Happy Birthday Gunner!

We're friends...not best friends but friends non the less.  You've kind of grown on me, you're getting lazy (which makes you easier to take), and I feel safer knowing you could scare away anyone with your bark.  As long as they don't pet you and realize your bark is all you've got :)  You're great with the kids, and you put up with a lot from them, but you still have a way of driving me INSANE. 

For example....

Last night I was going to take the kids for a walk after supper.  Corey was off to softball, and since Paige likes to ride her bike (and needs assistance at times) and I was pushing Parker in the stroller I didn't feel like I had enough hands for Gunner too.  So we had to leave him behind.  Halfway down the street I could still hear him crying because he couldn't believe that we did this to him.  We made it to the the intersection and because we have been working a lot on rules and safety, we were at a complete stop looking for cars, talking about riding in the crosswalk, and so forth.  I look over and what is to appear...Gunner.  Runs up to us and sits down because thats what he's been trained to do at an intersection.  Looks up at me, tail wagging mile a minute as if to say, "Don't worry I caught up."  By the collar i take him back home, Paige is pouting because she wanted a longer walk, I'm trying to guide the stroller and Gunner, and I'm VERY irritated.  Get him home lock him in his kennel in the garage.  By the way the first time he got out by undoing the latch on the fence. 

Start out on  a 2nd attempt at a walk.  Decided to take an alternative route because a train was crossing.  So we go a route that we don't normally walk on our evening family walks.  We end up coming back to the house from the opposite direction about 25 minutes later.  As I'm nearing our house, way down on the other end of the highway I see a dog running down the street.  I yell Gunner's name and his head turns toward us.  He takes off in a dead sprint towards us.  Now if you don't know were we live, we are right off  a major traveled road with lots of fast traffic.  I'm thinking great... the dog's going to hit by a truck right in front of the kids.  Paige realizes the dilemma too and says, "Mom I'm going to ride my bike a little faster to go and protect Gunner.  PERFECT!

Anyway, he catches up to us right at the turn of our cul-de-sac and runs to the yard and lays down exhausted.  Obviously he had run the ENTIRE town looking for us on our "normal" route.   This time he unlatched his garage kennel door to get out. DAMN DOG!

So the moral of the story:  Gunner lives with us because he chooses to, if he wanted to leave he obviously could.

Happy 3rd Birthday Gunner!  I Love  Like  You're ok Buddy!