Sometimes I think people get the wrong idea about Play Groups for dogs. The fact is that dogs get as much exercise during a Play Group as they do on a Trail Run or a visit to the dog park. Sometimes, a Play Group is more fun and more tiring than any other option!
How could a Play Group beat a trail walk for fun? Well, there are a few reasons. Some dogs are overwhelmed by the number and size and sounds of large groups of dogs, and you run across large groups of dogs on the trails, in the fields, and just about anywhere. These encounters can stress out some dogs, or even frighten them so much that having fun is the last thing on their mind.
Betty, for example, seems to fear male dogs with loud or aggressive voices. In a Park, my only option is to comfort her, which may lesson her anxiety but cannot eliminate it as long as there are male dogs barking within earshot. In a Play Group I can distract or eliminate aggression-like sounds entirely, and I can do it without adversarial punishment. The end result is that Lexi and Betty can chase each other around till they drop, while the boys play ball or do tricks to earn treats. Everybody is relaxed and happy!
Usually, everyone get alone famously. If there is one issue we are still working on, it's keeping Socrates from getting dejected. He has not quite mastered the art of playing silently . . .
and so he sometimes ends up alone for a moment or two. He always remembers the trick to getting Buddy to play, though. Just pick up a toy, and Buddy will be happy to join in a merry chase to get it away from Sox.
Buddy is a toy aficionado. It doesn't matter who has it - he wants it! The end result is that everybody runs, and everybody runs HARD! Safe, stress-free happiness. I think all dogs deserve some of that!
Togo's owner asked me to take some photos of him in action, but the results were so horrible that I'm embarrassed to show them to her. I know what the problems are, and I should have said I'd be happy to take photos of Togo some other time. Yesterday, the lack of a lens filter and the blinding midday sun reflecting off of a bright white dog caused all sorts of problems.
Togo is a magnificent dog, though, and the photos really don't due him justice. A big, beautiful, pure white Shepard, Togo LOVES playing fetch. I mean, he REALLY LOVES playing fetch. I don't think you'll see a photo of Togo without a ball in his mouth. If you do see him without his ball, you can bet your butt he's chasing after it!
As you can see, Togo is playful and fun-loving. He's also gentle with the smaller dogs, friendly and affectionate towards people, and he seems happy all the time. Also, although you might not see it in this photo, he's soaking wet!
He is drenched because he swam across the pond to get his ball when it was thrown into the water. Boy, this dog can swim! He practically ran across the the surface of the pond in his eagerness to reach the ball, and then he swam like a duck until he caught the ball and then swam all the way back to land. And don't forget - that water was COLD! It was icy, icy cold! If I do get another shot at photographing Togo, I definitely want to get a picture of that running on water action!
I like this photo because of the mischievousness in Togo's eyes. You can see how much fun he get out of all this running, chasing, and swimming activity. He's just about grinning with joy - which is exactly what I like to see in a dog. A dog's happiness is definitely contagious to humankind!
We saw the cutest Brussels Griffon at the park on Saturday. She was very well behaved, very friendly, and she had the longest legs I've ever seen on the breed. In fact, she was one of the largest Brussels Griffons I have seen!
According to the American Kennel Club, the Brussels Griffon should not exceed 12 pounds. But as you can see, she is very close in size to my 24 pound Lexi.
They are said to have almost human facial expressions, which certainly held true for this little dog. You'll also notice that her tail is cropped. I read somewhere that dogs with cropped tails often have trouble communicating with other dogs, because tail action is part of the language of dogs. Wagging tails, tails held straight up in the air, tucked under tails, drooping tails; all are an integral part of dog-to-dog communication. This dog didn't seem particularly affected, but in general I don't care to see a dog with it's tail cut off in order to meet some strange human concept of attractiveness or usefulness.
We also saw an absolutely gorgeous Long Haired German Shepard. As far as I know, the long hair was once thought to be a fault for a German Shepard, one that would disqualify him from being shown or from being bred. Now, however, there are many breeders who specialize in the long haired variety of German Shepard. I can see why. At the same time they manage to look fiercer and larger than their short haired cousins, yet somehow they remind me of a big, cuddly stuffed toy!
Here the two varieties of German Shepard are circling around each other to check each other out. Clearly nothing was amiss, because they peacefully parted ways and went off in different directions.
