Ole meets the car wash

After all the regular morning routines I took Ole out in front of the house on the beach on the long line. We played fetch with his favorite squeeky ball and did a couple of coming when called practices. A young twenty something girl out running her golden retriever "Clyde" let him drag her over to Ole so we stopped and let the two dogs hang out together. Clyde showed Ole his technique for digging a hole and Ole joined in the fun. They rolled around in the sand together until another jogger with her labX( name unknown) also stopped for a meet and greet. Clyde's owner finally was able to drag him away from Ole and she headed off with him reluctantly sort of following her. He was B I G! and very strong. It's a good thing she was young and strong. She told me he's a nice guy but that he doesn't listen to a thing she says. Actually, she said that as he was dragging her over to another dog a few minutes later. Ole and I continued with our practice of coming when called and added follow me where he had to stay with me as i changed directions and ran away everytime he got interested in something else. After 20 minutes of that we went back in the gate of our house and I got ready for a private lesson with a young lady and her Beagle that won't listen to her and is very cute but spoiled. After I got home , I fed Ole and checked on the progress Abner and Denny were supposedly making on the floor. The room was empty! They were having a late breakfast instead of working. Abner had played volleyball for an hour and Denny had not gotten to our house until 30 minutes before I got home. They both were having a nice relaxing start to the day. I packed up the dogs and told them I hoped to see part of a beautiful floor laid down by the time I got back. They both laughed.....
I had to go to the Fairgrounds and pick up my paintings that didn't get in. I got two in this year and Donna got all 4 of hers accepted . We both won awards so it is exciting. We don't know which paintings we got awards for or what the awards are and won't find out until the awards presentation on Thursday at the Fair. At the Fairgrounds , I picked up my rejects..(.it's soooo cold to be rejected!), and then got the dogs out of the car for a quick walk around. People descended on us like flies to candy. The dogs loved it. They especially liked a young black Marine who was doing volunteer work, carrying paintings for people to their cars. He said he grew up with German Shepherds and loved the breed. His two dogs were back home with his wife as he is at Mira Mar Marine Base and is getting ready to deploy. Anyway, he misses them a lot. I sure hope he makes it back from where ever he is being sent. He is a really nice young man. Elmo tried to tell him that he too is a German Shepherd and could easily fit in his pack. I've never seen my dogs make such a fuss over a stranger. They gushed over him.
From there we went to the Torrey Pines dog park . I hadn't taken Ole to a dog park yet as I don't want some dog taking offense to his rising testosteroney status and beating the crap out of him. There were only 3 dogs in the park and they were all very low key relaxed dogs so I chanced it and sent mine in one at a time, Shelly 1st, then Elmo, and then Ole and I. It went fine , no problems. Everyone just minded their own business. Ole and a young Old English Sheep Dog named Jackson who was rather submissive and gentle played a little bit and then we left as other dogs started to arrive that didn't seem as relaxed. Most dog attacks in dog parks occur when highly excited aroused dogs are brought in to the parks. This park is about an acre in size which is okay for about 8 or 9 well mannered friendly dogs but anything over 12 dogs and tension rises or if one of the 8 or less dogs is an unruly one it isn't good. I prefer play dates like Ole with GiGi at her house or day care that is closely monitored. Dogs can learn to fight by being attacked or traumatized at a dog park. I don't want that to happen to my boy Ole or Elmo or sweet Shelly .
On the way home my car was filthy so I decided to run it through the car wash. I realized that Ole had never ridden in the car when it went through the car wash so I got out some treats and rolled up the windows and well , no big deal, he looked around a bit but then lay down and kind of ignored the whole thing. Good boy Ole I'm amazed at how low key he is.
Hallalujah, got home and about a third of the flooring was in and it is beautiful. Good job Denny. He will start again on Monday as he has golf tomorrow with his buddies.