OCEAN!!!

I love the ocean, so do my dogs! When there is ice and snow or hunters in the woods, we hit the beach. The sky was just amazing yesterday, so much energy flowing off those snow squall clouds. I love to see my dogs really open up and run, their bodies and brains need that. I am always happy to wander alone, but it is also nice when friends come along. 

 SoBright just turned 7 months, an open beach is a fantastic place to work recalls. To be respectful of others walking, I call my dogs back to me, as we pass by usually. Brighty-pants is also learning not to boink people in the eye with exuberant LoVe! She is also doing just great meeting new dogs!! 

After an early bad experience with being trounced and aggressed towards, as much as I told myself not to fret...internally of course I was fretting upon new canine meetings. My little social, loving girl seems to have worked it out! Like her mama, the natural therapy dog, Bright is very intuitive and a great barometer of people and other dogs. I trust her, and am there just to support when needed.  Her mode of greeting is to get small and kiss under their chins-I'm good with that!

She met her uncle for the second time, the cutest little brindley, Staffy mix pup who was a bit overwhelmed for first time on the beach, an older and deaf cavalier and a few others. Two off-leash dogs whose owners were NOT respectful and 1/2 mile down the beach- zoomed up to us with hackles & on insecure tippy toes-she handled it well. 

I saw them coming a mile away...had put her on leash so she would not be chased-as that is what bullies like to do, push you around....and did not want her to be more worried by that. I draw a line in the sand so to speak and hold still or move in a small circle in a small space, as I block canine rudeness. I just kept talking to her as though they didn't exist (although I might have told the one dog he had a few seconds to decide to leave or he might regret it), until their stupid owners finally got them to go back to them. So, overall other than her proudly finding the dead seal that is still there from a few weeks, it was a great day for her too. Although, rolling on dead things is probably pretty great for a dog too.