Towel Time

A quick melt after weeks of horrid cold and now we have to deal with dirty slush and mucky paws.  Please leave an old towel handy so I can get some of the muck off the feet.

Both groups went to Southland today and enjoyed the slushy ground and the warm temperatures.  I saw the strangest thing this morning.  Res and Guiness actually took off chasing an Ikeda.  If you don't know about these dogs they are huge (over 100 pounds) and not known for their timidness.  Her owner and I could not believe what were were seeing.  Then it was really cute when Res and Guiness came bounding back to me and we could see the Ikeda peeking around the little hills at the north end of the park.  Those Pinkney kids never cease to surprise me.  Marty was quite the social animal and I had to actually pick him up to get him to leave the park.  He had found a choco lab puppy and wanted to play with him.  It didn't help that the dog's whole family, including a couple of pre-teen kids were there and wanted to play with all the dogs in our group too.

In the afternoon Mitch found some duck feathers and was strutting around with them in his mouth like the big man on campus.  He moved pretty quickly when anyone went in to steal them from him.  Our new guy Owen was initiated officially into the group by XL Tucker and Bruin (they both tried to hump the poor guy).  I sometimes call Bruin "Bruin Owen" so he was getting confused when I would all Owen.  All in all the dogs got along really good and Owen is figuring out that getting into the truck with a pack of dogs is actually fun.

Vinny was really spry and had not trouble keeping up with the pack which is so nice to see.  Sam was quite sucky and would not leave my side.  I think that XL Tucker thought she might be new as well and needed to be initiated into the group.  It is too early for spring fever!!  

The afternoon group met up with a woman and her three boys (a baby in a stroller and toddler and young boy) and they flipped out - the boys and the dogs.  I think that every dog deserves a boy.  There is something about that bond - like kindered spirits or something. 

I love my messy, mucky, cheeky friends. 

PS The melt does cause molds and other yucky stuff to come up and be consumed by the dogs and may cause some upset tummies and some mushy poop.  Forewarned is forearmed.

The morning group consisted of 8 boys and one little girl puppy.  I think she felt a little overwhelmed at times even though they were more interested in that unnatural way with the boy puppies at the park.  For the most part they were all well behaved and didn't get into too much trouble.  Eli Miller has really come out of his shell.  It always takes a couple days and then he relaxes into the group and then his mom comes home to early.  He and Vinnie blue-eyes got along really well and enjoyed some wrestling and chasing games.  Bruin and his uncle Tucker were laid back and mostly kept to themselves except when it came to initiating a couple of new pups to the dog park hierarchy.  Bruin never seems to have enough sugar-babies.  I went down little hill and was hidden from the main part of the park as that is where the dogs go for privacy.  Ryder did not come down with the rest of us and when I came back up he was with a couple of women who have schnauzers that he loves.  I guess he thought they would understand and take care of him.  It is nice to have people at the park who know and care about the dogs. 

At lunch I took our new friend Viva out for a walk around McKenzie Towne.  She enjoys stretching her legs and seeing the sunshine and visiting neighbours. 

As usual the afternoon group tested my endurance.  They are such a high energy group.  I thought I would wear out the ball chasers and let Hollie have an opportunity to wander around before we started the walk.  Gabby, Pina, Bailey and Shea loved the chase and retrieving.  They don't love the bringing back so much so I was hoarse from having to remind them to bring it back so we all can play.  Sidney, Destiny and Taylor as usual just like the running and do not care what else is going on around them.  After Frank barks and chases everyone at the start of the walk he settles down and minds his own business. 

All in all a busy but fun day for everyone.

