Honeymoon at the dog park

Every new dog park pup that I've taken has what I call a "honeymoon" period. At first they are calm, sweet, responsive, just perfect angels. It usually takes about 3 weeks for them to fully adjust, be comfortable, and come out of their shell. This is when their true colors shine and I see what kind of pup they really are. I love to see a new pup starting to play more, beat the other dogs to get the ball and just generally having fun! Here is Heidi on her first day:

Here is Heidi 3 weeks later:

Tricks of the trade: follow the leader

Some of my avid readers (if such thing exists) may recall a blog I wrote months ago about when a puppy reaches the teenage phase. If you haven't, you can read the blog here, but this pretty much sums it up:

It’s that moment when the “teenager” stops a few paces short of the gate and stares at me that I realize he’s grown up. He realizes that he actually has a choice whether he follows me or not. It’s when he actually considers the fact that there might be better things in the world than the scraps of treat left in my coat pocket.

Sound familiar? Have you ever found yourself standing at the front of the dog park, ready to leave, hopelessly calling your dog who is essentially giving you the middle finger while running victory laps around the park? Have you yelled "Ok, Bye Fido, see you later...." hoping for a response? Well I have a little secret for you... they're on to you! They know your routine and they know it's time to go and they don't want to!

I've been very fortunate to have had so many puppy clients and been able to help raise and train them. Inevitably, puppies will turn into defiant teenagers, and well trained adult dogs will have a stubborn streak. It's all a part of the fun! I'm sure you can imagine what a mess it would be if all 8 of my dogs protested leaving the park at once (it's happened), so I have a few tricks to avoid this debacle that you can use on your own pup.

Always keep them guessing. I never walk in the direction at the park. Some days I walk straight to the water then come back to water bowls in front, then to the big field, then to the side field, then out the gate. Sometimes we go to the side field first, then the water, then the side field again, then the big field then the gate. You get the picture... I don't have an order of the way we walk the park, that way, just because we are playing close to the gate to leave, doesn't mean we are leaving. When I decide it's time to leave, I can start leashing up some of the ones who I know will protest, and then start walking to the gate with the rest.

Check in. I always like to work on recall with my dogs, even the older well trained ones, just to have them check in with me and know that I'm watching them. I often call them over and have them sit and wait for a treat. I pet them, touch their collars, and hold on to them just to get them used to it. This way, when I want to put them on leash, they aren't expecting it and are less likely to put up a fight (not literal fight, stubborn fight).

After party. When the dogs get to the gate and are ready to leave, I give them a treat (not everyone, just the ones who are new to the routine or having a hard time remembering why I am so convincing) and lots of over-the-top cheerleading praise. Leaving the park is just as much fun as going to the park, RIGHT!??!

Leash 'em up. If you have any doubt that you are going to be able to get your pup out of the park incident-free, just leash 'em up. Once they experience the thrill of the chase and the anger in your face, there is no going back, they will want to make it a regular thing. Once you've had enough successful exits and cheerleader praise, and you feel that you trust him a little bit more, you can try and get closer and closer to the gate before you put the leash on.

Some dogs this is never a problem for and some dogs this is such a problem that their owners never take them to the dog park and never let them off leash. That's no way for a city dog to live, in my opinion! I hope this helps! Remember, you always win! 

Tricks of the trade: drop the ball!

One question that I am constantly asked is "how do you handle 7 dogs at once?", and like every dogwalker, we have our secrets. In this series of blog posts, "tricks of the trade", I will be sharing a few of my secrets that you may be able to use with your pup at the park! Drop the ball! 

If you're pup is anything like Bailey, or any other ball-obsessed lab for that matter, who refuses to drop the ball, try this trick:

blow softly into their ear. keep blowing. It will mess up their pressure and make them start moving their jaw to pop their ears, just like we do on a plane. While moving their jaw, they are bound to drop the ball! The key here is to be very patient and gentle.

*I learned this wonderful trick from my fellow dogwalker, Gretchen Jannenga, and this trick has made getting Bailey in the truck ball-free possible on numerous occasions! 

{of course, the ideal scenario would be to teach your pup to drop the ball properly in the first place... I'll talk about that in a future post!}

adventures of ballwalkpark: no toys = no fun? no way!

