Our Own Mini-Beach

I was in for a surprise during today's beach trip - for some reason the whole beach was much bigger than usual. We went for a swim through a little channel, and out to our very own mini-beach!
 

Well... I noticed that Zeke and I swam there, but Mum didn't have to because she could reach the bottom. I suppose being as tall as a human has it's upside - it would have to, what with the way they totter around on just two legs all the time.

I *never* totter.

 Zeke and I played some Tag up and down our mini-beach, and Mum raced us too! I was allowed some off-lead time which I'm not allowed very often because Mum says I don't listen. (I listen... most of the time...)

Me winning!

 I had to investigate some strange, foamy things floating on the surface of the sea, you know, just in case there was something lurking inside them. 

They did NOT taste good. Too salty...

After all that fun, it was time for some downtime so I had a good roll!

After we swam back to the big beach, we had to go back onlead and we went up to the grassy area for a drink of fresh water and a towel dry before we went home. I wish I could live on our very own beach... they're the BEST fun. 

AUSTIN!

 
Turns out that Austin has taken his humans and moved into a whole new house! He loves his new backyard, and so do I - Zeke and I paid him a visit yesterday. Even though it was sort of raining, we didn't let that stop us. Austin, like me, is not afraid of getting wet! We played a lot of Chase and Wrestle which are Austin's favourites. I tried to get Zeke to join in too, but he can't really keep up with me and Austin.

Because Austin is not as tall as me (DON'T tell him that though... he thinks he is six feet tall...) I lie down to let him Wrestle with me. I get sneaky though...

Stealth neck bite!

Don't worry though, he got me back!

Austin... can be sneaky, too!

 I also found one of Austin's toys - actually, the remains of a toy that Mum and I got Austin for his birthday! So I "borrowed" it and we played Chase for a while.

Even when it's rainy, we still had lots of fun.

 

And of course even though it was rainy I still had time to take a bath afterwards! I borrowed Austin's swimming pool for that. 

Then, the rain started to get really heavy and it was nighttime, so we had to go home. I went to sleep listening to one of my favourite things -  the rain on the roof.

APOLLO!

Met up with an old friend today! His name is Apollo and he is a husky. Huskies are very good at RUNNING so Apollo plays an excellent game of Chase. He can also keep running... and running and running and running, in fact I am not sure Apollo needs to stop and rest like normal dogs do.

I like Apollo very much, he is a very fun friend with wonderful manners... even ZEKE likes Apollo, and my grumpy old brother Zeke doesn't like anybody (except for me, naturally).

As you can see I am still decorated after Mum and my's World's Greatest Shave Adventure. Mum's hair dye faded faster than mine did... oh well, Apollo didn't mind! But then, he is a very smart dog.

Well, this is different...

So, it all started yesterday. At first, I thought we were just visiting Work and saying hi to all the people who like to give me pats and attention, but as it turned out we were there for a special reason.

...That reason was Mum getting all her hair cut off. She did this because of something called 'World's Greatest Shave' which is when humans make their hair short or colourful and their friends and family give them money for it, and the money is given to sick people. Sometimes when the people are sick, all their hair comes out, so that's why people like Mum shave their heads, to show friendship and support to these sick people.
Before we left, I got to play with a breed of dog I'd never seen before, called an 'Akita' which are originally from Japan. Work is always good for meeting new people, and new dogs.

 

Ayla from Bubbles & Bows making me colourful

Today, it was my turn! Don't worry, my fur didn't get shaved because I wouldn't be able to use it to keep my body cool and stop sunburn if it did, but it did get drawn on. Now I'm all sorts of different colours... well, I can't see all of them, but everyone assures me I'm very colourful. 

After I got coloured, we went to Riverway and met Guin and Arthur! Arthur had a haircut and he had been coloured too, but Guin hadn't. Then Austin's Mum, Dani, came to take some photos of us. Sadly, Austin did not come. I got lots of cuddles from Dani and from Austin's Dad, Rhys, to make up for not getting to see him. 

I wonder if the dogs at Agility will laugh at me this week...

Still, Mum and I raised a lot of money for the sick people - over five hundred dollars, Mum says. I don't know exactly how much that is, but it sounds like a LOT of dog treats! It was very nice of so many people to help us by giving us some money. Mum and I might look different for a while, but that's okay by us.

A Sunny Swim

OMG! BEACH!

Beach Adventure tonight! Though it was a bit hairy at the start of the Adventure... no sooner had we jumped out of the car a dog without a lead ran right over to us and got in my and Zeke's faces. (Very rude in the dog world. You know what's polite in dog language when you meet someone new? Sniffing butts. THAT's good manners.) Zeke was grumpy because his legs have been sore, and he hates it when strange dogs jump all over him because they bother his sore legs. Zeke getting upset makes me upset, since I am the protector of the pack after all. But Mum wouldn't let me teach the rude offlead dog a lesson, and so we went down to the beach and I soon forgot all about it.

Zeke went for a swim first - he likes to swim more than he likes walking, since swimming is good for him with his sore back legs. Mum also says swimming is very healthy exercise for dogs, that's why I go swimming at the beach or the river a lot.

I went in next and swam after Zeke (He swims way faster than he runs and is actually pretty hard to catch in the water) 

 
After we both had a good swim I played with Zeke a bit. I usually play a game called Face-Bite with Zeke, where he stands still and I LEAP around him in circles and bite his face (politely). He likes this game because he can play is pretty good even when his legs are feeling sore.

