Dog Days of Summer

Nesta & Friends:

Ember

Fare thee well friend. May you be chasing your pink ball and finding lost friends forever. Greater Philly SAR has lost one of our finest. Beautiful girl.

Water Training

Water training with dogs. The dogs of SAR need to know how to ride in a boat. Nicely. Without yelping. They need to learn to focus and sniff. And alert on the scents. Canines can smell a victim under water. 12 feet down. Currents carry scent and vapors and gasses rise to the top in minute bubbles. Our dogs can locate the bubbles.
Water rescue however often involves ropes and buoys. And not dogs. Today they had to wait riverside while we practiced throwing rope bags and self rescue in rapids. The Shepherds of the group sang and protested their imprisonment on the banks. "Hey! Let me off this rope! How will I save you? Clearly, you are stuck in the rapids and need my help." Some of the dogs sat nicely and just watched. Guess which kind I have?

Nesta video

Fire Island National Park

Have dog. Will travel. We seek destinations based on their dog policies. Most campgrounds allow dogs but there are often breed restrictions or the canine variety is relegated to a funky, mosquito ridden corner in the back near the trash. Not on Fire Island. If you find the aroma of "Deep Woods Off" intoxicating, and feel that a sandy sleeping bag is just part of the adventure- head to Fire Island National Park. An island off of Long Island, Fire Island is only accesable by boat. No cars. No roads. Just beach, bay, boardwalk, and some deer. (Not sure how the deer got there. Boogie Board?) Dogs are allowed. Even on the sprawling white sand beach. Free to chase waves. Run wth the wind. And nap in the shade. There are a few restaurants, a camp store, and flushing potties. Go. Take your dog. Bring Off and a good tarp.

Harrisburg Fire Expo

SAR Team Photos

Nesta & Spike take a fiver

Me & Magenta waiting for our assignment
Nesta greets a little boy
Team taking five on the hill
Me & my boy

Camping

To do list:
Dig in sand.
Chase waves.
Roll in fish guts.
Learn to unzip tent.
Cozy up on beach blanket while sandy and wet.
Enjoy campfire food.
Find sticks.
Sleep hard at night.

Post find reward- ball on a rope- Heaven

Big guy blogs

Must sit with kids. I love to ride in the Jeep. I wish the top was off though- my ears hit the roof. There is a space in the back that smells like Search & Rescue but I can't see where we are going from there. What if I need to help with directions? Everybody knows that GPS is only so accurate. I know exactly when we are close to the destination- regardless of whether I've been there before. I let everyone know by speaking in a soft voice. (sorta) I heart the Jeep.

Tattoo

Nesta's pawprint on Me & Profile on Him. Love me a dog.

Warba

Nesta's Lion Daddy-Warba. Photo courtesy of another Shiloh owner hoping to use Warba's "puppy making skills".

Nesta wants a lion.

I'd like a lion. Baby lion in fact. Nesta agrees. Turns out, there are baby lions for sale on the internets. http://www.sell.com/247NKF. $3.00? Really? Oh, and they are friendly. Well then- send me 2. It's got to be legit right?

After reading, A Wolf in the Parlor, I have a better grasp on why dogs and humans need each other but how come we as a species never got closer to big cats? Geography? Was it a size thing? Cause I just read Marley the Christian the Lion picture book and there are stunning images of a baby lion. A baby lion that has the same soul piercing eyes as my Nesta dog. Maybe I could just lionsit somebody else's baby lion....If you are in need- let me know!