I was looking forward to writing this blog all last week but somehow time has passed me by once again and here we are, almost onto the next week! This past week or so I did an experiment with the dogs - no toys. I wanted the dogs to get back to basics; running, playing and interaction with one another, not relying on me for their fun.

My toy philosophy used to be the complete opposite - I had a whole array of the newest, coolest dog toys to spoil my dogs with at the park. I picked toys from my collection based on what dogs were on that particular park trip and who would want to play with which toy and who was going to get the most exercise and most fun with whatever toy. I know a lot of dogwalkers who have certain toys that they can't go without because it is a tool necessary to keep a dog focused and well behaved. Or we get stuck into the routine of having a squeaky cuz ball with us so that our dogs don't steal a squeaky cuz from another dog at the park. It's almost as if the dogs and their owners or dogwalkers have developed a dependence on these toys. I decided it was time to break the habit! At least for the week...

Miles loves the frisbee, Chesa loves the Jolly Ball, Harley loves the squeaky Cuz ball, Milkshake loves the Chuck-it... Each dog has a particular toy that really gets them going. I love finding these toys and seeing what makes that dog "tick" so I can understand them a little better and know the best way to get them exercised and have fun. While I love watching the dogs play with their favorite toys, it changed the whole dynamic of the group, and the dynamic between myself and the dogs. The dogs would look at me just as the toy and treat lady. As soon as we got to the park they would just stare at me and bark because they knew I would eventually give them the toys they wanted. So, out of curiosity and frustration with the barking, I decided to forgo toys (at least 90% of the time) for the week.

The results were amazing! The dogs stopped barking and became much more responsive to me. I was worried they would just ditch me and steal other dogs ball to play with but they actually listened to the "leave it" command better than ever. The most wonderful part of this experiment was seeing how the dogs played so much differently without the distraction of toys. They ran and ran and ran and chased each other and played and wrestled and were just dogs! Even the dogs who normally would just sit and stare at a chuck it were playing.

Here's one of my favorite videos of the dogs doing their favorite run at the park. Julie, look for Tucker in here! Favorite part of the dog park!

I hear from my clients all the time that when they take their dog to the dog park on their own that all their dog wants to do is play fetch with them and not really interact with other dogs. I totally understand, Bailey is very much the same way. One of the really cool things about having such a strongly bonded pack is that they play with each other. Not just chasing after the same ball, but chasing and wrestling and play bows and all of that. This type of play  is really important for ongoing socialization and fulfilling a need for interaction with their own kind.

The dogs treated me with much more respect since it was clear I was the pack leader, rather than the toy distributor. It's funny, giving them less of what they want, they actually had more fun with each other and were better behaved for me. I loved watching them just run and be dogs... instead of throwing the ball I was standing on the sidelines as their cheerleader trying to get them to keep running!

While I think there is a time and place for toys and we will definitely still be using our favorite "tools" like the chuck-it and frisbee, it is nice to know that we can kick the habit and enjoy the simple life a few days a week.

Seattle dogwalker vs. Seattle snow

This is going to be a rant blog. Well, a rant and an apology blog.  I am so incredibly frustrated with Seattle's weather and the forecasting abilities. I understand that due to the ocean and mountains and other geographical elements this is a very hard area to forecast weather for, but seriously, this is ridiculous.

Based on the ever-changing forecasts and conditions on Sunday night, I cancelled all services for Monday. Turned out to be clear roads and no snow.... Today everything was planned to be on normal schedule until I got to the dog park and there was at least 1" of new snow on the ground and covering all the roads. To avoid getting stuck later on in the afternoon when the snow was originally forecasted to begin, I cancelled the afternoon park trip. I am now sitting at home on top of Queen Anne and there is not a bit of snow on the ground and the sun is shining. I am 0-2.

These pictures were taken at the same time - Kendal at Magnuson Park, and myself leaving Queen Anne.

