August 31, 2009

Today was quite the grand adventure for our afternoon gang. We went out for an "easy" run on the beaches below Daly City. A small hill climb led us to a narrow dirt path which continued up, up, up as far as we could see... With Olympic athlete Oona in the lead, we started climbing. And climbed... and climbed... and rested... and climbed some more. Many (long, sweaty) minutes later we reached our objective -- an awesome aerial view of Mussel Rock, several hang gliders in flight and some ready to launch, a panoramic scene of the entire trail system and beach meandering toward Fort Funston and the Golden Gate Bridge. Wow.

Human and dogs finally stopped to catch our collective breath and appreciate the view. Champ and Lily were actually a little TOO adventurous for my taste, wanting to see the view from the edge of the bluff looking straight down! After some sharp words from me, they reluctantly moved to a safer vantage point. I think these doggies are too adventure-prone for their own good sometimes... A little fear of heights is a good thing! After a few minutes at the tip-top of the Daly City skyline, we slipped and slid back down in record time (and a cloud of dust) -- it was fantastic Once back on the beach, we took off for the car at an easy jog -- a mellower Oona now trotting calmly along and Lazy Lily bringing up the distant tail of the doggie procession. Once back at the car we enjoyed a long, cool drink and collapsed into our seats. It was an unexpectedly awesome afternoon adventure and a great workout for human and canine alike!

August 19, 2009

Today, once again, I was reminded that unplanned or lightly planned adventures often result in the most fun for everyone involved! We had a blast this afternoon as we finished a long hike with a jog on the beach and some impromptu fetch/chase/race games.

The youngest pups -- Bindi, a super-speedy Miniature Pinscher mix, and Sasha, a Black Lab mix -- played furious games of chase that often ended with Sasha sprawled, panting, on the sand while Bindi ran circles around her. The Retrievers, Belle and Zoe, loped along the edge of the water and occasionally slammed into each other (for fun) while playing keep-away with a squeaky tennis ball. Champ, the world's sweetest and cutest Boxer boy, played "soccer" with his blue rubber squeaky ball, romped in the water with Belle and Zoe, and chased Sasha and Bindi whenever they slowed down enough for him to catch up.

We spent an hour and half playing together and had a blast even though I hadn't really planned any activities. We just showed up and made our own fun. Another unplanned but excellent adventure was had by all!

July 13th, 2009

This posting is long overdue -- since mid-May we have had many adventures! Each day brings new experiences, unique challenges and plenty of fun times. The summer vacation season is in full swing and many new faces have joined our circle of furry friends. Pacifica kitties are enjoying the plentiful sunshine -- either firsthand or through sunny kitchen windows. Our doggy playgroups have discovered several "new" trails and beaches from Pacifica to Half Moon Bay, most highly recommended by clients or fellow wanderers.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful, with especially stunning morning seascapes. Whales and dolphins galore have been sighted from local beaches, and several live seal pups have found their way onshore! If the pups don't make it safely back to the water, the Marine Mammal Center of Marin is contacted for assistance. Our doggy friends are quite well-mannered and give the seals a wide berth (with just a bit of verbal coaching, that is...) We send out a warm welcome to all of our new friends and look forward to adventuring together throughout the gorgeous Pacific Coast summer