It makes no sense.

Then when came to this enclosed area where there were all these dogs. A dog park. Like 20, 30 dogs were there. I didn't know any of them. And they were all running around like they were knew each other well. But we went in. And Daddy let me off the leash. To play with the dogs. But I didn't know any of them and I was afraid. I was shy and embarrased.

What if they don't like me, I thought.

And there were no bassets there. Grandma, Grandpa and Mommy went to sit on the bench and I wanted to go with them but Daddy forced me to go to play with dogs. I stayed close to Daddy.

These dogs came around to sniff me. I was afraid and curled my tail all the way down! But they wouldn't leave me alone. So I stuck to Daddy but he was pushing me away to play with these dogs.

Then a funny squat dog that walked with a swagger came around to sniff me. She was my size. Daddy said it was an English Bulldog. She wanted to play. And I would've played with her, if there were no other dogs who kept coming up and scaring me.

Eventually I got a little less shy. I went up to other people to say hi. And I watched other dogs run around and play from the side.

Then everyone -- Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa -- sat on that bench, and I went up to them to sit on the bench too, so we could all watch the dogs play, but they wouldn't let me sit with them. Instead Daddy took me back to the dogs.

I watched them play from a distance but I was too shy to join in. There were so many of them and they were all big. I was afraid to run in between them.

Maybe next time. Maybe Daddy takes me back to the park.