I know it seems that this shouldn't be such a difficult decision, but here are the factors that come in to play for us dogwalkers:

• The majority of my driving is on neighborhood streets, alleys, and other lower traffic roads that are more likely to have snow and ice still
• Just because I can pick up all of my dogs and get them to the park doesn't mean conditions couldn't drastically change over the next 3 hours and make it difficult to get home. Stuck with a truck full of pups in freezing temperatures is a recipe for disaster.
• Precious cargo: a big factor in how well my truck handles the snow is how much weight is in the back, weight = precious cargo = your dog. If I had a truck bed full of sand bags I may not be so hesitant, but I do not want to risk it with the pups in the back. The tail end sliding out around a corner could be devastating... something I hope to never experience!
• Brrrrr... it can get cold in the back of the truck! It is pretty well insulated and with all the heavy breathing on the way home from the park it stays pretty toasty, but not so much on the way there. Plus, at the park, snow gets stuck in the hair in between the dogs toes and can get really uncomfortable! See this article for some more tips on keeping your pup safe in the snow.

All in all, this "snow day" game is often more work than it's worth, and this city does not make it very easy to accurately plan for! Believe me, I love snow more than just about anyone. In fact, I woke up almost every hour last night and looked out the window like a little kid.... One of the many wonderful things about this job is that a snow day + work is even better than a snow day without work - I love going to the dog park on snow days and watching the dogs frolick and play. It is so much fun and something I look forward to all year long. Being able to safely get there and back is the issue....  If I am going to cancel park trips and walks, I want it to be a legit full-on SNOW DAY where there is obviously no way anyone is going to make it to work. A repeat of 2008 or nothing at all.

So, in summary, I would like to sincerely apologize to my clients for all of the hassle and inconvenience this week. And hopefully, third time is a charm and I will make the right call tomorrow!

adventures of bwp - 5/18

The park was surprisingly quiet this morning for how nice the weather was. We got a parking spot right in front and wasted no time getting to play. While I was doing the honors of cleaning up after these little monsters, Coco and Chip took off for the mud puddles at the end of the field. Sooo.... off the to beach we went! Not without getting a few brushes of swamp mud across my legs from Mr. Chip, of course. The water wasn't too crowded either, which was really nice. Bonita made friends with every other dog at the beach and high-jacked their ball. She was nice enough to give it back as soon as she saw someone else's ball being thrown. Chip was a super swimmer today, getting the frisbee as far out as I could throw it. Milkshake was yelling at me so I eventually found a ball and threw it for him - I didn't realize until I was mid-throw that it has a hole and was full of rocks so it sank.... he and Dexter spent the next 15 minutes diving for it - gotta love the determination of a retriever!

Arten's buddy, Toby, had his last day as his parents are back from Hawaii tonight. He went out with a bang! Of all the toys at the beach, Toby chose this log as his must-have of the day. He kept talking/whining at me to do something with it, so finally I picked the thing up, with several people around me laughing at me, and I threw it as far as I could. About 5 feet. Sorry Toby :( It was good for a laugh!

We were about to leave, everyone had just finished their last water bowl visit, and the dogs persuaded me to stay for just a few more throws in the big field. No one was around, they were playing so well, and it was a gorgeous day, so I figured why not. Within a few minutes I realized I was missing a Chocolate lab.... I call Mr. Chip, and within seconds he came bounding up from the mud puddle. Ugh! So close... Time to load everyone up and give Mr. Chip a hose-down.... You gotta pay to play!

This afternoon Bailey and Bambi hosted after-park care for Bonita and Cooper. They usually go on two park trips, but since we only did a morning trip today I brought them over to hang out. Bam got to show off her new car wash toy, Bonita and Cooper gnawed on each others faces like the teenagers in love that they are, and Bailey tried to show the kids that she was still hip and cool. This was mostly made possible by the fact that Michael was at work all day... there is nothing more he loves than to come home to dog park in the back yard. If you've ever met Michael, you know it's all a front and he loves the dogs as much as I do :)

* I was having a bad picture day for some reason.... I took a lot, but nothing really came out! Sorry, check back tomorrow!

adventures of bwp - 5/17: It's a great day to be a dog walker

Today was such a good day. For the past six months that I have stood in the rain, wind and cold with mud splashed across my face, smiling and nodding when people say "you have the best job", today made up for it all. I really do have the best job (not to brag.... it is hard work!), but today was one of those days where I had so much fun running around and playing with the dogs, and watching them play, run and chase to their hearts content. The weather helped, but the main reason my day was so great is because of my dogs - I really do have the best dogs. I know I say it all the time, but it's true!

