Friday, August 8, 2008

Beach Boy Bob!

Bob's 1st time in the ocean
Bob is a lucky pup- he gets to grow up at the beach! What I would have done to have the same privilege!!! The very first full day Bob was with us, we started out the morning with a swim meet, which is how most Saturday mornings in the summer begin. That was rather uneventful, as he slept through all the splashing, cheering, and soaking wet children running around. The next day we hit the beach! Again, rather uneventful. We tend to walk very far down the beach to where there are very, very few people, if any at all. I carried Bob, all 18 lbs of him! He checked out the tiny waves that rolled in, took a nibble or two on the beach Kong with which I had brought for him to play, and then he pretty much sacked out in my arms. I eventually got him to lie under the beach chair. He was up long enough for me to get some photos, but that was the extent of it. We will have to go back again soon. There are 2 chocolate Labs we see at the beach on Sundays, Nicholas and Zoe. They (and their owners) knew we had been waiting for Bob, and I’m sure they are anxious to meet him. Bob can’t play with other dogs until he gets his 16 weeks shots. Even though we know they are vaccinated, it can’t hurt to be overprotective. Going to the beach with a dog, or even more challenging, a puppy, is quite the chore. They can not, I repeat can NOT drink the salt water. You do not want what results if they do! When the pup is on a leash, you are able to make sure you correct him immediately if he tries to drink the water, so I guess that is what all those folks get for letting their dogs run free on the beach, huh!?! (I always pack lots of extra ice water, so he’ll always have a good, fresh supply.) Then there’s the sand! One sandy yellow pup + one great, big sandy beach=one good bath when we get home! You can’t leave the sand and salt water on them, or they will itch and itch. With Bob’s pink patch on his nose, I actually had to put a touch of sunscreen on it, so he wouldn’t burn. (Even though we weren’t there long, again, it can’t hurt to be overprotective!) It will be much more fun, I’m sure, once he is bigger than the waves, and can run and jump in them (Thank God for Flexi leashes!) the beach will be more appealing to him. That and maybe he will stay awake long enough to enjoy it! Thus is the life of a beach pup...

Bob with Tracee on Ponte Vedra Beach










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