29.02.12

morning walks:
Luna
Daisy
Bette
Archie
(4)

M&J took these four out in groups of two. Everyone was good.
GRADE: A

28.02.12

morning walk:
Archie
Mo
(2)

M&J took these two out for a walk and they were good.
GRADE: A

note:
We're having an incident of kennel cough right now so we have seven dogs segregated and receiving meds and a general lack of sleep for Roni and me... combined with a severe deadline for work this has curtailed runs a bit. For the record, the dogs currently in quarantine are: Linda, Lex, Zoot, Twiggy, Rufus, Gowron and Molly.

27.02.12

morning walks:
Molly
Daisy
Henry
Ziggy
Stella
(5)

M&J took Molly and Daisy out first and then Henry, Ziggy and Stella; Ziggy and Henry were off the leash but Stella was not (obviously). All were good and had a good time.
GRADE: A

26.02.12

morning walk #1:
Frankie
Molly
(2)

M&J left with these two while I was getting ready to go for a run with the tribe. They went north on the beach up past the bend (I saw them to the South in the distance when we were out). Everyone was good.
GRADE: A

morning run:
Gowron
Monkey
Zoot
Mega
Lex
Petey
Steve McQueen
Amber
(8)

The hidden trail the exact same way we did it last time: ~8k. I noticed that Monkey was sucking wind by the time we got to the beach but after she jumped in a horsed around in the water for a while she seemed okay. The ocean was a bit rough and it seems like the tribe like it even more when it is; a steep drop-off at the very shore meant we were all in pretty deep water right away and everyone swam like lunatics in the surf. Everyone was really good.
GRADE: A

morning walk #2:
Otto
Shirley
(2)

Another pair out for a walk on the beach with M&J. All good.
GRADE: A

25.02.12

morning walks:
Ernie
Daisy
Bette
Twiggy
Henry
April
Linda
(7)

M&J took these out in small groups: Ernie and Daisy, Bette and Twiggy and finally Henry, April and Linda; Henry and Linda were off the leash the entire way on their walk but everyone else was on the leash. Everyone was good and had a good time.
GRADE: A

24.02.12

morning run:
Truman
Eve
Chester
Archie
Elewah
Molly
Daisy
Mo
(8)

Long and winding road backwards: ~10k. I had Molly on the hook at several points, including the end. We went by a few groups of salt workers and everyone was good off the leash. Out where the long and winding road starts in earnest we came across something disgusting in the road which Mo pounced on - I yelled at her to drop it from about 50m away and raced to get there before she could consume it. As I've seen before, screaming your head off and sprinting really does take it out of you and I was kind of crushed from that point on; since we were almost exactly halfway I just kept going but that long stretch by the far north charcos when we turn south was just murder. We came home on the coco trail instead of the dirty road because I was tired and wanted to get home and there were a bunch of salt workers arriving right near the crossing.
GRADE: A

morning walks:
Stella
Luna
Otto
Twiggy
(4)

M&J took these four out on two separate walks in groups of two. There was a little trouble at the gate with the leash when Stella/Luna were leaving but Roni was right there and made sure all was well. They were all happy to go for a walk on the beach.
GRADE: A

evening walk:
Shirley
Buddy
(2)

M&J took these two for a stroll south down the beach. It looked like everyone had a good time.
GRADE: A

23.02.12

morning run:
Alice
Frijolita
Blue
Osita
George
Tuesday
Maggie
Linda
(8)

Around the southern charcos, north on the palapa road and home via the shortest route (bag-end land bridge, intersection, Tuesday's crossing, dead-goat trail, coco trail): ~7k (but just barely). I would've gone north on the nearest serpentine but there were salt workers right there and I didn't like Frijolita's energy when we rounded the bend; I had Tuesday on the leash and I didn't want to screw around with another dog on the leash in that situation, so I turned us towards the palapa road... it's really only ~500m more to go that way than the way I was going to go, but I wanted to keep the distance in check for Linda. Everyone was stellar and had a blast.
GRADE: A

morning walk:
Frankie
(1)

Michael and Jagoda, our new HelpX'ers, took our problem girl out on what turned out to be a long walk - all the way to Playa Maya and back: ~10k.
GRADE: A

morning swims:
Lucy
Twiggy
(2)

I took these two out while M&J were on their epic walk. The water is clear now but stinks and is still a bit chilly. The waves were starting to pick up a little as Lucy and I got to the shore, but I was a hard-ass and made her swim more than she wanted (until she was breathing heavily). Twigs also wasn't thrilled with the idea but she did end up chasing me around a bunch and having a good time.
GRADE: A

