Mallory went on an all expenses paid shopping trip this afternoon, her very first, paid for by me. She was such a great ambassador for the breed and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
On the drive to the store she peeked out of the window at the family in the minivan behind us; I’ve never had so much fun being stared at in all my life. Then an elderly couple pulled up beside us at a stoplight, he looked over, saw Mallory, nudged his wife so she’d look, and waved at us.
Between Mallory deciding to flop down in the midst of the parking lot and the people that stopped to talk to us on the way inside the store, it took us ten minutes to get from where we parked to the automatic doors. Then, we were barraged with compliments and people wanting to pet her. A little girl and future big dog owner I suspect, followed us around the store.
Mallory happily obliged everyone, tail wagging, tongue hanging out, wowing everyone with her Saint Bernard cuteness. It took us fifteen minutes to get to the back of the store where the beds were. Once we were there I threw out a few beds on the floor figuring Mallory would choose the one she wanted. She settled on a blue snuggle nest, the cheapest of all the beds. We have a bargain shopper!
Once she plopped down in the aisle and settled on her bed it took another fifteen minutes of conversations and doting before we could switch aisles. Mallory, however, did not want to budge from her bed so we picked up the bed with her still on it, wedged it in the cart, and she napped for the rest of her shopping trip. I bought her apple deodorizing spray and she wasn’t even awake to appreciate it!
She met thirty people today, was barraged by five children, was called cute thirty times, fluffy ten times. An analogy was drawn between her and a horse once, I was warned that she was going to eat me out of house and home by seven different people, and I heard Beethoven referenced six different times. I even heard, “Look Mommy- Beethoven!”
The trainer at the store complimented her on what a low key puppy she is. Hardly anything startles her and she’s friendly to everyone, human and canine. She further reinforced my therapy dog hopes after puppy kindergarten and canine good citizen.
Now that we're home, I've brushed her, deodorized her, and found time to apply for a credit card with her picture on it already. I'll need it for all those future shopping excursions.