Okay, I know this is a garden blog, but...there is grass...and dirt. Plenty of dirt.
Boris and Natasha have not been to the dog park since last spring. Too hot for heavy coats. Now that it is cooling down again, we went for a visit.
Boris
Natasha. Note color of paws.
Sunday morning at the Dog Park is Great Dane Time. There are usually a couple of dozen of them, the dogs to socialize with their fellow Danes, their People to discuss the adventure of owning a dog that weighs as much as a man. We arrived at the--uh--tail end of Great Dane Time; a few small Danes were still there.
Boris looks like he's being chased, but he's too slow. The other dogs were zipping around him.
Lots of happy dogs.
Boris and Natasha were the bad kids. Natasha was either humping Boris or screeching at him.
The other dogs were running around.
Isabella the Whippet was flying rather than running. No non-Whippet ever bothers chasing a Whippet. They know instantly they can never catch up.
Isabella wasn't even trying here.
We were trying to ignore the puppies at this point. Boris never seems to notice he's being humped.
The little dogs in the little dog park on the other side of the fence were staring.
This dog was designated ball dog. There's always a designated ball dog at the dog park. This is the dog that focuses on a ball and ignores everything else except running after and retrieving that ball. Other dogs chase and entice the designated ball dog to play. The designated ball dog sees only the ball. Over and over and over. There's always one.
She doesn't look agile, but she really flew (not at Whippet hyperdrive, but close).
One of the Great Danes kept trying to play with her, but she ignored everything but her ball. You would think it would be difficult to ignore a Great Dane, but it can be done.
There was a very fine Siberian Husky, not so much in looks as in personality. She obviously had a deep bond with her Person, to whom she constantly woo-woo'd. Whenever her Person spoke to her, she woo-woo'd back, gazing adoringly. She's wooing there. Her other eye was blue.
Boris had fun boxing with a senior Golden Retriever. Natasha was waiting for a chance to hump one of them. Either would do.
Boris and Natasha got more and more dirty. They ended up the dirtiest dogs in the park. "Is he neutered?" a man asked me, pointing at Natasha.
We began to pretend they were not ours.
Boris is about to go another round with the Retriever, while Natasha is about to hump Boris again. Another man pondered Boris soberly and said to me, "Guess you have puppies on the way, eh?"
"Mmm, dog breath!"
Black and white scrum. Note color of paws.
This pit bull looks rather fierce, but she was actually gentle and friendly...
...even with one of the Danes who was three times her size. One thing to do is avoid getting in the way of a running Great Dane. This Dane's Person was on his phone the whole time, speaking in what sounded like German or Dutch. The Dane had the cutest little pink bow on her collar.
Beautiful Boris, before he got muddy.
The hairy ones had a great time. We had a great time when we all got home, because the hairy ones slept the rest of the day. Not a peep out of them. And look at all that grass.
Boris and Natasha have not been to the dog park since last spring. Too hot for heavy coats. Now that it is cooling down again, we went for a visit.
Boris
Natasha. Note color of paws.
Sunday morning at the Dog Park is Great Dane Time. There are usually a couple of dozen of them, the dogs to socialize with their fellow Danes, their People to discuss the adventure of owning a dog that weighs as much as a man. We arrived at the--uh--tail end of Great Dane Time; a few small Danes were still there.
Boris looks like he's being chased, but he's too slow. The other dogs were zipping around him.
Lots of happy dogs.
Boris and Natasha were the bad kids. Natasha was either humping Boris or screeching at him.
The other dogs were running around.
Isabella the Whippet was flying rather than running. No non-Whippet ever bothers chasing a Whippet. They know instantly they can never catch up.
Isabella wasn't even trying here.
We were trying to ignore the puppies at this point. Boris never seems to notice he's being humped.
The little dogs in the little dog park on the other side of the fence were staring.
This dog was designated ball dog. There's always a designated ball dog at the dog park. This is the dog that focuses on a ball and ignores everything else except running after and retrieving that ball. Other dogs chase and entice the designated ball dog to play. The designated ball dog sees only the ball. Over and over and over. There's always one.
She doesn't look agile, but she really flew (not at Whippet hyperdrive, but close).
One of the Great Danes kept trying to play with her, but she ignored everything but her ball. You would think it would be difficult to ignore a Great Dane, but it can be done.
There was a very fine Siberian Husky, not so much in looks as in personality. She obviously had a deep bond with her Person, to whom she constantly woo-woo'd. Whenever her Person spoke to her, she woo-woo'd back, gazing adoringly. She's wooing there. Her other eye was blue.
Boris had fun boxing with a senior Golden Retriever. Natasha was waiting for a chance to hump one of them. Either would do.
Boris and Natasha got more and more dirty. They ended up the dirtiest dogs in the park. "Is he neutered?" a man asked me, pointing at Natasha.
We began to pretend they were not ours.
Boris is about to go another round with the Retriever, while Natasha is about to hump Boris again. Another man pondered Boris soberly and said to me, "Guess you have puppies on the way, eh?"
"Mmm, dog breath!"
Black and white scrum. Note color of paws.
This pit bull looks rather fierce, but she was actually gentle and friendly...
...even with one of the Danes who was three times her size. One thing to do is avoid getting in the way of a running Great Dane. This Dane's Person was on his phone the whole time, speaking in what sounded like German or Dutch. The Dane had the cutest little pink bow on her collar.
Beautiful Boris, before he got muddy.
The hairy ones had a great time. We had a great time when we all got home, because the hairy ones slept the rest of the day. Not a peep out of them. And look at all that grass.
Does look like they had a great time. Our dog is a ball dog, and you are right it is amazing what they can ignore in single mindedness of getting that ball.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post. I laughed and laughed! Your dogs are special, Hoov.
ReplyDeleteI really like this post. :o) My dogs never go to the dog park for a variety of pathetic but funny reasons. Instead they run around my backyard and look away when I find another bone buried in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI got quite a few giggles and a gufaw or two out of this post, Hoov. It's a classic, plants or no plants !
ReplyDeleteI'm exhausted just looking at the pictures. Too bad we can't all enjoy our world as thoroughly as dogs do!
ReplyDeleteFun, fun post. Beautiful doggies all . Thanks for sharing the fun.
ReplyDeleteI think dog parks are a great idea. How wonderful that Boris and Natasha can run with their friends and just generally have such a heedless good time. Kinda makes you want to be one...
ReplyDeleteThanks, all! Glad you liked the post.
ReplyDeleteJeez, all that fresh air and grass has a peculiarly energizing effect on your pups. I was hoping there'd be an Irish wolfhound galloping in there somewhere. Favorite photo: 10th from the top! Ein's too small for the big dog park and too big for the small dog park. Otherwise, I think I could hang out there all day. Watching dogs play and run is as mesmerizing as watching a campfire.
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate to have a dog park within walking distance, and if we do not go everyday the dogs get really loopy. Our park is for dogs of all sizes and they tend to self-segregate themselves, and I am always amazed at how well they all get along.
ReplyDelete