22.02.12

morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Posey
Ernie
Ziggy
Lily
Molly
Luna
(8)

Around the southern charcos, road to no-man's land, Au Soleil Couchant road, parallel access road, dead goat trail to dirty road: ~9k. I had Ernie, Lily, Gracie and Molly on the hook at various times. On the way home a moto passed by us but I already had Molly on the hook because it's common to run into vehicles there; nobody so much as flinched, including Molly, but I left her on until we got home just because she needs it. We left a little late for this time of year (heat) but they just drank a lot of water and ran fast. Everyone was really good.
GRADE: A

21.02.12

swims:
Lucy
Maggie
(2)

Just some quick swims before I go to Mérida. They both swam for about 10 minutes in stinky, shallow, chilly, cloudy water.
GRADE: A

20.02.12

morning run:
Gowron
Monkey
Zoot
Mega
Lex
Petey
Steve McQueen
Amber
(8)

Hidden trail: ~8k. The tribe really are a fun group; PupG and Monkey set such a good example for them that they've never learned to do anything bad. We took the land bridge, the ridge and the cut-over on the way out, but went the long way along the parallel access road instead of going to the swimming hole. We ran into Nicole, Xmul and the two terriers on the beach between where the hidden trail dumps us and Au Soleil Couchant. Since Xmul is such good buddies with all of the dogs I had with me I decided to just keep going and not stress too much; the tribe ran forward when they saw her and they barked some at everyone but I put myself high up on the east side of the beach and yelled for them and they separated themselves fairly quickly. We went back into the monte at Au Soleil Couchant and went home via the alternate land bridge. When we got there I didn't see any salt workers but as we rounded the first bend there was someone coming out of the bushes and their co-workers were just up the road; they all jumped up onto their salt pile and then laughed at their reaction to my obviously benign group of dogs. There was a little barking but no aggression - PupG and Monkey are both perfect around people.
GRADE: A

walk:
Bosha
Linda
(2)

Finally managed to get Bosha out on a walk where she didn't escape from the leash and bolt for Kikis' house on the beach - having Linda along helped a little, and she was an angel. We just walked down to the shrimpery and sniffed around a bit, then jogged a little on the way home. I'm fairly sure Bosha would be okay on a walk on the leash with other people now, but I really hope Kikis can come for her sometime soon. She'd much rather be with Kikis. Still, nice that she finally trusts us enough to go out and come back not under duress.
GRADE: A

18.02.12

morning run:
Frijolita
Osita
Truman
Archie
Rufus
Elewah
Molly
Daisy
(8)

Hidden trail: ~8k. We flew. Rufus was on the muzzle before we left and for the first 1km, which really helps. We came off of the beach at Au Soleil Couchant; there was a moto coming towards us as we were crossing doce and everyone did what they should do: get off the road and wait for me. I scooped Elewah up at the end and had Molly on the hook on the trail. Everyone was good.
GRADE: A

walk:
Xmul*
(1)

Xmul left with Nicole on their walk today. Nice visit.
GRADE: A

17.02.12

swim:
Twiggy
(1)

I thought I'd get Lucy and Greta out as well but it was, yet again, cold, cloudy, stinky and bitey out there; the water is full of fish and they bumped into me constantly. Twigs did about 6 "laps", mostly under duress. The chaquistes were terrible so I bagged any further swimming for the nonce.
GRADE: A

16.02.12

morning run:
Alice
Godzilla
George
Tuesday
Maggie
Monkey
Linda
(7)

North via the dirty road, the cow pasture, the dead goat road, the tortuga crossroads and the parallel access road, east into the monte on the Au Soleil Couchant road, to the swimming hole and home via the coco trail: ~6k. We left a little late so it was a bit hot for this crew but we persevered. Maggie had the hardest time of it but she's a trooper and she also got most of the water. The swimming hole was curiously full of water and crawling with tiny crabs. We crossed the last charco at Tuesday's crossing instead of taking the cut-over so that we could get home a little quicker, especially with Mags lagging; also I didn't want to do any off-roading with Linda along because the xmuls really get into her coat. At one point a small truck passed us on the parallel access road so I scooped Linda up because she gets scared of vehicles (or as she likes to call them: "monsters"). Tuesday was on the hook on a harness the whole way but for the first time did not get paranoid or strange even at the end; she was a good girl throughout and really had a good time. Yay Tuesday!
GRADE: A

morning walk:
Xmul*
(1)