What a busy day for dogs!  The weather was beautiful and that brings out all the people.  I wonder were all the dogs are on gloomy days?  Both groups got to go to Southland.  The morning group was bursting at the seams to get out and play.  We tried to play ball but it ended up that they either stole the balls or grabbed them and ran away and unfortunately my old girl Whistler was the worst offender.  She would let the youngin's do the running and then she would steal the ball once they brought it back.  Nicky likes this trick too but one time he did go for the ball and was t-boned by Everest.  Nicky is a big boy but he went flying when he was hit by a 90 pound lab going for a ball.  Good thing Nicky is big and tough - he just got up and shook it off and went about his business.  The other Pinkney kids, Guiness and Res, could not be bothered with the ball and did their own thing.  Rosebud and Eli Miller enjoyed being involved in the chase. 

The afternoon group was a bit more unweildy and luckily Corey (my daughter's b-friend) came to help out.  Because the weather was so beautiful everyone was at the park. 

We welcomed Owen to the Tuesday and Thursday afternoon groups.  He is 8-yrs old and a big, gentle golden retriever.  This was his first experience with a pack walk and it was a bit overwhelming for him and he was letting everyone know how much fun he was having.  It is a good thing that he is such a good boy and he happily came lopping back whenever he was called. 

Again we tried for a game of fetch but there was just too much going on the dogs were getting too excited and the park for it to be safe and enjoyable.

We had another addition to the group today.  Her name is Viva and she is not quite ready for the off-leash experience so I will be walking her at lunch time until she is ready.  She is a 1½ yr old choco lab.  Hopefully she will be able to join the others and have tons of fun really soon.

It was a kinda gloomy looking this morning but surprisingly warm.  The west winds were blowing and it made the dogs giddy.  We were a small group - Everest, Whistler, Jin, Ryder, Rover and Eli Miller.  And as usual they were so mellow that they hardly needed me. 

The afternoon group, as always, was more rowdy.  I guess it is the couple extra hours of sleep in the morning.  Destiny and Taylor were so happy when they ran into another boxer.  It was like they were meeting a long lost relative.  The dogs seem to always know their own kind.  The rest of the gang - Clover, Sam, Shea and Everest got into a good game of fetch.  Clover was quite funny because she cannot keep up with the long legged dogs she has to take her opportunities when she gets them and steal the ball and then running around with it in her mouth like she actually fetched it.  Shea is really good at chasing the ball, getting there first and then taking off with it.  Sam will run really hard (sometimes) get the ball and then drop it half way back and bark at me to through another one and Everest (my baby of course) always brings it right back to me!!  (Ya right!)  Wilbur and Frank are more into watching and visiting than chasing a tennis ball so they hung back and enjoyed the other dogs getting breathless.  Miss Hollie the collie was doing her best to keep everyone in line but her bark isn't as loud as it used to be so she gave up and found a friend who would scratch her back. 

Another wonderful day at the park.  The morning group went to Southland as usual and there seemed to be a lot of other people and dogs there.  I guess everyone is making it up to their dogs.  I had a big burly group of boys and Res (the only girl).  Two of the Pinkney kids (Res and Guiness) were racing all over the place and playing hide and seek with me.  Nicky (the third Pinkney kid) was herding and bossing the other dogs around.  Marty and Copper wrestled and growled and pretended they were tough - really cute as they are both so small and Marty wears a purple camo sweater (not really tough looking).  Coming back from the north end of the park we ran into Miles and Penny Barker and their mom and then Penny S and her mom.  You would not believe the chattering - it was like they had not seen each other in months (and probably haven't if you consider dog time.)  We also met a new friend named Brady.  He is an 11 year old black lab and his dad.  They walked with us for awhile.  Brady took a shine to Copper and wanted to be his sugar daddy.  Bruin was upset because he is Copper's sugar daddy of long standing.  Loading up was really smooth as everyone cooperated once they realized I was not letting eight dogs in the cab of the truck. 

