Wrigley, My Guiltless Dog

It never gets boring around here with my dog Wrigley. And yesterday was no exception.  We were on our early morning walk with his best golden retriever friend Tucker and owner, the two standard poodles Rudy and Sassy, their owners and later picking up Cairo, another golden and her owner.  The golf course we live on allows us to use the course for walking our dogs before and after the golfers and they can run free (or at least no one tells us we can't..at least not to our face).  It's a wonderful privilege that we would all sorely miss if it went away.  






Which brings me to yesterday's adventure............about halfway through the hour long walk, we are noticing how immaculate the course looks and we hear about the big three-day woman's tournament that was to take place.  The workers were busy running around, grooming the course and setting up stations for the ladies to have water.  As we passed the Clubhouse, we see a larger set-up with orange juice and coffee, but we don't think much about it.  We continue walking.  And by 'we', I mean all of us EXCEPT Wrigley! 

Wrigley has gone over to the table and has discovered that although it's only 7 am, they have already put out large platters full of FOOD.  Big cut-up chucks of cheese...just for him!  Wasn't that nice of the club to do for me, he says to himself.  About that time, we are all looking around for each dog and as we turn back, we see that ole Wrigley is counter-surfing and trying to help himself to this glorious treat.  I yell, "No, that's not for you".  I zap him with his collar but he's way too focused on cheese for it to have any effect.  So, I sprint over to pull him from the table.  We are screwed....I am thinking.

Luckily, he didn't get too much.  The platter was decorated with lots of fancy linens and sitting in about the middle of the table.  Leslie and I fix up the table skirting and scattered cheese chunks that Wrigley has destroyed while David holds Wrigley tight.  It takes a village when a dog like Wrigley is involved! We are all frantically looking to see if anyone from the club was watching.  We see no one.  We are very lucky.....

Now, in Wrigley's defense, how was he to know that this beautiful table wasn't set up for the dogs?  They live a wonderful life.  We have several people who walk each morning by themselves but have baggies full of dog treats.  The dogs run from person to person with the high hopes that a treat will be given to them.  We have awesome neighbors!  The golf course maintenance crew all seem to love the attention the dogs give to them and they stop working to pet the dogs.  Tucker and Wrigley always check the carts for leftover burritos which they have discovered on many occasions, too.  Perhaps he thought this was a special day and an extra spread was put out just for the four-legged creatures.

Anyway, we start back walking and Wrigley is bouncing along, not a guilty bone in his body.  He is smiling and probably telling the other dogs about the cheese he managed to scarf down!  Dave sends me this video about a dog who has eaten something he shouldn't have and watch how guilty he looks.....so cute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ISzf2pryI&feature=player_embedded#at=11

I think I am going to make Wrigley watch it.....