Face-Bite in action!

I even got to practice some jumping before we went home, too!

Jumped ALL over this log!

Had a nap when we got home... now hmm, and I think if I sniff the air... YES, that smells like roast pork cooking! Maybe if I sit by the couch and look super-hungry, Dad might feed me some...
 
PS - Dad is the better target for snagging human food. Mum just saves everything for my breakfast the next day, but sometimes Dad lets me finish his leftovers!

A Birthday and some Agility

What a busy couple of days! Yesterday, although we didn't go out on an Adventure, we did have one at home! Adventure was due to my birthday - I turned two years old.  I got presents! One new rope, one new chewy stick, and one new tyre WITH a rope! I also got treats. Mum says I have to save some of them but I got to eat one of each kind.

Treats were special doggy treats with no chocolate! (It's bad for dogs)

The treats were yummy. 

VERY yummy. 

They were a bit messy though. After I ate them, I thought I better clean the floor for Mum.

All clean now!

Treats are all gone but I still have a new toy!

Then, tonight we had Agility, which I am getting more used to now since this was the this time we had gone. I am super-good at the tunnel and the ramp, and I know how to go through three jumps in a row.
Actually calling them jumps is a bit of a stretch. They're really poles sitting just off the ground. I can step over them very easily.

Mum said I behaved myself much better than last week and had very good focus. It is sometimes very hard to pay attention to Mum and instructions because there are so many dogs, some who bark lots, and so many distracting smells.

I'm paying attention, Mum! Honest!

Tonight I'm quite tired out, so now that I'm finishing up this post... it must be nap time!

Cyclones don't keep US inside

Ready for a walk, Mum!

Mum, me and Zeke had a really fun Adventure while some humans are busy worrying about a nearby cyclone! I don't know what's so scary, since it's not even raining yet, and there's only a very little breeze. But not everybody stayed inside worrying!

Guess who came to the park?!

My friends Coolie and Flick were at the dog park tonight! They are sisters (adopted sisters) and SO much fun at Race and Wrestle and especially Tag! Sometimes they make me feel a bit tired though, especially Flick who hardly ever stops running.

Some more old friends were there too - Keiko and Tamu the Rottweilers! 

Keiko is a little littler than Tamu!

Tamu is ALMOST as big as me!

Wrestle with Keiko!

I first met Keiko and Tamu when they were very, very little. They grew so fast though... now they are quite good partners for Wrestle. Keiko has learned some very good manners now she is almost all grown up. 

I also met a new dog today - and had a big surprise! Ash is a dog almost the same as me, a type of Livestock Guardian Dog from Turkey! (Livestock Guardians are sort of the opposite of herding dogs like Border Collies - while we don't herd, it is our job to protect flocks and herds of farm animals from anything that wanted to eat them. Or steal them. This is why I'm such a good guard dog for Mum... it's in my blood!)

Me and Ash

Ash is almost as tall as me but a bit skinnier, with a big fluffy tail just like mine. She was a bit shy at first and didn't want to play Wrestle, but she has very good manners and I really liked her.

We stayed at the dog park while the sun set and I got to have lots of games with everybody. My favourite part is when all of us race through the dog park together! It's really that much fun that none of us really care who wins. 

Oops. I almost ran over Coolie here!

 

Since I'm the fastest though, the other dogs all had to work together to stop me!

Hey, what is this? Pick-on-Maya-day?

Tamu tried to help the sisters beat me... But I soon showed them I had a secret weapon! 

Don't mess with the DROOL!

By the time it was getting dark we were all pretty tired. Except for Flick. I don't think Flick EVER gets tired... after we had a last drink together it was time to go home.

It was such a fun evening... I think it's time to curl up beside the couch, watch some TV with Mum, and maybe... have a little... nap... I'm not REALLY tired though...

zzzzzzzzzzz

Storms over the Strand

 
Like I've said before - the rain never keeps me and Mum inside! Tonight we went to the Strand and it was rainy really heavily when we got there. So we didn't Rollerblade, just walked, but that's still fun. There were definitely less dogs and their humans out walking though - I don't get why. Mum always says 'Rain is just water, it dries!' and out we go.

What rain? 

Apparently all the rain is because there's another cyclone nearby. Last time it just turned out to be lots of wind and rain and nothing scary at all, so this time will hopefully be the same. Mum brought extra candles and more water yesterday just in case. Atlhough I don't know why humans need so much water in those bottles. What's wrong with drinking from a nice fresh puddle of rainwater, I ask you?
 
Anyway, back to the Adventure! Speaking of puddles there were lots of them to splash through, and down by the edge of the ocean and the land some big waves were crashing against the rocks, which we stopped to get a good look at.

They didn't scare ME, of course

We walked down the pier too, which Mum thinks is 'relaxing'. I don't really see what's relaxing about being on a heap of windy wooden boards waaaaay above the big waves, it must be a human thing. But it's my job to go with Mum and look after her all the time, no matter where she wants to go. Once we left the pier it was time to go home - it was barely raining at all anymore. Since my fur makes me waterproof, it didn't bother me anyway!  


Don't forget next time it's raining - take your dog for a walk, it's GREAT fun!