The afternoon group grew as the day progressed.  They were so excited by the time we got to the park that people were looking and laughing at us.  Rover, Maya, Clover and Sam are very vocal and they were carrying on like I had abandoned them when I was actually just unloading the dogs next group of dogs.  Vinny L. made it out today after not feeling well on Tuesday.  We are all happy that he was so energetic (and he looked so cute in his boots and old man sweater.)  Since they were a little nutty at first I took them to the far corner of the park and of course they found the holes in the fencing and went into the planted area.  One by one they would get in and I would call that one out and they another one would discover uncharted territory and wander in.  Dogs are sometimes harder to herd than cats!  

Another wonderful day with my sweet and sometimes stinky friends.

Finally!! Two good days in a row and the dogs were lovin' it.  The morning group started out at Southland and the sun was shining so bright.  The dogs could not wait to get out and start moving.  The group was quite small (Everest, J, Rover, Ryder, Whistler, Sheba and Sierra).  The dogs all seem to love it when Sierra comes to play.  She gets the boys going and teases them until they chase her.  Her legs are so long that they rarely catch her unless she slows down so they can.  They are quite noisy when they play this game.  Sheba (who is 15 years old) was very spry and only had one senior moment when she forgot who she was with and wanted to stay with some else.  Since the dogs were playing so well together I thought I would clean up some of the poop in the park.  Well, I think that people think that cold weather means that they don't have to pick up.  There was a gross amount of frozen poop laying around. 

The afternoon group was a rowdy bunch and being cooped up for several days did nothing to release any of that energy.  Bailey and Everest really wanted to play fetch but Shea and Steve (from Jennifer's group) kept stealing the balls and then not sharing so the fetch game was sparatic at best.  When Shea wasn't stealing balls she was playing with Wilbur.  They seem to have a mismatch, somewhat akward relationship that works.  He gives as good as he gets.  Sidney was so happy to at the park he could not wait to get out of the truck and a couple of times he jumped out prematurely and I had to duck as he flung himself to the ground.  Luckily we were stopped on sidestreets picking up other dogs.  At one point he had wandered away from the group and after calling him several times I saw this blur of legs, ears and tongue come literally flying down the hill to catch up.  There was no place for cover or protection so I just had to hope he had good brakes or could steered away from my legs in time.  The look on his face was priceless!  Penny, Frank and Hollie kept a low profile as usual and just enjoyed being outside in the fresh air.  The boxer sisters were very well behaved (sometimes I think they share a brain and one or the other forgets to bring it - but I love them) and they enjoyed meeting and checking out new friends.  Destiny sat in the front on the way home and she had her head in my lap while she dozed. 

It feels so good to be back to a normal schedule.  Only in Calgary can we get excited about -9!!

    

C-c-c Cold!!

Oh my word what a dreadfully cold start to the day.  The morning group was game for trying it so Diesel, Everest, J, Maya, Guiness, Nicky and Res headed to the park for a bit of a run.  The dogs fell out of the truck and started running to stay warm. 

On the way to the park Diesel warmed up his singing voice and sang some tunes.  He did not like when I joined in.  He stopped singing and I could see in the rearview mirror that he had his head cocked to the side and his eyes bugged out like he was saying "excuse me lady but I was singing first!"  His expression made me laugh out loud.  J did not much appreciate either of us singing and sat very still and snarled when Diesel came close to him.  Maya and Diesel enjoyed some really rough play.  There were lots of teeth and slobber but no one got hurt.  The Pinkney kids (Nicky, Res and Guin) but mostly Res and Guiny took off running together and went to say hello to the few people that braved the weather to walk their dogs.  After about 45 minutes I saw some paws up in the air and some frosty muzzles and we decided enough was enough. 