As soon as I got to the park this morning, Michael showed up. It's always fun to have company at the park (read: if you are around during the day, come hang out with me!) and he has really bonded with my Viszlas lately.
He knows how much I love the breed, and he has said he could never own one because they are "too hyper and wiggly". Thanks to Mr. Cooper, we have finally won him over - today he said someday he could see himself owning a Viszla! Don't worry, not anytime soon, just a "someday" is all I needed. Cooper literally jumped into his arms, and was so relaxed and happy as Michael carried him around. It was hilarious - he was like a little baby.

Speaking of Cooper.... we have a new member of ballwalkpark, Cooper! Yeah, I know, it's going to be confusing... Cooper is a 3yr old lab and he is just like Chip but a different shade of the lab rainbow. He is big (100lbs), sweet, playful and a true retriever! He fit right in the pack and had a great time swimming today.

Despite Bonita's little mishap yesterday, she was playing like it never even happened today! Those puppies have never ending energy! They run, wrestle and tumble so much it makes me dizzy! This afternoon I had Cooper, Walker, Stella, Bonita and Chesa all in one group - that is 5 dogs all under 18 months! The good news is, everyone was slurping up the water bowls and dragging their paws on the way back to the truck - I finally exhausted them! It didn't hurt that my phone died while we were at the park and I lost track of time, so we were there for over 2 hours!

My morning and afternoon crew were all about the water so we spent the majority of our day at the beach. The pups were having a lot of fun with the frisbee I brought - unfortunately I didn't think about the fact that I am horrible at throwing a frisbee when I bought it. Luckily the dogs didn't laugh at me - they just swam after it no matter where it landed - people on the beach were another story. 

Today was just an all around good day. Didn't have to wait for a parking spot (either trip), we didn't lose any toys, we got a new (awesome!) friend in the pack, no one got hurt (even my rough-n-tumble puppies), and everyone went home happy and tired. 

Check out the ballwalkpark facebook page for more pictures of our adventures! facebook.com/ballwalkpark.seattle

Frenchie Meetup

We went the monthly Frenchie Meetup in the small dog park at Magnuson this weekend. Bam had the time of her life. There were so many Frenchies there - the most I have ever seen! Must have been almost 30 at one point. There was just a constant chorus of grunts and snorts. A few frenchies took naps under the chairs to find a little shade. Here are a few pics from the event. [gallery link="file" columns="5"]

adventures of bwp - 5/3

Today was interesting. And rather eventful. I have quite a bit to tell about today, and while I usually only tell the highlights and the happy/fun/cute parts of the park trips, I feel there is just so much more to tell than that today. You all know your dogs and their quirks, right? For whatever reason, quirks were out in full force. To start out, I brought Bailey in my morning group (she usually goes in the afternoons, but hasn't been going much lately due to a sore hip/back). She took charge of the huge blue ball and her way of letting me know she wanted to throw it was to try and trip me with it - shoving the ball in front of my ankle with every step. Then when we were at the water, she would bring it out the water and do her obsessive lab "I don't want to drop it" thing which poured the water filled ball all over my pants. Oh Bailey-Boo, how I love you....

Oliver was playing with a big squeaky tennis ball we found the day before. As we were leaving the water, walking back by the bench on the pathway, he decided to jump over the fence and hide his ball somewhere in the wetland bushes. Well, Mr. Cooper, who idolizes his older Viszla brothers, made his first attempt at jumping the fence. He made it, but barely. You see, Miles and Oliver can clear that fence like an Olympic high jumper - never touching the fence, sail right over it. Cooper has a bit to learn (ideally he just wouldn't jump fences, but if he is going to do it, he may as well do it right and not hurt himself!)

The afternoon trip is where things really got exciting. To start, Milkshake learned a new trick. For the past year, I have been trying to train him not to bark at me when he wants me to throw his ball. It has been an on-going battle and I have tried many difference tactics. He gets it, he just doesn't like it. Well today he tried a new tactic that I really don't know how to respond to.... With the ball in his mouth, he walks up behind me as I am walking and essentially sticks the ball right between my legs (Ok, it's more like my butt) - he gooses me!!! It definitely gets my attention! He did it several times, I know I have to not reward him with attention for behaviors I don't want, but how can I not pay attention to that! We will definitely have to come up with a strategy for that one....

