Wrangling the Pack

So I've had the help of some amazingly talented women in making a video about the popularity of ScooterSnacks. Here they are wrangling the dogs for one of the shots.

Hopefully the video will be available soon.

Ben at the Beach

Pure joy...mine watching Ben zoom around on the huge expanse of Jacob Riis beach, his first beach experience. His having such a huge, wide-open space to run in, new smells to investigate and a lot of diggable sand!

It was also a little scary--the crashing of the surf was totally new. Intriguing but not completely inviting. So Ben dipped his toes in but didn't swim. Maybe with a few more visits?

The Most Beautiful Saul

OK finally I caught Saul on camera. Video as it happens. Every time I walk into the park when Saul is there, if he sees me, he'll run right at me across the field hoping for some ScooterSnacks.

I can't resist him. He's two hundred pounds of dog coming straight at me but the biggest threat is his drool (copious strings of it as soon as he sniffs the snacks). Other than that his teeth are tiny and he truly is gentle.

Saul is one of my favorites.

Ben is in Love

Ben has suddenly developed a lovey-dovey attachment to Izzy. The other day we spent the morning with Izzy and Mr. Smith. Nothing unusual. But when it came time to leave Ben kept trying to follow them home. First time he wouldn't listen to me. Finally I gave in and walked with Rachel and Lisa.

At Clinton Ave. we had to leave them. Ben made a high-pitched bark that turned into a wine and then a howl most of the way home. He was so distressed and I had no idea what to do.

Anyway he was happy to meet up with her again that evening and share a moment of fluffy tails waving in the wind.

A Night Tail

Beautiful cool September nights have started. And the park is a peaceful, relaxing place to be. especially after 9pm when the dogs can go off leash again.

Ben is hard to see at night but usually doesn't stray too far. However one of his favorite spots is right in the middle of a bank of bushes. I think he forages for the tenderest greens. I love how his tail looks like an exotic flower in this photo.

Ben is a Swimmer!

Wow! What a great thing to learn about my dog. Ben is like a four-legged porpoise.

Izzy and Rachel, Lisa and Mr. Smith, & Ben and I went to Prospect Park this morning. It was Ben's first time. He was unreasonably happy in that park, running here and there, occasionally running loops. But when he got to the water, well, that's when it got really fun.

First we came up on a waterfall with a manageable shelf which both he and Izzy explored, just getting their paws wet. Then he navigated himself down to the lakeside. All I heard was a large "SPLOOSH". He was in before I had a chance to blink.

Paddle , paddle, paddle then hauled himself out. He did this twice more - all in not permitted areas (there was little I could do to stop him) - then turned his nose up at the dog beach. I think it's just too crowded and rowdy for him.

I wonder why Ben being a water dog makes me so happy. Maybe because I love the water so much too.

No More "Day XX"

Izzy is 11 pounds lighter (total since beginning of year and not all from the last few months) so this blog is changing.

Now it's going to be about Izzy and her friends at Ft. Greene Park. We hope other dog people will write stories about their dogs. If they don't, we will!

Here's Mr. Smith getting hauled out of the water earlier today.