As we did last August, this year Moxie, Bowie and I headed up to the Adirondacks for the second weekend of August. This time with Ginger in tow. We entered the Ballston Spa shows, and basically were the only entry...reason not to go? Under normal circumstances, yes. But this weekend isn't about shows. It's about sharing good times with our dogs and our Swissy friends at Virginia O'Rorke's house on Lake Nebo.
This year we met Virginia at the show in Ballston Spa, where Bowie took the Breed and then we all decided NOT to hang around for group (this 5 show cluster is just too chock full of handlers to even bother) but instead headed out for Lake Nebo an hour north, so we could get some swimming in before dinner. Of course we didn't have to wait that long. While we were at the dock, loading the boat to head over to the house, Bowie promptly jumped off the dock into water that was well over both of our heads. It had been a year since he'd been swimming, and he also doesn't know where the shore is relative to the dock -- so he swam straight to the dock and when he stopped, lifted his head and tried to raise his paws onto the dock, his head went under and I saw panic in his eyes. So in I dove, and managed to save my 130 pound lug. Needless to say, Bowie rode in his crate over to Virginia's house, as I already had my hands full keeping Ginger in the boat (Moxie, she wouldn't leave the boat even if it were on fire!) From now on, whenever we're around deep water that Bowie can't walk into or out of, he will be wearing his PFD. Ironically, he is the strongest of swimmers -- but lifting that mass out of the water onto a dock isn't as easy as it might seem.
The Lake House "Swissy delegation" this year consisted of Virginia O'Rorke, Karen Hannon, Nancy Anderson, and me. A smaller group of people this year, but twice as many Swissies. The dogs consisted of Dawson (7), SiSi (4) Rupert (3), Moxie (3), Paint (2 1/2), Finn (2), Bowie (19 months), and Fred & Ginger (10 weeks). Some of Virginia's family was also staying at the Lake House, and they were not only gracious and very tolerant of our loud, boisterous Swissies, but quite helpful as well. Special thanks go to 11 year old Jake, boat captain and puppy sitter extraordinaire!
Thanks to Karen Hannon for some of the photos below.
The Awesome Miss Dawson watches over the swimmers from her boathouse roof.
Ginger considers whether she'd rather get up on that roof, or brave the cold water.
We hoped that perhaps Maddie, the Lab, would show everyone how it was done.
She basically just showed Karen, and scared off most of the Swissies.
Fred knows where it's safe -- and that would be in Karen's lap.
Of course Bowie wasn't scared. Nothing much scares him.
Wonder how long Virginia will let Fred get away with this?
Not very long, I guess. That's Fred in the water, paddling for steak.
He's actually a great, pretty fearless swimmer for 10 weeks. Look out, Bowie!!!
Ginger sort of likes modeling the swimwear, but that's as far as it goes.
She did get wet, once...and that was it. She spent most of her time playing
with Maddie on the dock.
And then when she had enough, curled up outside her cabin door.
Smart cookie, she definitely knew which cabin was hers.
Karen takes Paint in the paddle boat...
But not until she dealt with an attempted stowaway by Bowie, who jumped from the dock into her boat as she pulled away...and then she threw him overboard! Poor Baby.
Rupert, always the gentleman, knows how to stay in a boat. In fact, nothing scares him quite so much as the thought of falling out of that boat, so he sat like a statue.
Karen sure likes that tube, doesn't she? And she's got it down to a system now, having the dogs tow her around either via sticks or, in this case, a tow line.
Ginger, acting all cute with Jake, while Finn watches over them.
"Hmm...maybe if I'm cute enough, they won't make me swim?"
Little Fred, so tuckered out after his big day...dozing in his favorite spot,
and thinking about tomorrow's planned activities.
Virginia, torching the chicken, as Fire Marshall Paint looks on.
Moxie, generally laying low and playing billy goat...far, far away from the water.
Bowie and Maddie stalk the kitchen door.
Dog-tired dogs, Paint and Finn.
Day 2 starts with an early morning hike. An injured Moxie stays home,
but everyone else participates.
The herd congregates at one of the watering holes...and there are MANY.
What's this??? A downed water buffalo???
No, it's only Bowie, giving himself a spa treatment in honor of the Ballston Spa shows he blew off.
Do they make Swissies any more disgusting than Bowie??
Well, he cleaned up pretty well, as usual. And not to be shown up by Nancy/Rupert and Karen/Paint, I was determined to take Bowie out for a paddle. Note my free hand firmly clutched around his collar...otherwise, I'm sure he'd have been somewhere between the boat and the dock, or the boat and the ducks...but definitely somwhere in the water.
Ginger enjoying some tortilla chips for lunch.
Ginger, in a pensive moment outside on the porch.
What goes through that little mind of hers?
Moxie, always the lap dog.
Dawson, Paint, SiSi and Moxie (left - right) sitting on the porch.
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES may photographs or content be copied, used, reproduced,borrowed or taken from this web site
without the permission of the Owner.
Copyright 2009, Aegis Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs
