Guest Post by Harvey: Running with Mom

It's been a while since Harvey has done a guest post on the blog, and after our run yesterday, he thought it was time he share his point of view again. Harvey is getting to be a middle-aged dog-- he'll be six in August. He's getting a little more particular about things as he ages, but he still loves to run. I hope you enjoy this post from Harvey!

Hi Everyone! It's Harvey, here! Harvey T. Dog. Mom says the "T" stands for "the," which is kind of boring. Why didn't they give me an actual middle name? I'm a person, after all! I suppose it's OK though because I also have some cool nicknames. My people sometimes call me Harvinator, and Red Rocket, and Harv McGarv, and lots of times they just call me Buddy. I like all my names and I love my people. They can call me whatever I want, I just want to be with them.

One thing I love about my people is that they take me on a lot of runs and walks out on the farm where we live. Yesterday, my mom took me on a run and I had so much fun, I wanted to share it with you and tell you all about it, from my perspective! I love to run. 

I knew we were going for a run before Mom even said the word run. I knew it because she had her special shoes on that means we're going for a run. When Mom or Dad put their shoes on, I know it's almost time to go and I like to try to help them get ready faster by doing my happy dance and jumping on them and putting my head right where their hands are. I just get SO EXCITED to run!

Mom takes forevvvvver to get ready to run. She likes to stretch and do other silly exercises before she runs. Not me. I'm ready to go all the time. I am always ready to run. When Mom was finally ready, she said "Let's go!" and I ran out ahead. I like to be first. I have to be first. 

Mom says I should tell you that I don't wear a leash or collar when we run. I almost never wear my leash or collar except when we go to town. Honestly, I don't really like going to town that much. I like my farm where I can run free. I would never, ever leave my people and we barely ever see any other cars when we run, so Mom says she's not worried about me out in the country. That's good because I hate wearing a leash. This Vizsla cannot be contained! 

Lately, I've been becoming more choosy about when I like to run with my Mom. If it's too dark, or if it's too hot, or if it's the same old boring route she almost always runs, I don't like to go as much. Also if it's too windy. Unless I'm really, really excited and it's been a long time since I've had a run, I'm getting a bit more picky. This time was one of those times. I was excited at first, but then Mom was headed down the same old boring path. Ugh. Why doesn't she just run out in the fields and grass like me? Who needs roads?!  I decided to tell her how displeased I was with her route selection by stopping in the middle of the road and sitting down. Mom seemed nonplussed. She acted like she really wanted to run. Uh... Mom? This road is the same as it's ALWAYS been! Chill out! 

I was just about ready to just turn around and go home when Mom said that maybe I could "Get the bird!" Oh boy! Oh boy! I LOVE to get the bird! Getting the bird is one of my most favorite things in the whole world! Mom pointed a little ways up the road, and I began to sniff... and she was RIGHT! There WAS a bird there! I could smell him with my nose and I knew it was the bird that Mom and Dad call a Hun (Hungarian Partridge). I showed her where they were by giving  my special point, and then she told me to "Get 'em!" and I pounced and not just one bird, but a whole big bunch of birds flew up and I got to chase them and it was so, so fun! Guys, I got the birds! I was so happy! I was so proud of myself. Mom seemed happy too, especially because after that I was excited about running again, even on this boring old road. Mom kept going and I stayed right with her because clearly she knows where the birds are at and maybe she could find me another bird. 

Then Mom did something that surprised me. Instead of going straight down the road like she always does almost every single time we run this way, she did something that I wasn't expecting and she TURNED and started running along in the grass! Mom said it was because the farmers who own this field mowed the grass next to the field so it was short enough for her to run there. Me, I don't care how tall the grass is, I just run. I was so excited that Mom turned here that I sprinted way ahead!

The short grass in the middle is where my Mom ran. I ran all around. On the right side is a field of winter wheat. It's almost ripe and it kind of rattles when I run through it. I have to run/jump when the wheat is high because it's taller than I am! Mom says I look like a mule deer when I do that. We didn't see any deer on this run, though, but sometimes we do. 