Nicole brought Xmul by at the end of her morning walk; she's going to stay with us for a couple of days and then leave with Nicole on their morning walk on Saturday. It's nice to see her and she's doing well. Roni brought her in on the beach side with a few dogs in the yard and it went well.
GRADE: A

15.02.12

morning walk:
Daisy
Mo
(2)

Jenni took these two out for her final walk with us... this time. It's a beautiful day and they all had a blast.
GRADE: A

14.02.12

morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Eve
Blue
Posey
Chester
Lily
Daisy
(8)

Around the southern charcos to the road to no-man's land, north on the palapa road to the Au Soleil Couchant road and home via the trails behind the tortuga crossroads: ~9k. Fast group. I had Chester on the hook for the first ~1km because I'm tired of him dusting me right at the beginning all the time; he was good when I let him off and didn't get so far ahead. I had Gracie on in the usual spots (she swears it is no longer necessary and that she has reformed). We saw nobody but a lone bird-trapper on a moto out to the north and everyone was good about it. It was nice not having to worry about anyone at all on a run for a change.
GRADE: A

morning walks:
Bette
Archie
Luna
Stella
Mo
(5)

Jenni took these out during the morning for her now-usual loop around the monte and the beach. First she took Bette by herself, who has not developed a limp recently; I think this means that as long as she walks on a leash and can't run around like a lunatic she can go out. Next Archie and Luna went out, and finally Stella and Mo. Everyone was really good on the leash and had fun in the monte and the water.
GRADE: A

afternoon walks:
Molly
Luna
Ziggy
Henry
Tito
Linda
Zasu*
Miles*
Greta*
Gowron
Shirley
(11)

Jenni's batch of afternoon walks. First were Molly, Luna and Ziggy, all of whom were good; Ziggy was off the leash. Luna had gone earlier but was still crazy to go on another one, so what the hell - she's really good on the leash. Next: Henry, Tito and Linda and again all were good; in fact Jenni said that Linda was the best. Next came Zasu, Miles, Greta and Gowron; Greta left on a harness but dug her heels in at the shrimpery so Jenni had to come back with her. Zasu came back on her own but when Roni told her she should go on and have fun with Jenni Zasu understood and went back after her - pretty cool (she ended up coming back yet again and staying this time but it was nice that she had a good time). Also amazing that Miles went with her... he, too, ended up coming home on his own but it is nice that he went out. PupG was excellent, sticking by Jenni through the various changes; she left with Greta, came back when Jenni did to drop her off and then left with Jenni again, happy as a clam. Roni sent Shirley out with them after Greta came back, so the third walk was four dogs, one of whom was on the leash (just a different dog in each version). The dogs obviously love Jenni.
GRADE: A

13.02.12

morning run:
Gowron
Monkey
Zoot
Mega
Lex
Petey
Steve McQueen
Amber
(8)

Hidden trail the rough way: ~8k. We went across the land bridge, over the ridge and to the swimming hole on the way out, down the beach just to Au Soleil Couchant and home via the cut-over, the ridge and the land-bridge again. Everyone was really up for it and we flew. They were their usual hilarious selves at the ocean in spite of the fairly significant (for us) waves. When we crossed doce going home at Au Soleil Couchant there were two strays about 50m south on the road - they looked like they might've been the white dog and the brown dog we've seen hanging around in the monte. My charges gave chase for about 100m and then turned around and came back; there was no barking or any damage and everyone did turn around because I was yelling for them but it is definitely time to get the rest of them neutered and start working on collars and leashes. We saw Jenni across the charco from us as she was going out for a walk and we were coming home right where there were a bunch of salt workers at the alternate land bridge; Amber barked a little but I kept us moving and everyone stayed with me and didn't get distracted.
GRADE: A

morning walks:
Archie
Bette
Twiggy
Luna
Mo
(5)

Jenni took these out on walks in three batches: first Archie by himself, then Bette and Twiggy and finally Luna and Mo. In all three cases she went in a nice big loop in the monte to the north and then home on the beach. Everyone was excellent and had a good time.
GRADE: A

afternoon walks:
April
Daisy
Ernie
(3)

Jenni took April and Daisy out on leashes first. She let April off the leash on the beach to the north, which was a bad idea - April took off, as is her wont on the beach. Jenni came back with Daisy and immediately took off with Ernie to try and find April, which was admirable; it turned out that April came back by herself (as we thought she probably would) no worse for the wear. Jenni came back a while later with Ernie, who got a nice, brisk walk (his favourite kind). Even when things go wrong they're still generally alright...
GRADE: A

12.02.11

morning walks:
Ernie
Molly
(2)

