An epiphany - ignore the oncoming dogs!

I have been a good dog and have made great strides in my manners. Well, first, I am getting to be very good on leash these days. I walk smartly next to my Ma with my head up, occasionally checking in with her to see if I'm doing OK. I really try not to pull, although, I'm not perfect. It helps that she walks briskly. I've also learned to slow down when walking stairs - when I hear the words "hold up" it means I have to stop or hesitate so she doesn't fall. Why she doesn't just get on four feet for better balance is beyond me. But the biggest aha moment for me was that I'm to ignore all dogs that are not of interest to my Ma. I just figured I'm supposed to greet them ALL, but NO - if my Ma keeps walking without looking at them, I'm to do the same. OK - I'm not perfect in that department either, but I'm getting pretty good. Getting my nose bitten by those little rats on leashes has helped me learn that lesson! Of course, there are a lot of dogs I know in the neighborhood and I feel I ought to give them a snarfle since they are acquaintances, but if my Ma ignores them, I try my best to do the same. Best of all, for my Ma, I'm good at the recall. When I hear her calling COOOOOOME - it's hard to resist. I don't like to be left behind and miss all the fun although I do range pretty far on the beach. The best part is that my good behavior seems to be leading to more frequent and longer walks, not mention those jaunts on the beach where I get to run FREE!!

Anyway, I have been a good dog and yesterday, I went to Home Depot with Ma and Pa. I wouldn't exactly call it fun. I had to sit still while they looked at blinds. I had to ignore two obnoxious rat like dogs in a shopping cart that yapped at me. I had to ride the elevator (I refused to get on the escalator.) And, worst of all, I wasn't allowed to break open a bag of chicken manure in the garden dept- oh, how I yearned to roll in it! I had to make do with rubbing my face against the bag.

Pa transplanting some succulents.

The humans have created a nice little garden for us to pee in.

I got real tired despite just hanging out and a short walk so I checked into snooze early. Good thing, since this morning, I got to go to Ocean Beach.

I got to hang with some of my buddies. Here's Keto sizing up Sjobahn's muzzle.

I got to show off my digging skills.

I played face off with Roy.

Roy can put on the afterburners when he wants to.

The tide was low so we got to walk below the Cliff House all the way to the Sutro Bath ruins.

I'm spending the day overseeing more home improvement projects which involves chewing on the Kong and barking at passerbys. Ta ta!

A dog party and other adventures of Maximus

Yesterday, I was a good boy and we went to Sutro Hts Park where our humans had a party for us doggies. Unfortunately, the Park Police showed up uninvited so we all got leashed, or at least the doggies did. But, it turns out the officers had bigger, badder, dogs to pursue.

Ignore the foreground, those are my friends - in the background are the hoods getting arrested up the hill.

My Ma was sent to investigate so I, of course, accompanied her. A black Mustang was being searched and little plastic evidence baggies were being filled with???...bad news for the hoods...the park is part of the National Park System and they were arrested by Park Police who are Federal. So, unlike SF, things like pot are illegal, not to mention, jail is prison. Lucky, no more Alcatraz!

That's Archie with his eyes on the prize -- cheese. I learned I'm pretty well-behaved. I don't beg at the table and I certainly don't steal food. But then again, my own food is pretty hard to beat.

A lot more people showed up and it was a fun, although, a little crazy. I barked a lot since I was leashed up. That's because when Ma let me go, I went straight towards where the officers were searching the kids. I couldn't help myself. I was curious.

All this was Billie's Ma's idea. Thank you Cathy!!

As you can see she had a good time!

This morning started out looking like a dull day what with Pa painting and my Ma not looking like she wanted to go out for a walk.

Pa up on the ladder outside of the living room.

I don't think I can climb a ladder. I don't even like escalators.

It's odd to have Pa looking in like that.

But, Ma did not disappoint. We got to Ocean Beach and walked all the way to Taraval and back. That's about 6 miles! We even stopped by Sutro Hts Park on the way to find the flappy I had forgotten yesterday.

I hope to catch up on my beauty sleep tomorrow. But you never know - it might be another exciting day!

More fun at OB

I have been a very good boy and I've had a lot of fun these past few days. Friday was Lucca's Ma's birthday. My Ma was not aware of this but happened to have a present for her, the book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain." It's about Enzo, the half Airedale half Lab, and his life with his Pa, the race car driver. Enzo is dying but he believes he will be reincarnated as a human being. Great book!

The weather was gorgeous on Friday morning. Unfortunately, by Sunday, the weather got rough and three people perished: one kite surfer and two people who drowned when their boat capsized. My Ma and I ran into the rescue operation on Sunday evening.

