Christmastime with Chester

Chester obviously loves Christmas.  Packages.  Bags tucked with goodies just for him.   We went to visit Melissa and Mom-Peg, and Denisha-No-dog-kiss-Therapist at Schreiber last week.  Melissa and Peg had Chester's Christmas present.  A bag STUFFED with goodies ~all his favorites....Pupperoni's (not the low fat kind like his mom buys), his very own peanut-butter jar, brand spankin' new tennis balls, a stuffed squeaky hedge-hog AND a grey flat non-stuffed squeaky rodent of some sort that we affectionately named roadkill.  ALL THIS was tucked in one cute Christmas Bag.  Can you tell they love him and spoil him like crazy? 

Well, when Chester-boy trotted in the room with his Santa-Elf hat on, they held up the bag and and shouted something about Chester and Christmas present at which time he promptly lunged and jumped (NOT proper therapy dog etiquette for sure) onto the therapy bed & stuck his nose right inside the bag. He went absolutely  bonkers and started kissing Melissa with a kazillion thank you slobbers.  Melissa and Peg opened the pupperonis and gave him a pre-therapy treat  After all, 'tis the season :-) . This could be where the problem started.   Anyways, after treats, he and Melissa got right to work.    ...pretty much....

Chester was workin pretty dog-gone hard, then, uh,  he got distracted looking at his present.  Had a hard time focusing.  So, for a brief moment when Chester took one eye off his present, Peg hid it.

A few minutes later, Chester stopped mid-exercise, eeerch, and sniffed.  He looked on the bed for his Christmas Bag.  It was missing. MISSING.  

He left Melissa.  Left Melissa?  Yes, LEFT MELISSA and went sniffing around the room.  Every nook and cranny.  

I am serious.

We were all in disbelief.  He never ever leaves Melissa.  Never.

We could not figure out what he was doing.  Then Peg said, "THE PRESENT.  He's looking for his bag."

No way.  YES WAY.

After sniffing every corner, poking his head into other rooms, he at last discovered his bag in the bicycle room.  We knew this because his fluffy butt and tail were wagging in circles poking out of the open doorway. 

We all of course were jaw-dropped in laughter.

I stayed next to Mellisa, while Peg went to retrieve Chester & his present.  She promised to give it back to him after his hour of therapy work with Melissa. He made her PROMISE.  She promised...

He managed to focus pretty well for the rest of therapy, and even won the quiet game.  (another post).

At the end of the hour, we headed out the door of Physical Therapy towards the hallway, Chester walking by Melissa's side.  Well, I should say he began walking AFTER Peg grabbed his Christmas bag and walked in front of him. He then pranced with Mellisa, ears perked and tail waggin' high.  I am serious....he wouldn't take more than a few steps UNTIL Peg was in front of him....so he could keep one eye on his bag of goodies and the other on Melissa.  He was not trusting the Mom who hid his Christmas bag in the bicycle room, not one little bit.

We said our good-byes at Melissa's van.  Chester gave smooches and thank you wags to Melissa and Peg.  I assured them that Chester LOVED his gifts, which of course went without saying. I reminded them that he would probably be sleeping with Hedgey and Roadkill.   This indeed turned out to be true AND he greeted Keith and I the following morning with both creatures proudly hanging from his mouth. Obviously they have the scent of his favorite people.  Not that they smell like roadkill.... :-) just the scent of best friends furr-ever.


Chester snoozin with Hedgey. 

OH and PS.....
I received a treasured present too. You won't believe it.  It's a calendar called YOGA PUPPIES.  For reals.  (Obviously someone stole Melissa & Chester's idea and made a calendar)  It is priceless and I smile big time every time I look at it. 


Chester could do this....easy :-)