Merry Strawmus!

Merry Strawmus everyone! The holiday season has come early! The dogs got straw in their houses and they are happy!
The first snow hit a few days ago and with it, the cold. That means that the dogs get a little extra insulation in their houses. Bill said that they would be excited to see the hay, but I had no idea what I was in for.
First, a layer of wood chips is put on the bottom of their barrels. This helps to soak up any moisture and it gives the straw something to stick to. The dogs acted differently to the wood. The veterans gave it a quick sniff and then turned away. The puppies, however, thought it was the coolest toy I could have ever given them. They each picked out their own personal piece and started trotting it around. I think they were having a competition to see who had the biggest piece of wood. They played fetch with pieces of wood and threw them up in the air triumphantly. If I thought the puppies were adorable with the wood, it got even better with the straw.

The oldest dogs turned into puppies. Maverick was the first to get new bedding; he sat anxiously by me as I arranged the straw in his house. His front paws stomped up and down as he waited impatiently. As soon as I stepped back, he moved into the house, quickly rearranging. He stretched out in the straw, molding it to his body, and pawing it around as needed. When it was just right, he laid down and stuck his head happily at my feet.
A few dogs later, I arrived at Fury. Being the smallest and cutest dog, I had to give her extra straw. She continued to pick straw up in her mouth and shake it with a fury befitting her name. Her house now has a beautiful entrance way covered in straw.
The puppies were the most fun, however. They thought the straw was interesting, but they thought that having me on my knees with my head poking into their house was even better. Every single one of them jumped on top of their house and attacked my hair and neck with some puppy love. Niva even managed to jump onto my back and stand there as I tried to make her a comfortable bed. As ever, I love those puppies.
Over the next few weeks, I'll add in more straw as it inevitably gets dragged out and squashed down. The veterans will paw at it until it's perfect, while the younger dogs will have a straw party. Every time, I am going to fall over laughing at the little present I can give them.