Monday, August 31, 2009

Bad timing



This is the result of terrible timing and failing to make a right turn, even KNOWING that it is a Sunday morning. The dog park will wait, but will Madison?

A train got there before H-Mom did.

And that had Madison waiting in the car, at the gates, with blinking red lights. For 35 minutes. Torment.

Port Everglades is one of the U.S.'s busiest seaport, serving as host to more than 5300 ships every year, from cruise ships to containerized cargo ships to petroleum distribution hub.

Containers are transported to Port Everglades by truck and by train. The trains move very slowly at the end of the line - loading and unloading - and in no particular hurry. It's important business, but the trains can be profoundly aggravating for a dog-park bound pup and her chauffeur.

The deep harbor port started as a point for farmers to ship their goods. It was developed in the 1920's, and was intended to enhance trade between the U.S. and Cuba. In 1929, the port rail system was linked to the FEC, and the port welcomed its first cargo ship.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Night fountain

Late summer nights are perfect for lazy walks. The sun isn't blazing and the pavement has cooled down.

Madison likes to sniff and snork leisurely, making certain that everything is in order.

The fountains are the best, good for a beard rinsing.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Best buddy Bo



Madison has a new very best buddy. They made friends really fast, both of the herding persuasion. The two have a finely tuned appreciation for a fast-paced combination of wrestle, wrangle & run.

And they take turns being the herder and the herded. Although Madison looks more like a black sheep than Bo looks like a German bovine. They barely stand still unless stalking - then it's like a "Mexican" standoff. Quickly ended with an airborne body slam and an ankle-biting race around the dog park.

A good 20 minutes with Bo is like running the triathalon for Madison!

Others might try, but lately, it's been the Madison - Bo show. It's great to see him pull up to the dog park in the morning. It makes Madison's day!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Premier Guide Miami: 2nd Annual Topel Wine Tails Calendar, which Benefits the Healdsburg Animal Shelter

This is intriguing. Is your pooch a wine dog? a connoisseur of note? appreciative of a fine red? grab your camera and get snapping!

Premier Guide Miami: 2nd Annual Topel Wine Tails Calendar, which Benefits the Healdsburg Animal Shelter

A Chihuahua's tail - Dunkin's facebook friends

We didn't know this little celebrity was flying into OUR airport this morning, or we would have organized the pup-arrazi! Is this cool or what? From Texas to sunny south Florida ... this dog lucked out that's for certain!

A Chihuahua's tail - Dunkin's facebook friends

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Incoming

The dogs have a great game at the dog park. It starts with one, taking off with a sudden inspiration of the zoomies.

Another joins in. The chase is on. The pack takes off.

They circle, they run, one is the "rabbit" and the others are in a mad dash.

This is best accomplished on the grassy side of the dog park, where the lawn is long and wide and the obstacles are few.


But it is manageable on the lake side, in the gritty sand-dirt, speeding along the fence line, weaving madly to miss the picnic table.

Woe to the human caught in an unprotected position during the mad chase.

The humans have taken to yelling "INCOMING" to alert each other to hurtling, hairy hazard.

Once in awhile, they hit the ground like bowling pins. Score: human 0, dogs 1

This morning, Peter did an intricate dance step, avoiding total collision and wipeout. Kaylee circles around from the left, Yogi ditches under the park bench, Lexic right behind him and Madison is blur of a head on the far right.

No humans were wounded in the documenting of this episode of "Incoming."

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Sorry no photos

There will be no documentation of Madison's little adventure this morning. H-Mom was too boiling to whip out the camera and snap away. Although the photo ops were plentiful.

In addition to being "The Forager," Madison is "The Greeter."

At the lake this morning, there was a commotion up at the gate. A giant yellow lab and two black labs coming in. One woman in and the other out. Two ball-obsessed pit bulls going out. And even though every dog in OUR party was way down the path, happily enjoy the water, fetching toys and swimming and behaving, Madison was "Greeting."

H-M0m had her in eyeball range, watching her goofy bouncing welcome dance, keeping a bead on those two perked up black schnauzer ears.

Then there were no more schnauzer ears. Two black labs. One golden lab. The tail end of two retreated pitties. And no Madison.

H-Mom shouted. MADISON. And she headed up to the gate, anxious, just a bit.

MADISON.

No ears, no Madison.

And then, there was Madison on the WRONG side of the fence, deep in the scrubby brush along the ravine on the other side of the path.

Looking intensely sheepish. Looking guilty and kind of beggin' forgiveness, but also kind of delighting in the adventure.

She either swam out into the lake and doubled back around the entry fence to make her escape, or squeezed out in the confusion of comings and goings.

H-Mom struggled to lean over the fence, fished Madison's collar loop from the crush of snaggled tropical brush and marched her, from the RIGHT side of the fence, all the way to the front gate. It wasn't pretty.

In other words, Madison is in the dog house for a couple days.

musings on a giant schnauzer in a little MEDIUM LARGE package