We play crouching terrier, hidden hound, except this is Lucca crouching. I taught him how to play this game. It's kind of like our version of a face-off.

And on Tuesday, we had another jaunt on OB. This time the tide was higher so we were further to shore where there was a variety of flotsam and jetsam on the beach.

I'm perfecting my terrier stance.

Sometimes I let Lucca get the prize.

We met a Golden Retriever named Miley.

Me, thinking about fun but barely able to move. Time for a nap. Nighty night!! Well, OK. It is broad daylight but it's lights out for me.

New discoveries in Sutro Hts Park

Thursday, I was a good boy, so I got to go to Sutro Hts Park in the evening. On the way in, I noticed something truly alarming - a large lady with a bow and arrow and a deer! And, she was making a strange noise!!

I barked furiously! Then, I realized the noises were trees squeaking in the wind. Whew, but how embarrassing. I hope no one was looking.

There are some ruins in this park - it's where the former mayor of SF, Adolph Sutro, used to live.

My Pa keeps hoping I'll start using these for my business more often.

As we were about to leave, who should come but my friend Billie.

And, we even got to see Dulce off leash. For some reason, all the women go ga ga over him. Hrrrumph! But, he's a sweetie. The only problem is, he's like a rock. I've tripped over him many times.

Well, I hear we will be having a party here on Friday, next. I can't wait! All my friends will be there.

Clean cut but still stinky!

I have been a good boy but, unfortunately, I could not escape getting a buzzcut. My Pa unexpectedly cornered me in the garage while I was napping, peacefully. He apparently doesn't ascribe the the old adage, let sleeping dogs lie.

It was a beautiful morning.

Don't I look skinnier now?

Would you mind mentioning that to Ma? I need more food so as not to look so scrawny.

Actually, I had my monthly weigh-in, and I'm now a hefty 67.5#.

Still, I've got a ways before I catch up to Stanley who weighed 85#!! I'm a bit more svelte - taller and longer than the great Stan. More din din, please! Never mind the bath - waste of water!

Amgen Tour of California starts at Ocean Beach

I have been a good boy and today was a blast. I had a nice 2nd breakfast of washed up dead crab and other yummy shellfish on Ocean Beach. The tide was real low so there were many buffet items in the sand. I got to play with Lucca - he knocks me around pretty good since he probably weighs 20# more than I do.

Beach wrestling on OB

I also introduced Lucca to Keto, the husky, and Roy, the German Shepard - two other boys I like to play with on the beach.

After, the Amgen Tour of California had their 3rd stage start right in front of the Park Chalet. When I got home, I was supposed to be clipped and bathed, but somehow, the humans got busy so it didn't happen. Whew. I do smell rather ripe, which I like. It's a good disguise from the likes of Mrs. Wiley Coyote.

BMW car show and other adventures of a very good boy

I was a good boy this week, as usual, and I got to enjoy a good week, to boot. We had our now weekly excursion to OB with Lucca. Lucca and I chased each other and I got into something nice and smelly, rolled in it, and got real sandy.

My aboriginal look.

Lucca eying me suspiciously. Hmm, he said. He smells funny.

Lucca distracting me with a ball. He knows I'm not supposed to roll in dead bird.

Then, on Saturday, we went to the BMW 2002 car show at the Brisbane Marina. It was the first car show of the type for both my Ma and my Pa. Pa went there to show off his 2002.

Many of the cars have their bonnet and boot open for inspection. That's Pa's car.

Don't quite see what they see in this.

Ma liked this one.

This is what the humans do at these shows. Stick their heads in the car and their butts up in the air. Familiar pose, wouldn't you say? As in when I dig?????

Lucky for Ma and me, we had a nice neighbor to play with. Like me, he's a good boy. We played tug of war and I won almost every time.

I also met a Welsh Terrier. They look just like us Airedales only their growth is somehow stunted. They probably need more food, like me. Luckily, they're not wimpy, despite their size, so they can hang with the likes of me.

That's Benny. Quite the pose, wouldn't you say?

I overheard Pa saying he might want one of these. WHAAAAAT??? Has he lost his mind? I mean, Benny's nice and all, but he's not an Airedale!!! Now, I'm really worried. Maybe I'm not a good dog! Why wouldn't they want another one like me??? When I got home, I got a headache and stomach distress and I barfed. OK. It wasn't from the thought of a Welsh but from all the branches and twigs I ended up eating playing tug of war compounded with a touch of heat exhaustion.