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Tag Archives: labrador retreiver

Dogs on Granite

I was concerned that the rough rock and granite sand would be hard on the dogs’ feet but none of them had any trouble with it. And none of them had any run-ins with cactus needles! Willow and Juniper were fairly unseparable. Except when Willow found a ball and was not going to share it with anyone. She had great fun with it that evening and insisted on taking it in the car. We made one attempt at getting a four dog snapshot but it was not to be. Sky is the only that understands the concept of sitting for the camera. Willow will hold for a couple seconds but that’s it.

Blue Skies, Good Dogs and a Moose too!

What a day! We’ve had many gray days and even rainy days, it seems like for the last two weeks or more. Around here, we are used to blue skies and bright sunshine reflecting off the cold, deep snow. Today was that day! The sunrise produced beautiful alpenglow on the mountains inviting us to explore on foot.

After agility practice (Willow watched), we headed for the hills above town and walked on a well-trodden path through the pines and out in the open. I looked at the road above us and saw movement. My brain went from what’s that, to is it a horse, no wait, that’s a moose! How cool! Moose occur nearly anywhere in the valley but are only occasionally seen. It’s always a treat. We crossed its trail and then followed its tracks back til we found the spot where it got on the path. There were also tracks of tiny creatures who had been out since yesterday’s fluffy snowfall.

Willow likes to lead the way but, so far, she doesn’t get out too far ahead. She is always turning back to see me and/or Sky. And today, she posed nicely with her big sister for portraits in front of the mountains. She is five months old and learning so much. Maybe she is a Good Girl, after all.

Portrait of a Dog

Sky is used to having her picture made. As a puppy, she learned to sit for the camera from Luna. I have many charming photos of the two of them together. Being a labrador, the promise of a cookie when we are finished is all it takes to get her to sit and stay and be a good girl. We used to do lots of photos of dogs on rocks with both of them and other dogs too. Yesterday, as I looked at this big boulder above the trail, she knew what I was thinking. First she went to the front which is way too high for her and then I said ‘Go round’ as if we were doing agility and she went to the backside and found an easy path to the top. She’s a good dog. And the picture of her on the trail shows just how tall the grass grew with our prolonged spring and early summer rains.

Fall Camping

The girls and I had one more camping trip in early October. Due to unseasonably warm weather, fall colors were few and far between. The light was amazing though. Every morning, I took my coffee to the beach and watched the sunlight spread across the mountain and the tall trees. Sky and Luna both posed for photos. Luna managed to go for walks the first four days but by day five, she was tuckered out and did not really want to do much. I think she was relieved when we left the next day. However, she still wants to go camping. She loves the smells and the lake and just being out and about. The best thing about that trip was that we mostly had the campground to ourselves. Hardly anyone else was camping. The worst thing about it was that somewhere a fence or gate had failed and six cows freely roamed about. They would parade through at least once a day. Sky got real good at chasing cows and Luna backed her up with barking.

A Dog and Her Sticks

Mostly just Sky. Luna was there watching. It’s hard to get old and have to stay on the sidelines.