A playdate for Hawkeye!

So, who says only people can have friends?
Last Saturday I was invited to my friend Dexter's house to play in his backyard. So who, you ask, is Dexter?
Dexter is an almost-year-old brown dog called a Boxer, and we met at intermediate obedience class. We liked each other, and talked during class. (That didn't go over too well, as we both got the Coke can stuffed with pennies shaken at us so we'd be quiet.) We stopped the barking, but when "socialization time" rolled around at the end of each class we'd play tug with the same toys and roll around on the floor. Turns out we're about the same weight, so it was an even match. Sometimes I got the rope, and sometimes Dexter did.
Our people saw we were having fun, and when classes came to an end my mom and dad, and Dexter's mom, decided we should get together. Apparently they have things called "schedules", though, and it took a few weeks for them to pull it off.
But before I could figure out the calendar in the kitchen, mom and dad put the leash on me and we all went in the car to Mary's house to play. Dexter was excited to have me in his home--so much so that we were quickly ushered out the back door to play. We both ran around on the deck, down the stairs, through the yard, and around in crazy circles. We pounced, we chased, we rolled in the dirt, we ran after a squirrel, we panted, and we drank water from bowls that Dexter's mom thoughtfully provided. (Boy, was she surprised to find out how much labs like to stick their feet in the bowl--guess Dexter doesn't do that!)
Mom and Dad got to hear the story of how Dexter tried to eat a bat before he had his rabies shots--that could have turned out badly, but he survived his quarantine, the bat wasn't rabid, and THEN Dexter got his shots and could come home. So glad I never met a bat!
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to another play date with Dexter in his fenced backyard. It's good to have friends.