Catoctin

At the base of Cunningham Falls. Wally loved wading.


Bean and Wally cross a stream.


Bean and Wally enjoy their hike.

Dh, Ds and I took the boys hiking in Catoctin National Park. We also took the boys over to Cunningham Falls. We hiked about 4.5 miles. The boys scented a deer herd. I think that the whole park heard the boys baying and yelping. The dogs we're nice and tired after our trip.

Some June '06 Pictures

Bean shows off his 90°walk.


Wally enjoys hearing his voice echo while canoing.


It's belly rub time.

Squish Squish

The ground around here is still spongy from all of the rain. Wally and Bean insisted on running through the wettest spots insted of on the paths. Both boys got very muddy. Dh and I ended up with soaked shoes.

Wally went canoing with dh again today. Bean and I walked down to take some pictures. Wally looked very happy with his paws perched up on the bow of the canoe. Another lady that was canoing pulled up along side dh to check out Wally. I heard her saying to Wally, "No, you can't get in my canoe." Wally liked the attention and looked like he wanted to get into the other canoe.

Dissapointing

Wally resting. I found this picture in the January '06 files.

Dh and I had wanted to take the dogs to Down's Beach this week. Unfortunately the weather forcast calls for rain the whole week. So much for dh having the week off to spend time with us. Bean despises getting wet. Wally doesn't mind. Wally and daddy have been taking advantage of the cooling rain by going on their regular runs.

Canoe Picture

Wally goes canoeing with Daddy.

Dh finally down downloaded the picture of himself and Wally canoeing.

So far this week we have visited every pet store in the area trying to find the appropriate harness for Wally. It looks like I’ll have to order one over the internet. One lady in the pet store today kept making Wally bark. Dh finally said something to her. The lady did apologize and said the she loves the hound baying sound. She tried her hardest to get Bean to bark but Bean just looked at her. It’s very rare for Bean to bark.

I bought the boys bully sticks today. I had heard good things about them and how they keep your dog occupied for a long time. Well, a long time for us was about 20 minutes J

Trying to Find the Right Harness

I've been researching harnesses online. I want a super indestructable one if there is such at thing. So far dh and I have taken Wally to two pet stores and didn't have any luck. I will be making an online purchase. For now we clip Wally's harness together with a carabineer. We also clip the carabineer through his collar.

It's starting to get to hot to walk a long distance during the day with the dogs. I walked them about 2 miles today. When we returned both dogs lay down by the door and didn't move for about a half hour. The long walk will have to be moved to evening.

Failed Harness

Dh and the boys

Wally managed to escape once again. The buckle on Wally's harness broke yesterday on our noon time walk. Bean and Wally we're scenting and chasing after an interesting scent. When the buckle loosened Wally didn't seem to notice, he just kept running.

I called my son to come meet me with the dog whistle and treats. I asked him to take Bean back home and man the phones if someone should call. We had taken a new trail so I was a little nervous about Wally getting lost. I decided to try the lake area since Wally loves swimming. I walked about 100 feet when Wally came running past me. He than played his game of running ahead, than stopping to make sure that I was following him. I learned from past experience that he considers this a big game so didn’t bother to run. I walked after him at a regular walking pace.

I decided to sit under a tree and see if Wally would stop. He promptly ran into the lake and swam around for a while. He than ran up to me but just out of arms reach. He decided to go into the woods. He would sniff for a few seconds, run back to the lake than back to the woods. He did this a number of times. I figured that I would let him wear himself out.

Wally played the swim woods game for a good half hour. The last time he ran into the woods I heard a yelp; than he didn’t come back. This was major panic time. I looked into the woods and no Wally. I than ran into the adjacent neighborhood to look panicking that he may have been hit. When I couldn’t find any sign of him I started to become paranoid thinking that someone may have dog napped him. Luckily dh showed up at this time to help. At this point I had been out for a few hours so walked back home to look while dh searched. Once home I switched with my son, he went out to look while I manned the phone. Dh finally ran into a woman who said that she saw a dog matching Wally’s description swimming in the lake up ahead. Dh quickly headed in the indicated direction and saw Wally swimming. Wally saw dh, and ran past him into the woods. Dh followed him. Wally had gotten himself entangled in a briar patch in a deep thicket. There was no way that Wally could turn around. Dh extricated him and brought him home.

I am so disgusted with Wally’s old harness. Dh had made many modifications to strengthen the weak points. All of dh’s modifications worked wonderfully. The clasp had worn out. This is the second time that Wally escaped due to failed hardware. He also escaped another time when my son opened the door and Wally went bounding out.

