The Barn

In our house, "Want to go to the barn?" is a clarion call to action. This question is followed by Abby's cocked head and then absolute lunacy. Leaping in the air, barking, running around, Sampson snorting and stomping his feet, all tails wagging furiously. Pure joy. It's as if they have never been there before - every time they go. "Oh my GOD, really? We can go to the BARN???!!!!" Then we drive (see the photo below) and when we arrive they blast out of the car (okay, Abby blasts and Sam steps out) and promptly disappear. Not really disappear, but they go about their business - free to do whatever they want (more or less).

Abby is a bit schizophrenic at the barn - she runs far afield, chasing, smelling, hunting, begging, visiting - but God forbid she doesn't know where I am. She gets absolutely frantic if she can't find me. She goes to the shed (Emmy's barn) then to the front arena, then the back arena, then the driveway, then the lounge, then the car, then the field, then..... Getting more and more fussed up. People have tried to console her when she gets in this tizzy, but to no avail. She will not rest until she has found me. Meanwhile, guess where Sam is? Lying by the car. He figures, "This is how we got here, this is probably how we're getting home. She can't go far without the car." Pretty clever guy, that Sampson. Which one are you? Are you a Sampson or an Abby? Not saying one is better than the other - just two different approaches to the same problem. Same outcome, "Oh, there she is.", followed by tail wagging... The things dogs teach us...