While at the water, Oliver stole another dog walkers pink squeaky ball and played keep away while residing on his throne of a rock. I took a video that didn't come out very well, but Miles and Oliver are both standing on rocks in the water, and Cooper is on a third rock, desperately trying to climb on top, but kind of looking like a baby turtle.

Ok, I'm going to say it, you can get mad at me if you want, but if you are going to bring young children to the park, please don't equip them with toys, food, and/or sticks. The dogs are already attracted to kids because they are at their level, and adding these fun things (in a dogs mind) makes them irresistible. Kids don't always react to dogs the same way - the fact that they are the same size is scary to kids, as opposed to fun for dogs. Today is a perfect example why.... we were walking along just fine, totally under control, and a young girl and her mom walk by us. The girl is waving a plush squeaky toy in the air, what I assume is her special security blanket kind of toy. Well, to two puppies, it seemed like she was waving a toy for them, so Stella and Bonita ran and grabbed the toy. They were actually really really good and came back to me the second I called them, but the girl had already been knocked to the ground and was in tears, and the mom was giving me the look of death. Moral of the story - it's a dog park. There are hundreds times more kid parks than dog parks in the city, so let the dogs play at the dog park and let the kids play at the kid park! I totally understand the need and importance to bring kids to the dog park at a young age so they are comfortable with it and understand the dogs, but please, just be mindful of the situation. The dogs don't know the difference between a dog toy and a kid toy... especially when it is waving in the air and squeaking!

Ok, if that wasn't bad enough, get ready for this. We were walking down the path to the water, and we passed a blind woman with a walking cane. First of all, one of the dogs, in passing by, decided to make an abrupt course change and tripped over the cane. This obviously threw off the woman, but luckily she wasn't too phased and has a friend with her to avoid a total disaster. After this incident, Cooper followed the woman for a good 20ft... He was absolutely fascinated that this woman got to walk with a stick! He was so curious - ducking and darting his head and body as he walked along. He does the same thing with kids - he is a very curious pup.

We walked by our favorite picture taking bench - the Viszlas were on it right away - but this time they were accompanied by Miss Pepper. The bench pics aren't just for the Viszlas anymore! They used to be the only ones that would hop up there, but now that Pepper knows there is the possibility of food, she's all about it! It took Cooper a couple tries to figure out how to get on the bench today.... climbing over the back didn't work out so well.

Does anyone else see the resemblance here or do I just have a thing for yellow labs? Chesa is a baby Bailey in the making :) Hopefully Chesa doesn't pick up on that little trip-Kelley-with-the-blue-ball trick Bailey has mastered.

Summary of today: The dog park is a bit like animal planet and it's a great example of why we have leash laws. My dogs are all well behaved, non-aggressive, sweet dogs, but they are dogs and dogs have a mind of their own...

adventures of bwp - 4/27 : Swamp Monsters

Today we had a one-trip-Wednesday. The crew consisted of Cooper, Chip, Dexter, Pepper, Milkshake, Walker, Coco and Arten.  Shockingly, we didn't have ANY puppies today - or at least by ballwalkpark standards - everyone was over a year (not by much...).  We started the day out with a nice game of 4-way-tug in the dome area. The sun was partially out, I wasn't wearing rain gear, things were going pretty smoothly.

We headed over to the main field because we had a new toy - the flying squirrel  (see Walker doing the proud dance with it) - and due to my poor aim, unless we are far far away from any type of fence, we will lose it. Within a matter of seconds, Coco pulled her classic move - the mud dive. You will never see a dog fly into mud like this pretty little English Cream Retriever. Imagine a chef battering a piece of fish - flop, flop, done. That's exactly how she does it - just enough to get completly filthy, then she is off to the next activity.