Dh and I went to pet smart to get Wally a temporary harness. I’m going to order a super tough harness that is used in service work. I figure that rescue, police and military can’t take the chance of hardware breaking.

The good thing is that Wally doesn’t try to run away out of our sight. He really enjoys teasing us.

Too many Noises

There are a few parties going on in our neighborhood. There are firecrackers going off, loud music and cars driving in and out to fast. It’s bad enough that there is one group doing this, another group is also doing the party thing. Poor Bean got really freaked out. He wouldn’t do his thing for his bedtime walk. He would take a step, than stop. He was also bothered by the other dogs in the neighborhood barking frantically. After Wally went Bean decided that he needed to cover the same spot. I than ended up carrying him home.

My son(ds) had gotten some nice flowers and 2 cute stuffed animals for his girlfriend’s birthday. Wally got all excited and followed ds everywhere. Poor Wally thought that he was getting some new toys.

Bean Upset Tummy

Poor Bean had an upset tummy this evening. He is most comfortable snuggled up next to me. Bean jumped up on the sofa next to me, threw up, than jumped down. Dh was laughing at me. Bean appeared to be much better after getting everything out of his system.

Dh said that Wally managed to snag a french fry on their evening run. They we're running at a very good pace when Wally stopped suddenly and laid his body out almost flat to the ground. Dh saw him snag a french fry. The funny thing is that Wally promtly resumed running and was eating the f.fry at the same time.

Wally actually told on Bean. I heard a woof woof, Wally than came up to me and woofed excitedly. I followed Wally into the kitchen and there was Bean with half of his body in the dog food container happily chowing down. I'm really surprised that Wally didn't join Bean eating.

Rabbits

Bean is very happy.

Now that the weather is warmer there are a lot of rabbits in the neighborhood. There are also a lot of rabbits down by the path that goes away from the lake towards the pond. The lake path itself is a little to crowded to see many rabbits. The boys love scenting and chasing the rabbits.

The boys saw the groundhog. Unfortunately it was downhill from us and the boys decided to run full speed. I had no choice but to run full speed. I almost tripped. I had visions of myself being dragged down the hill.

90 degree Angle Walk

Bean enjoys his walk.

Bean has perfected the 90° walk. If I want to go one way Bean insist on trying to pick a route 90° to the path that I have chosen.

Kyaking

Dh took Wally down to the lake yesterday and went kyaking. Apparently Wally had a good time. Dh said that when they got to the middle of the lake Wally realized that his bark echoed. Wally enjoyed sitting in the kyak barking so that he could hear his echo.

Dh had Wally on a long line attatched to the kyak. Wally jumped out and decided to swim. Dh said that Wally is such a strong swimmer that he managed to pull dh and the kyak.

Bean likes to tease Wally be sneaking up and grabbing whatever toy that Wally is playing with. I'm glad that the boys are starting to enjoy each other's company.

Wally missed Daddy

I love the expression on Wally's face.

Dh went on a business trip to Orlando, Fla. this week. Wally was very upset that his person was gone. Every day he would sit vigil at the stairs facing the door from 4:45 pm - 5:30 pm waiting for dh to come home from work. When dh didn't show poor Wally would whine and cry. Dh returned today. Both Bean and Wally we're very excited when we returned from the airport (they we're both very upset when I left for the airport to pick up dh).

One of the boys ate about a quarter bar of ivory soap. I think that it was Wally by the size of the teeth marks. So far neither dog is getting sick, hopefully the soap will have no ill effects. Bean ate part of a leaf off my elephant ear plant earlier this week. I immediatly called the vet. The vet told me to call Poison Control since the vet was unfamiliar with this type of plant. Also, if Bean becomes lethargic or very ill to bring him in right away. Poison control told me that elephant ear plant plant is non toxic to humans. I told him that it was my dog, he thought that I was calling about a child. He said that generally if a plant is non toxic to people that it should also be non toxic to dogs. The worst that it will do is make you throwup. Sure enough, Bean threw up. The vet called me a few hours later to check up on Bean. I'm impressed that she called back, my old vet wouldn't have bothered.

