Adventures with Matty

As a child, I loved dogs. My first pet was a great golden retriever named Dixie, and I will always have a soft spot for her in my heart. We also had other dogs over the years, and I loved them all. Despite these positive experiences, I haven't been particularly enamored with dogs over the last few years. I would even go as far as saying that at times, I considered dog ownership to be a deal breaker or at least a road block for romantic relationships. It's not that I dislike them per se. Some of them just scare me, and even if I wanted one, my lifestyle is better suited to cat ownership. I love Tony, and that's good enough for me.

However, dating Beth has allowed me to love dogs again, or at least her dog, Matty. I love taking her for walks, car rides, or trips to the dog park. She's super sweet and a big ball of energy and fun. Hanging around her makes me think I might want a dog again someday, and it's been a lot of fun...for the most part.

Why only for the most part? Well, Matty has had some adventures lately. For instance, as Beth and I were driving home, we turned the corner onto her street and who do we see just wandering around? Matty. She crawled under the fence and was checking out the streets of Minneapolis on her own. Swell.

Another example: we took her to the dog park on Sunday morning, and because some idiot left BOTH gates open (we think that had to be on purpose, because who is that dumb? Seriously.), she was once again running free. This time, we were near the river, which made me nervous because I didn't know if she would try to go swimming (she loves to swim). Fortunately, she did not go swimming, and after a lot of running around by both Beth and me, I eventually caught her (by trickery, not by speed - she is crazy fast and I'm...well, let's just say I'm not).

Final example: Matty loves to play with any kind of ball at any time. However her idea of play seems to be destruction, since she destroys them approximately five seconds after she catches them. Thus, it's best that she remain separated from them for the most part. Fast forward to Sunday, when Matty, who was out in the dog run, saw B and I kicking a soccer ball around in her back yard, which is separated from the dog run by a fence. Or so we thought. Suddenly, Matty was out in the yard chasing the ball around like a crazy fool. She somehow managed to squeeze herself through the deck steps and out into the yard. This is bad news because if she remembers how to do that, she can never be left alone as she could then squeeze herself under the fence and out into the big world (see example 1).

Every time something like this happens, poor Beth becomes physically ill with worry, and it doesn't make me feel too great either. Matty is a decent size dog, but she wouldn't fare well against cars or other vehicles, and she seems a bit fearless as well. Not a good combination for a dog running free. I just hope that luck continues to follow her and that she stays safe, not only for Beth's sake, but for mine too. Despite my initial reservations, that dog has wormed her way into my heart. :)