The afternoon group got a bit luckier.  The sun had come out and the temperature went up to a balmy -19!  The sun makes all the difference and we were able to have a full 75 minute walk.  Since I had a few wild ones (Rosebud, Shea and Sid) we started off with balls which they quickly lost.  The die-hard retrievers (Sam, Bailey and Everest) were not happy about that but I can't pull balls out of the air even though they think that I should.  Bruin was much happier today and rolled in the snow and was all disco-shiny!  He looked very cute for an old guy.  Frank was a bit cranky to start the walk but quickly settled into the pace of the group.  We sorta walked with two other groups and the dogs were going back and forth between the groups and everyone was getting along.  I love when that happens.  Shea and Rosebud met for the first time today and they both acted like six-year old girls finding their new best friend.  Very, very cute together.  Wilbur felt a little left out because Shea usually plays with him but he managed to get in on a bit of the action and most surprisingly he was able to stay out with the group for the full walk. 

I really love my furry, goofy friends!

PS  When it is this cold I let the dogs set the pace.  I frequently check ears and paws and watch the dogs for signs of discomfort.  We stay close to the truck just in case.  I have blankets in the back and I keep the windows closed to minimize the draft while driving.

The morning group went to Southland.  Havoc was able to join the dogs today.  He loves being outside and with his buddies Evererst and Vinnie blue-eyes.  The morning group was pretty mellow and we enjoyed a quiet walk in the park.  Princess Cheetos did not appreciate being outside as it was a bit cold for him but I made him tough it out.  He has to spend more time with Wilbur to learn that a pug is actually a DOG.  Hollie was really spry and had no trouble keeping up with the younger dogs and she did not have any senior moments so we did not have to back-track to pick her up from another group.  Ryder had his ringlets cut off and is not enjoying the cool sensations caused by the lack of hair.  He has to be bundled up.  Some of his fans did not even recognize him.  He was a little bit insulted.      

The afternoon group went to Edworthy and enjoined a very energetic game of fetch.  The dogs were quite hyper when we got to the park so I decided to drain them before we started walking.  They played fetch for about 30 - 40 minutes (or until they all were laying in the snow) and then we started the walk.  They did not fight, stock, bark, growl or annoy anyone else at the park.  They were perfect little angels.  The only flaw in my plan is that they all pooped after they were pooped so I ended up carry a lot more than usual.  Bailey, Sam, Gabby, Pina, Destiny and Everest love this kind of play.  Sidney and Taylor just chased each other and Mitch and Wilbur had their own game with a little twig as they are both too small to even attempt to compete with the retrievers.  Not one peep was heard from the dogs on the way home.

Happy New Year

It was like the first day back at school for the dogs today.  Most of the groups have been a bit mixed up and some dogs have been on holidays since before Christmas so it was very nice to have Ryder, Bailey, Hollie and Jin back with us today.  The morning group was very quiet as usual.  Nice to have a pack of mature and easy going dogs to start the week.  Nothing too exciting happened except we ran into Reo and his new "step-brother" Zorr and Sisco and her man-servant Gary. 

The afternoon group went to Edworthy and we got a late start (sorry that was my fault!) but once we made it to the park everyone was super excited and ready to party!!  Unfortunately due to shear number of people and dogs at the park partying was not a good idea.  The crowds and lovely sunshine made it hard for the dogs to concentrate and it took several minutes to get everyone focussed and moving in the same direction.  The dogs tried several times to steal someone else's ball and were quite miffed at me when I had to give it back.  When the group is really excited and the park is crowded playing ball is not especially safe so the dogs had to just make their own fun.  Shea and Wilbur enjoyed wrestling.  It always amazes me how tough pugs are.  Wilbur was holding his own against Shea and at times got the better of her.  On the way back to the truck Shea found us a new friend (she never has trouble making friends).  Her name is Elli and she is a 5-month old black lab.  She was adorable and pudgy and super playful.  Both her owner and I had to scurry through the underbrush to drag Shea and Elli out so we could go home.  Once Shea was out Everest decided he needed to revisit his inner puppy and he went and chased Elli around for a while.  By the time we made it to the truck all the dogs were much more relaxed and I did not hear a peep out of them on the way home. 

I am looking forward to another happy, healthy year with you and my crazy, furry and sometimes smelly friends!  2011 marks Fun for Dogs 4th anniversary!!  Who said it would not last.