To Many Kids

Today on our walk the boys and I ran into a bunch of school kids having a picnic. We had walked 3 quarters around the lake (1.5 miles). At the large pavilion there we’re about 50 kids having a picnic. Unfortunately the teachers decided that this would be a good time to walk back to school. I managed to walk a little ways thinking that I could stay ahead of the kids. Of course I had no such luck. At the point where the kids caught up to use the boys and I had about .25 miles to go. The bad thing is that the path gets very narrow at this point, the lake is on one side and there are houses on the other. I walked off the path as far away from the swarm as possible. The teachers and chaperones told the kids to stay away from the dogs. There are always kids though that won’t listen. Poor Bean felt overwhelmed when a bunch of kids surrounded him. The kids we’re a little to cautious to surround Wally.

I asked one of the chaperones what grade the kids are in. She told me 4^th grade. One little boy was saying “look at the bloodhound.” I told him that Wally is a coonhound. He shouted “no, bloodhound.” I told him nope, coonhound. This kid than screams at the top of his lungs “BLOODHOUND!!!!!!!!!!!!” Uhm, okay. For today Wally is a bloodhound.

Let's walk

The boys want me to hurry up and take them for a walk.

I'm glad that the weather was not so humid today. The boys and I walked around the lake. It's a bummer when we can't go very far due to the heat and humidity.

Finally Nice Temps

It was so nice today to get a break from the hot humid weather. Dh and I walked the boys around the lake. The lake wasn't crowded because it was dark and cloudy and seemed like it would rain at any moment.

The boys had a great time sniffing for rabbits. Bean poked his head into a big bunch of poison ivy sniffing after a rabbit. I realize now that I wasn't careful enough. I am breaking out with poison ivy. I should have washed the dogs immediately when I realized what had happened. I very allergic to p.ivy and it seems like I can catch it just by looking at the leaves.

Wally's elbows are finally filling in with hair and are not noticeably bare.

I think that Wally is starting to feel like this is really home because he actually barked at a stranger that he thought was approaching our house today. It was a deep don't come any closer bark. Before he would run to the door and look but wouldn't bark.

Wally monster

Wally sniffs over Bean.


The boys chase a squirrel up a tree


Wally is determined to get the squirrel

Yesterday was one of those days.

My son and I attended a high school graduation yesterday (Wed). The parking lot is far away from the pavilion. Part of the path is gravel and the path twist and winds, there are also a few hills. On the way in the strap of one of my shoes broke. I had to shuffle in, I never realized that it would be so difficult to shuffle with heals but then again there was nothing to hold the shoe onto my foot. After the ceremony I had my friends cover for me. I took off my stockings and walked out barefoot. I threw the shoes into the nearest trash can.

After the graduation we went to my son's friend's graduation party. I decided that it would be best to go straight to the party and not stop off home. The dogs would be very unhappy to be let out for a few minutes and than have us leave. Bean can have the run of the house; Wally is so goofy that he needs to be crated for his own safety. I had to chase Wally this morning to get him into his crate.

We didn't stay at the party very long because I was worried about Bean. If you're squeamish stop reading here.
..........................
..........................
..........................
..........................
..........................
..........................
Bean has had very runny stools for the last two days. I debated about going to the graduation today but Bean managed to make it through the night okay. When my son and I got home we discovered that poor Bean had a lot of accidents down the hallway and in the living room. I felt so guilty because I wasn't home to let him out. I let Wally out of his crate, he ran up the stairs and wouldn't you know...he also let loose. I guess Wally must have caught whatever bug that Bean had. I start cleaning everything and Bean starts again. I picked him up and ran outside with him. My son was getting Wally ready to take him for a walk. When I opened the door to bring Bean back in Wally took off running at full speed.

Wally led me on a big chase, through a few neighborhoods and than down to the lake. I was trying to catch Wally when some lady shouted at me, "Hey, that dog isn't supposed to be running loose ..." in a nasty voice. I shouted back at the top of my lungs, "I know that, I'm trying to catch him." She kind of shrank back from me and knew not to say anything else.

My son called dh to let him know that Wally was loose. Dh left work to help me look for Wally. Dh would be very devastated if something happened to Wally, Wally is clearly dh's dog. We would all be upset but Wally has definitely adopted dh as his person.

I went down to the lake while dh was driving home. I saw Wally in the middle of the lake where it's really deep swimming with the ducks. He thought that it was a big game; he would come close to shore than swim out again. Another dog walker (dw) saw what has happening and helped me catch Wally. DW used his dog to help lure Wally out of the water.

I brought Wally back to the house, dh had just returned home.

Dh got to shampoo all of the carpets.

Wally is lucky that he is so lovable and cute.