Not only is Coco absolutely filthy, the stagnent water this time of year smells horrible. That kind of smell that sticks to your clothes and hair with only the slightest contact. So, the second I saw what Coco had done, we took off running for the water. I had to get this mud off of her before it had a chance to dry! If there were an award for the dirtiest dog at the park, I'd say Coco wins it every single time. The funniest part is, she is a goregous light blonde dainty prissy girl with a pink collar and a white couch to sleep on, why does she insist on getting so filthy?! Needless to say, she got a nice soak in the lake followed by a bar-soap-hose-bath at the park before heading home.

On the way back from the water, in the midst of a spring downpour, I did the unthinkable and threw the ball over the fence. In order to redeem myself to the crew, I jumped the fence and got the ball. You can see their amusement as I retrieved the ball for a change.

Chip and Milkshake were at their usual game of tug - I swear those two were separated at birth. They played with this toy, both attached to it at all times, for at least 30 minutes straight.  My chocolate chip milkshake :)

The dogs, especially Dexter and Pepper, have figured out what the fanny pack is all about  and are not letting me get away with stowing treats so close to their reach.  Those little sharks - can't get anything past them!

All in all, it was another great day at the park! Now.... if it could just stop raining so the mud puddles could dry up and the swamp monsters can be a thing of the past!

Adventures of bwp - 4/26

We had a very Viszla morning trip today. The morning crew consisted of the four Viszlas - Miles, Oliver, Cooper and Walker, Tucker, Arten, Chip and Coco.  The Viszlas were having the time of their life today - we ran into a friend of theirs, Watson, another 18 mo old Viszla. They were so amped up about Watson, they were clearly not able to focus for our routine group pic! On the way back from the water we ran into yet another male Viszla puppy. It was honestly making me dizzy trying to watch and keep track of them all! That's six Viszlas in one place at one time - that's a lot of wiggling!

When I was in between trips, Coco's mom, Bickie, had made me my favorite lunch - arugula and quinoa salad! There's really nothing better than having a delicious lunch waiting for me so I can keep on going to my next group without wasting time. So thoughtful, and so delicious, thank you Bickie!

The afternoon crew actually got to enjoy some sun today! The crew was Beaudy, Pepper, Stella, Milkshake, Cooper, Bailey and Bambi. Milkshake and Stella have become such good friends - or partners in crime as I call them. They are both 100% ball focused at all times, and they always race each other to the ball, and chase each other back to me. They both even kindly remind me when it's time to throw the ball again ;)

We went down the water to cool off - although it was only 60 degrees Bambi was panting up a storm. Of course she's the only one that doesn't swim... but a little nudge in the water is all she needs to cool down.  Bailey was having a good time with the Jolly Ball. Within the first five minutes of bringing the ball home she had chewed off a corner of the handle, so now the ball collects water and sinks unless it is dumped out frequently. Good job, B.

This handsome man here is Beaudy. He is a 90lb, 3 year old lab. He started going with me last summer, at which time he had never learned to swim. He went to the water with me the first time and dove right in. It was like watching a 30yr old human learn how to walk - very clumsy and awkward - but he did it - and he loved it! He is now one of my most reliable long distance retrievers in the water. Just wait until you see his routine with the hose.... I'll get a video of that when the weather gets a little warmer.

Up at the side field, or the "dome" as some call it, Pepper found a nice stick to gnaw on. Cooper stood over her, patiently waiting for his turn. While Cooper didn't get the stick, he did get bit in the butt by Otter, one of Gretchen's dogs. They played really well together, Otter really knew how to get him going!

On the way home my ladies sat in the front seat while Cooper sat in the back seat. Ahh chivalry isn't dead after all :) 

All in all, it was another great day at the park and we were all happy to see the sun finally come out!

Adventure of the soggy doggy - 4/25

Today was a wet one - to say the least! The dogs were drenched and muddy, but we had the park to ourselves for the most part with was pretty fun. The morning crew consisted of Arten, Otis, Chip, Tucker, Bonita and Cooper. We played a good game of fetch up in the main field - Tucker was my award-winning retriever - catching the ball almost every time, flying through the air to beat the other dogs. On the way to the water Chip found a stick, or a small log, to carry along with us. He didn't that long... but he did get several comments by impressed park patrons passing by - "strong lab".

While at the water, Tucker continued to be ultra-retriever bring two balls back in at once. We've all seen dogs do this, but I was really impressed with Tucker because he is so small I didn't think they would even fit in his mouth! Proved me wrong.

