New Dog, Old Tricks

[jonathanb715]

So, I picked up Ellie on Saturday and we've been having lots of fun getting used to each other, and exploring some of the regional parks where she can be off leash:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee39/jonathanb715/EllieLasTrampas.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee39/jonathanb715/EllieMtD.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee39/jonathanb715/EllieLasTrampas1.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee39/jonathanb715/EllieSleeping.jpg

A well earned nap! She didn't even notice my kids running around playing.

JB

[Gee3]

Cool pup! How'd you find such a well behaved dog?

Where are those trails at?

[jonathanb715]

She's a sweety - I picked her up from Smiley Dog Rescue (www.smileydogrescue.org). She wants to be good, which is good because she does have a few issues. Most are what you'd expect from a rescue dog - playful, but doesn't know her own strength; jumps up on people (just trying to be friendly); no leash manners at all (she almost pulled my arm off). One unique one - she's deaf. Maybe it's because of that, but she doesn't wander off when off leash - she wants to keep me in sight. She responds well to hand signs and to a pager collar (like the ones that they use for invisible fences, but I set off the vibrating to call her back with a remote. It can shock her too, for discipline, but I haven't had to use that - someone has already trained her well for that part at least).

Those pics were taken in Las Trampas Regional Park (at the end of Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon). The dog is a great excuse to do some exploring that I hadn't gotten around to.

JB

[tprevost]

She's a sweety - I picked her up from Smiley Dog Rescue (www.smileydogrescue.org). She wants to be good, which is good because she does have a few issues. Most are what you'd expect from a rescue dog - playful, but doesn't know her own strength; jumps up on people (just trying to be friendly); no leash manners at all (she almost pulled my arm off). One unique one - she's deaf. Maybe it's because of that, but she doesn't wander off when off leash - she wants to keep me in sight. She responds well to hand signs and to a pager collar (like the ones that they use for invisible fences, but I set off the vibrating to call her back with a remote. It can shock her too, for discipline, but I haven't had to use that - someone has already trained her well for that part at least).

Those pics were taken in Las Trampas Regional Park (at the end of Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon). The dog is a great excuse to do some exploring that I hadn't gotten around to.

JB


She is too cool! Glad to hear you're having a great time with her! :D

[sj_roadie]

Looks like one of those mean pitbulls...

Here's mine :) Scary huh?

Great job getting a rescue dog, my two are both recues and they are awesome dogs...
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/jrbruin/motley_smashface.jpg

[BlastRadius]

Were you riding on that trail?
There aren't many trails around here that you can ride on and have a dog off leash.

[jonathanb715]

No, this one is a no-bikes trail. Besides, I've never really been mountain biking - I'm from the NJ shore originally, where the highest point above sea level for about 20 miles around was 236 feet. "Mountain Biking" there was riding on a sandy, flat trail.

JB

[Red Rider]

No, this one is a no-bikes trail. Besides, I've never really been mountain biking - I'm from the NJ shore originally, where the highest point above sea level for about 20 miles around was 236 feet. "Mountain Biking" there was riding on a sandy, flat trail.

JB

Let's hear it for the Jersey shore!

We had to drive through the Piney Woods to get there. Long Beach Island was our summer refuge.

Whereabouts did you live?

Those pics are beautiful, and your dog rocks. Love the ears; that she's deaf and knows hand signals is awesome. Someone really took the time with her. Sounds like she's in the right home, at last.

[jonathanb715]

I grew up in a little town called Rumson, on a peninsula between a couple of inlets off the ocean. Right near Sandy Hook, Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. We could see the Manhattan skyline, but a train ride took almost an hour and a half to get to the city - the trains had to go all the way around the bay. Now there's high speed ferries - 20 minutes to Wall St.

Were you coming from Philly? LBI is beautiful.

JB

[Red Rider]

I grew up in a little town called Rumson, on a peninsula between a couple of inlets off the ocean. Right near Sandy Hook, Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. We could see the Manhattan skyline, but a train ride took almost an hour and a half to get to the city - the trains had to go all the way around the bay. Now there's high speed ferries - 20 minutes to Wall St.

Were you coming from Philly? LBI is beautiful.

JB

Ah, North Jersey shore. I remember going to Palisades Park in the back of my dad's El Ranchero on Saturday nights to ride the rides and see Freddy "Boom-Boom" Cannon. Good times! PP and Barnegat Light are as far north as we'd venture.

We lived in Mt. Holly and later Lumberton, so we took the same route as the Phil'delphians took. My parents would rent a beach house in Ship Bottom or Beach Haven for a week every summer. We'd go over to the bay the first day and catch some clams, then keep them in a bowl for the week and feed them Ritz crackers, watching with the patience only children have to see the clams open their shells and reach out with that foot-thing they have to suck up soggy cracker crumbs. We'd turn them loose the last day and wonder how big we could grow them if we stayed another week.

I remember a lot of miniature golf, too. And sunburn. And sandcastles. One thing about the Pacific shore -- I've rarely gotten sunburned. ;)

[jonathanb715]

Ah, North Jersey shore. I remember going to Palisades Park in the back of my dad's El Ranchero on Saturday nights to ride the rides and see Freddy "Boom-Boom" Cannon. Good times! PP and Barnegat Light are as far north as we'd venture.

We lived in Mt. Holly and later Lumberton, so we took the same route as the Phil'delphians took. My parents would rent a beach house in Ship Bottom or Beach Haven for a week every summer. We'd go over to the bay the first day and catch some clams, then keep them in a bowl for the week and feed them Ritz crackers, watching with the patience only children have to see the clams open their shells and reach out with that foot-thing they have to suck up soggy cracker crumbs. We'd turn them loose the last day and wonder how big we could grow them if we stayed another week.

I remember a lot of miniature golf, too. And sunburn. And sandcastles. One thing about the Pacific shore -- I've rarely gotten sunburned. ;)

Great memories. We used to hang out at the Stone Pony (drinking age was only 18, so it was a lot easier to sneak in underage) in Asbury Park, hoping Bruce Springsteen or at least Southside Johnny would show up and play a few sets with whatever band was playing. A good friend was a lifeguard in Asbury, so when I'd get off of whatever summer job I was working, I'd hang out until he got off and then we'd just hang out in whatever bar let us in without checking id's.

What I don't miss is the triple-H weather (Hazy, Hot and Humid). Even being near the ocean didn't cut it when it got like that.

Extra credit if you know what a Benny is!

JB