 Just a little bit after my mom stopped to puparazzi my picture (again!) she asked me if I knew where the bird was. So, I began to use my nose again and sniff around, and there they were right there in the wheat! Guys, I got the bird AGAIN! Two times in one run I got to point a bird and then flush him and then chase him! Mom likes it when I chase the birds because she says it gets me really tired out. She's probably right, but it's just so, so, so much fun. I am pretty much the best hunter that I know.

I don't know why Mom took this picture of the alfalfa. I guess she thought it was pretty. I don't know why she wasn't taking a picture of me. I'm the star of the show, after all. I'm not even in this picture!

Moving on to my favorite part of the run. Guys, I don't know if you know this, but we dogs really love to roll in things that smell good to us. My nose told me that something dead was laying in the alfalfa field next to the road where my mom was running, so I took off and found it and I rolled and rolled and rolled all over the dead thing! I was so happy to roll on it! I was overjoyed! Guys, it smelled so good to me! My Mom said it smelled horrible and she could smell it from the road, but, oh man, guys, I thought it smelled amazing! Plus, if I roll all around in something that smells great like that, then it covers up my normal dog smell and I can hunt better without my prey knowing that I'm coming! After rolling on the dead thing, I could be even better than the best hunter!

 I ran off ahead again, but Mom had stopped to wait for Abby, my dog friend, who also was rolling on the dead thing. I decided to head back and make sure Mom was OK. She didn't pet me when I got there, though, and she called me "Stinky," which isn't one of my usual nicknames.

 Mom took us on a little further, right up to this creek. She told me to go down and get some water. She said she hoped it would make my dead thing smell go away. Whatever, Mom. I was thirsty and hot, so the water looked good. I decided all on my own that I wanted to wade into the water. I don't like to swim because I like my paws to be on solid ground, but I had a good drink and I got all wet and I felt so good! Mom says this is one of her favorite views on the farm.

 After I got out of the water, I was all wet and it felt so good! I think Mom was disappointed though because now I smelled like dead thing AND yucky creek water. That's just her opinion though. Obviously, I smelled great! And, I'm so handsome. I'm pretty much the best that I know.

 Finally, Mom said "Let's go home to our house," and I knew the way, so I decided to lead. There were a lot of hills, so I stayed on the road because it's the easiest path. I wanted to make sure Mom could see me. She seemed like she was really struggling. I'm faster than she is, but I looked back to check and make sure she was OK and to see if she was still coming. Even though my Mom is slower than me, she's getting faster.

 Finally, we made it home and Mom gave me some pets behind my hears, even though she was still calling me Stinky. She said it didn't matter because she was going to shower anyway and then she said that I was going to have a bath. I hate baths. The best part of having a bath is when it is over. Usually I get a treat after I have a bath. I guess that's one downside of living on the farm- I have a lot of baths.

 Guys, I just want you to know that I love to run and get the birds and go places on the farm with my people. Even though I wasn't too sure about this run at first, I made the right decision to stick it out. I got to get the bird twice, and I got to roll in a dead thing, and I got to cool off in the creek. This was pretty much an epic run for me! I'm so glad my people take me running and hunting and that we live in the country so I don't have to wear my leash and I can go wherever I want!

Also, I wanted to show you this picture my Mom took of me in my little pickup. Mom and Dad call it the Ranger, but it's actually my little pickup. If my little pickup is going somewhere, I'm going too. And I'm sitting in the front, because I'm a person, and I'm important. I love my little pickup.

After our run and after my bath (ugh!) I was so happy to just lay down on the porch in the sunshine. Mom says a tired Vizsla is a happy Vizsla-- she's probably right. :) Catch you later, everyone! Harvey T. Dog, signing out!

I hope you enjoyed Harvey's guest post about running on the farm! If you'd like to read the other post he did, you can find it by CLICKING HERE! Have a great weekend, everyone!