This is what Otis considered a ball and carried around with him for the whole park trip. Of all the tennis balls in the park, he decided this was the one to hold on to. What a simple man.

The morning crew had a great time and piled into the truck as the soggy doggy mess that they were. Off to get the next group!

For the afternoon, we had Milkshake, Cooper, Bonita, Stella, Pepper, Dexter, Maggie and Lola. I don't know that I have ever taken this exact combo of dogs before, but it was a great group. The perfect mix of dogs that wanted to play, chase, retrieve, and even bring the ball back.

You'd think Bonita and Cooper would be tired from the morning trip, but they were still chasing and wrestling like the two little teenage lovebirds that they are ;) Pepper interfered for a round or two, but it would often lead to humping which I had to break up - too far!

Milkshake and Stella were in charge of the orange Chuck-It ball. Maggie had the big blue ball. Lola had a variety of tennis balls that she would pick up and then go hide in the bushes so nobody else could find them.

All the puppies got a rinse off today - we didn't manage to have one decently clean dog at the end of the trip. Everyone was covered in mud! Including myself - I got in the car and noticed I had a huge swipe of mud across my cheek. I wonder how many people kindly decided not to mention that!

Here was the highlight of my day..... Mr. Cooper had a long day of playing very hard in the rain for a combined 3 hours. When we got in the car to finally go home he would not stop shivering (not abnormal for Viszlas - they have thin skin and very little fat) and wrapping him in towels like I usually do wasn't helping. I felt so bad for the little pup that I put him in a sweatshirt I had lying in the back of my truck. It fit him just perfectly and he curled up and went to sleep in no time - but not before I got an excellent picture of my little goof ;)

Adventures of ballwalkpark 4/21

We had two great park trips today - the dogs were happy, playful and on their best behavior. The sun does wonders for all of us! Our first trip was with the infamous four Viszlas: Miles, Oliver, Cooper and Walker, also Chip, Coco, Chesa and Otis! We headed into the park with our two favorite orange chuck-it balls. Unfortunately, we  have two ball hoarders, Ollie and Otis. Ollie will drop the ball to be thrown pretty frequently, but he is so fast he ALWAYS gets it, and Otis just holds onto the ball and works up a nice frothy mouth.

Chesa and Cooper found a gift from the "park gods" - a pink frisbee-type ring. Cooper wore it as a necklace and Chesa played tug of war with his neck. After Cooper gave up on this game, Chip took over wearing the frisbee necklace and Chesa played with him. Some of our best finds have been from the park gods. The rule is (at least the way we play it - for best "park god" karma) is you can play with the toy as long as you're at the park, but you can't take it home with you. That toy most likely won't be there when you come back, but something else will be!

The low point of the morning trip was when I threw the ball down the narrow walk way leading down to the water, and it bounced off Ollie's nose and went all the way over the fence! It was tragic. Ollie sat and cried at the other side of the fence for a good five minutes. We finally got to moving again and only a few minutes later Ollie stole a ball from June's dogs. I tried every trick I knew with the string cheese to get the ball back, but Ollie wasn't going to risk being ball-less again. We put the ball on June's car before we left - Thanks June!

Cooper was my co-pilot while we dropped off the morning group and picked up our afternoon dogs. He caught a quick nap. What a rough life. There's a story as to why Cooper rides in the front seat....but we will save that for another post.

Our afternoon trip was just as great as the morning - I was worried that with such asmooth morning trip the afternoon may be doomed. Not true at all! The second group was Beaudy, Maggie, Tucker, Stella, Pepper, Dexter, Milkshake and Cooper (again). This group was all about fetch, fetch, fetch. We had our trust orange Chuck-It ball (managed by Mr. Milkshake) and the giant blue Jolly Ball (managed by Miss Maggie).  And we were off to the water for a great swim! Even Cooper got in the water!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMb1EXy59Tw]

Cooper catching snowflakes!

ballwalkpark has a snow day at Magnuson park! Cooper had his first encounter with snow while on his park trip today. As you can see in the video below, he kept trying to catch the snowflakes! Treats falling from the sky?! What could be better!? Check out pictures from our adventure at the ballwalkpark facebook page

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU0Txw0c-kk]