Maizie and Marleigh are easily entertained, there is no question about that. Something as simple as a puddle or a leaf can keep them distracted for hours. This can be a problem when you are trying to go for a walk.

It had just finished raining and the wind was still blowing as we set out for our morning stroll Sunday. Maizie in particular is a huge fan of the rain. Something about the puddles she just can’t resist. Marleigh, on the other hand, could care less about puddles - it is the ever evasive leaves that really get her going.

I should have known this would be a recipe for disaster - for me at least. The second we hit the pavement, it was all over. Maizie caught sight of a stream of rainwater running down the street and was determined to dive in. Marleigh followed, but was quickly distracted by a leaf that had caught a breeze and was trying to escape. Naturally, these two events occurred in opposite directions.

While Maizie took off left to catch up to the stream, Marleigh stopped on a dime, bolted behind me to capture the runaway leaf. This left me with less than a second to make a decision as how to react. Channeling dance classes I never actually took, I somehow managed to leap just in time to avoid having Marleigh’s leash lay me out on the ground. In the same moment I was able to do an in-air 180º to correct myself based on Maizie’s direction of travel.

Stopping for a moment to see if anyone at all caught such an awesome act of dance / ninja moves (no one did, of course) I checked on my girls progress on both of their adventures. I looked to find Maizie belly deep in one puddle and Marleigh in another - with a leaf in her mouth.

-- Chloe Ochse --