I even noticed that Nala has "carved" out her own little trail of mud - she races the cars as they drive up the road. That's where she's getting muddy (there is still some run-off from melting snow). Maybe little tiny paver stones…hee hee
This probably won't help, but Deke is really short for Zindeku it means "protective charm" in swahili. Thats not his registered name. His name describes his personallity now, but not when he was a puppy. He grew into it.