Jenni took them out separately for fairly long walks around the monte and home on the beach. They were both angels on the leash and had a great time.
GRADE: A

afternoon walks:
Frankie
Stella
Archie
Otto
Henry
Ziggy
Maggie*
Bette
Shirley
(9)

Jenni took all of these dogs out over the course of the afternoon, generally in pairs; Henry, Ziggy and Maggie left together but Maggie came back early - the other two went with her for a long stroll. Frankie got into a scuffle immediately upon getting onto the downstairs porch after her walk - she is too skittish and strange to be around the other dogs after she comes back from an outing. Otto's leg is looking like it might be okay now - we'll see if he has a limp later tonight or tomorrow; Jenni said he was very energetic on the walk. Except for Ziggy, Maggie and Henry everyone went out and came back on the leash, although some of them were off at points.
GRADE: A (except for Frankie)

11.02.12

morning run:
Frijolita
Godzilla
Osita
Truman
Chester
Rufus
Jack
Molly
(8)

Around the southern charcos, to the road to no-man's land, all the way to the Au Soleil Couchant road and home via the trails behind the tortuga crossroads: ~9k. It was not quite as tough getting Rufus out of the gate today because Roni let him down at the last moment. I had Molly on the hook various times and one of Molly and Rufus at either end of the leash on the trail home. There were various people in the monte near home as evidenced by their bicycles laying around etc, so I took us up the dead goat trail and cut across to the cow pasture. At the north-eastern corner of the cow pasture some dogs barked at us from the monte to the north - probably strays. Everyone was mostly good but Rufus and Frijolita were more interested than everyone else and went partway down the road to check it out; they came back to me when I yelled for them. We heard barking in the distance the whole way home from there. Right on our corner Frijolita saw something in the underbrush and chased it, dragging a couple others with her. They all came back quickly but I wasn't happy with them for making me yell so close to home, or at all really - this is normally such a good group. In the end no damage was done and everyone had a good time.
GRADE: B

morning walk:
Stella
(1)

Jenni took Stella on a long walk on the beach while I was out running, which obviously made her very happy. Stormy day today.
GRADE: A

afternoon walks:
Luna
Mo
Frankie
Daisy
Twiggy
(5)

Jenni took Luna and Mo out together on a windy afternoon. They went north up the beach to the tortuga sign, into the monte and around back to the house: ~4k. Both of her charges were good girls. Next she took Daisy and Frankie, both of whom were good on the walk; when they came back in the yard Frankie was a bit of an ass - she is already starting to get possessive of Jenni and has to be watched. Finally she took Twigs out by herself, since she's getting good enough on the post-op leg that a short walk won't be bad for her. Everyone Jenni took out was good on the leash and on their walk but there were a few shenanigans coming in the gate, generally having to do with everyone being excited by Jenni and by the comings and goings. Stella, Twiggy and Frankie all started fights at one point or another, the latter two of which are still in the box as I write this.
GRADE: C (fighting after the fact)

10.02.12

morning run:
Henry
Alice
Lucy
Rita
George
Lily
Linda
Luna
(8)

Across the land bridge and south, into the monte at the last turn, around the southern charcos and then immediately onto the first serpentine on the other side, to the swimming hole and then right back again to the intersection, the cut-over, the ridge and home via the land-bridge: ~6k. I thought going to the swimming hole would be nice to cool off and we were so close that we just went there, turned around and came home the way we went; it was full of crabs, perhaps due to the recent rain. Lucy has a little limp now and will not go on runs until she loses a little more weight by swimming. Henry lagged a bit at the end but was game throughout. Everyone had a blast, especially Linda - good distance for her.
GRADE: A

swim:
Twiggy
(1)

The sea was choppier than I thought at first so we only did something like 6 laps all told, but the undertow was significant and it was a lot harder than it usually is for both of us.
GRADE: A

walks:
Bette
Archie
(2)

Jenni, our visitor from Finland, took Bette and Archie out separately for walks on the beach. Archie doesn't like going south, but he was a good boy and they all had a good time.
GRADE: A

09.02.12

morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Eve
Blue
Archie
Ernie
Elewah
Molly
(8)

Long and winding road backwards: ~10k. Elewah came up lame out at pretty much the farthest point on the run, just after we hit the road to Xixim. She's such a drama queen that it's hard to check her over but I couldn't feel anything in her pad or leg and it wasn't swollen, so I'm guessing she stepped on one of those nasty spines or maybe twisted it a little bit; one second she was fine and kicking my ass and the next she was holding her right front paw. She managed to shake it off a bit and ran reasonably well on the way home but we kept stopping for her and it slowed us down a bit. Molly ran after a moto when we were way out there. It came upon us suddenly out where the road to Xixim goes sort of serpentine. At least she didn't bark or act like an idiot but I wasn't happy with her so she was on the leash from there until we got home. I scooped Elewah up at the shrimpery as usual but this time for multiple reasons; there were some kids with bird-trapping rigs at the shrimpery on the way home and nobody so much as sniffed at them.
GRADE: B (Molly must stop chasing)

