Big Splash: The Video

Here's a short clip of Tess doing her grand entrance with Sonic supervising from the edge of the pond.

The Big Splash

My line dance costume. Yeehaw. We did a demo today at the SPCA Paws For A Cause. Loads of fun and a beautiful day in the park.

We took the dogs swimming at the swimming hole on the way home. Beaver hasn't been seen in a week. I guess he didn't like sharing his pond with the dogs. Tess always makes a grand entrance into the water.

Sonic, we sometimes have to coax to go into the water. She loves it, but not as much as Tess. She jumps right in when she is hot, but most of the time, she proceeds very cautiously.

Here's Twinkle Toes Sonic taking the long way around to bring back the ball. It would be much easier and quicker to just swim back to the side of the pond, but no. She has to go to the other side and all the way around. It must be a border collie thing.

This fellow here is Diefenbaker. He loves going in the water, but is a bit worried about getting in over his head. He wanted that stick SO badly, but it was not quite within his reach.

Catcher to the rescue. That little mop beside Catcher is Maggie. She's a small terrier thing with a big dog attitude. She takes seriously "If you can't play with the big dogs, get off the porch."

How can you not love a face like that?

Just Pics

The Rainbow Bridge Connection

Meet the Weasel (RIP July 7, 2005)

Meet Oreo (RIP July 4, 2000)

Many people have asked me about the dog, Oreo. She is the one that I wrote "Not Just A Dog" which is in the sidebar of this blog. This entry is for Oreo and her pal, the Weasel.

I got Oreo when she was 6 weeks old, after not having a puppy for over 10 years. It's amazing how much you forget in that time. Maybe because I was older and had less patience, but oh, how we battled for the first 18 months of her life. She was just such a lovable goofy dog that it was hard to stay mad at her. How bad can a dog be that can carry 3 tennis balls in her mouth?

Oreo always had a thing for socks. She never lost that thing for them over her entire life. She didn't ever destroy them. She just liked to carry them around and leave them places. Those where the only thing she ever stole. Well, there WAS the one time when she stuck her head in a friend's gym bag and went streaking down the hallway with a BRA in her mouth.

So, that was Oreo. A big mushy lovable dog that I still miss.

The Weasel had much Nova Scotia Duck toller in her. Now that I've had the border collies and have seen red border collies, I am pretty sure she had a lot of border collie in her too. She had the smarts to go with it as well.

She was the dog I got after losing my yellow lab to a heart attack. Funny, you can never go to the SPCA to "just look". I saw this little dog in the kennel, sticking her paw out at me, as if to say "you are MINE". She was an unclaimed stray, so I had to wait 3 days and hope nobody claimed her. I was camped on the doorstep of the SPCA the day she became available.

I could never understand why nobody had claimed her. She was extremely well behaved, house broken and mostly trained. Then I discovered what an escape artist she was. That's how she got the name "Weasel" Every time she'd walk the fence (yes, walk the fence) and get out, it was "Pop goes the Weasel".

Eventually, she gave up her wandering ways. She would still walk the fence, but she'd sit on the front porch and wait to be let in. It was almost as if she was telling me "I can still do this, I just choose not to leave...."

Oreo, Weasel and I had a grand time exploring the trails in our local parks. Oreo didn't like running all that much, but the Weasel ran with me right up till she was 13 years old. After that, I retired her from running and she and I hiked the trails and Mud Bay dike. I had lost Oreo by then, but added the new man in my life. He loved the Weasel as much as I did.

She was a real "coffee house" dog and loved schmoozing with people more than she like hanging out with other dogs.

So, before I get too sad thinking about Oreo and Weasel, I am going to end her and just dedicate this entry to them with love.

Beaver Video Clip

I thought I'd post a video clip of the beaver. We got him swimming around the pond with a big splash as he slapped his tail and went under. So cool to live in an area where we can witness stuff like this.

Why Are Sonic and Tess Sad?

What could Sonic and Tess be looking at that has them so interested?

And a little bit dejected.

It's Mr. Beaver!

He was having a grand old time swimming back and forth.

I was just returning from a run in the Watershed trails when I decided to stop and let the dogs have a swim at the pond near Westview Drive. Tess was a little reluctant to go in the water, which was rather surprising as she is a real water baby. Finally, they jumped in and we were having a grand old time swimming after the sticks. When I say "we", I mean them.

Suddenly, I heard a noise like something hitting a tree across the pond. I thought it might be one of the large woodpeckers that live in the area. I could see nothing though. Then, there was a loud splash. I was SURE that someone was throwing rocks at us from up on the hillside. I grabbed the dogs and got out of there.

I came home in a bit of a panic and told my husband what had happened. He hopped in the truck and went down to see if he could catch the culprits red handed. He was gone for quite a long time. I have having visions of him catching the person and really letting them have it. Finally, he came home with a big grin on his face. He told me that the culprit was a beaver swimming around the pond. I guess I heard his tail slapping on the water. If I had waited around, I would've seen him resurface, but when you think someone is pelting you with rocks, you don't tend to hang around.

Anyway, we headed back to the pond, camera in hand. Now, Sonic and Tess will have to share their swimming hole. They might not like it, but I think it's kind of cool.