Digging in Ocean Beach

This morning we went to Ocean Beach. The north end of the beach where it abuts the cliff on which the Cliff House sits is sort of off-leash - I say sort of because there are reports that people have been ticketed but I think they were further south. In any case, a lot of people go there to let their dogs run. If one is discrete, i.e., don't go on a crowded weekend, the beach patrol don't seem to mind. We got there a little after 8:30 AM-- we let Max off the leash since he's becoming quite good and because he's still a puppy, other dogs give him some slack for poor behavior. But, he seems to be socializing well and is learning how to approach his canine compatriots without antagonizing them and he romps around with whatever hound comes his way. He can even be discouraged from investigating people we think don't want to be bothered by him. The problem with OB (as well as other beaches) are all of the washed up dead flora and fauna: seaweed, seals, fish, seagulls and other birds, clams and crabs. In general, the sand is apparently quite tasty, both dogs like to eat the sand. We are constantly telling Max to leave it or drop it with about 50% success, sometimes, he probably just has a mouthful of sand. He's willing to give up the less tasty morsels but crab is apparently hard to resist. Eventually, other dogs arrived and Max had a blast. He got to roll around in dead something, dig - he definitely got a good dose of that terrier digging gene - and play with the husky, the labradoodle and border collie. He got a little scolding from an ornery dachshund, but that was ok -- I'm hoping it taught him to leave the little (but not necessarily young) ones alone.

When we got home, I made him take a bath but he still smells a little fishy. Maybe it's the new kibble he's been getting -- it says that salmon is the main source of protein and it has a distinctively salmon aroma.