07.02.12

morning run:
Reggie
Gowron
Monkey
Linda
Zoot
Petey
Mega
Steve McQueen
(8)

Across the land bridge, the ridge, the cut-over, through the intersection north to the Au Soleil Couchant road, west to the beach, south to the tortuga sign, back into the monte and home: ~5k. A quickie to get the tribe out and also to check out Linda, since she's been limpy afterwards in the past. The ocean was churned up but nobody cared and they all jumped in like lunatics.
GRADE: A

06.02.12

morning run:
Posey
Blue
Archie
Rufus
Ziggy
Jack
Daisy
(7)

North via the land bridge and cut-over, on the parallel access road to the Au Soleil Couchant road, east into the monte, south on the palapa road around the southern charcos and home the way we went out over the land bridge: ~9k. Rufus was a bear in the yard before we left until I muzzled him; this worked well and will have to be continued until I can get him to calm down by himself. On the muzzle he was still a little nuts trying to get it off at times but he was no longer loud and whipping the other dogs into a frenzy. Ziggy was also a loud pain in the ass on the way out and Roni and I were both tired of dealing with it so I left with the seven I had out; we'll have to try a muzzle on him next time as well. Once out they were all angels - Ziggy is as silent outside the fence as he is loud inside of it. We ran pretty quickly; the sky was strange and cloudy but it couldn't quite make up its mind, and the temperature went from brisk to hot and back again.
GRADE: B (getting out of the gate)

04.02.12

morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Godzilla
Osita
Truman
Chester
Molly
Mo
(8)

Around the southern charcos, continuing south to the road to no-man's land, north on the palapa road to the Au Soleil Couchant road, west and then south on the parallel access road, to the dog-leg west halfway, continuing south on the parallel road to the cut-over, across the alternate land bridge, north to the dead goat trail, cutting over to the cow pasture and home via the dirty road: ~9k. We saw a handful of people working in the salt charcos and on the roads today but the monte was mostly empty. We left a little late, and it was hot and muggy from a storm that blew through yesterday with heavy rains; all the puddles were full, or at least no longer dry. I had Molly on the leash for a lot of the run just to make sure I had her in hand if we ran into anyone, and I had Gracie on in the usual places where she's prone to misbehave. I put Truman on the hook briefly out on the road to no-man's land for running off around the bend like a lunatic and dragging several others with him. He must've seen something but he knows he's not allowed to do that; Gracie was not on the hook at that point and she was good and stayed with me. Otherwise everyone was perfect.
GRADE: A

swim:
Twiggy
(1)

Eight-ish laps in stinky, cold water.
GRADE: A

03.02.12

Alice
George
Eve
Ernie
Frankie
Maggie
Ziggy
(7)

South to the southern charcos, back via the nearest serpentine and home via the cut-over: ~6k. There was a lot going on around us this morning: strays on the beach, soldiers yelling, a ton of large trucks and motos with salt workers on doce, all of which made me feel like I should take fewer dogs and be careful. It turned out that we saw nobody but still sometimes caution is best. Going to Mérida now and just wanted to get a few out for a bit. Everyone was good.
GRADE: A

02.02.12

swims:
Twiggy
Lucy
(2)

Twiggy did eight laps and was a bit of a bear - she didn't want to go in and then didn't want to come back in the yard after we were done. The water is stinky and cold and I guess it's the latter she doesn't like, but too bad: she must swim. Since I was already wet I took Lucy out afterwards, so she can get some extra non-impact exercise; she was as good as Twigs was bad. She swam out to get me enthusiastically for all of her eight laps and was breathing heavily when we came out of the water. Good girl Lucy. She should go swimming more.
GRADE: A

01.02.12

morning run:
Monkey
Daisy
Zoot
Mega
Lex
Petey
Steve McQueen
Amber
(8)

Across the land bridge, north along the ridge and cut-over, north through the intersection on the parallel access road, east on the Au Soleil Couchant road, south on the palapa road around the southern charcos and home via the land bridge again: ~8k. I thought about going to the hidden trail but decided this would be nicer - there was nobody out there but us. Everyone was stellar and had a great time.
GRADE: A