29.12.13

morning beach dash:
Archie
Rufus
Linda
Daisy
Hazel
Tori
Murci
(7)

Up the beach to Au Soleil Couchant and back: ~4k. This was a get-some-energy-out run for Rufus, the Heroic Trio (Hazel, Tori, Murci) and their pugilistic little friend (Daisy); Roni suggested recently that I should try to get Daisy out as much as possible for a while to get more energy out and calm her down... also it is a good situation to work on discipline. We more or less sprinted until we were past the HoJo; I had Rufus on the leash out of the gate but he came off right there and was good the rest of the way off the leash. Murci is now a more experienced runner and has also decided she is a water.dog: the surf was churning and high in places and she dove in with wild abandon to stay with her peeps. There were several breaks from hauling ass to jump into the surf and everyone really enjoyed it even though it was rough; Linda, the smallest, is really brave and funny in the water and is not discouraged by anything... she kept up with ease and we were really moving for long stretches. I put Hazel on the hook and Tori on the other end of the leash before we got to the HoJo heading south; Hazel is the one I trust least in this group and Tori just jacks the pace up too high if I let her. Configured thus it was no problem running the gauntlet past the soldiers; nobody was out when we went north but there were two people and that stray we got sterilized hanging out at the palapa coming home. The stray gave chase and barked at us and everyone was good; Murci wanted no part of it and was well ahead but didn't just bolt for home - she listened to me and stayed with us albeit in the vanguard, until she recognized our path on the beach, where she beat it for the gate. Nobody else paid the stray any attention; she looks good and I'm glad the surgery worked out. She also looks to have beaten the Ehrlichiosis so the soldiers must've given her her meds. Maybe she'll be healthy and happy for a while now that the bugs are dying down. Our dogs were stellar throughout and had a great time.
GRADE: A