Dogs Who Don't Swim

"Do you want to go for a walk?" That's the usual question we ask our dog, Frodo, when it's time to get the leash. He then runs a straight shot to the door, tail wagging all the way. The little guy doesn't ask for much - food, water, a little attention now and then, and of course, daily walks. Yesterday was beautiful outside, so we decided to visit our quaint city park for a few laps around the small pond.

Frodo will stop and smell a blooming flower on occasion. He always looks so cute when he does that. Most of the time though he keeps his nose to the ground. I suppose there are more smells there to capture a beagle's sensitive olfactory system.

We try to encourage him to swim in the pond on warm sunny days. You see, our beagle doesn't much appreciate any form of water unless it's in a bowl or puddle. He once jumped into the Tennessee River and swam when trying to get to Don, so I know he can (but that's another story, and I can't say he liked it). We didn't have to lead him to the water and coax him yesterday. Don and I were walking a steady pace on the paved path when Frodo darted down the hill toward the pond. Don held the leash and followed him. We were both excited to see Frodo step into the water since he rarely does on his own. He walked in up to his belly inciting even more excitement in us. He continued a little further, and our hopes grew even more.

And then it happened - whatever "it" was. Don thinks there may have been slippery moss causing Frodo to lose his footing. In an instant, Frodo took a nose dive into the water. Just his head got covered with one quick motion, but that was enough for him to back out of the water. Well, shucks, we thought he was going all the way this time. It was nice to see him run through the edge of the water though after his little mishap. I think he enjoyed himself even though it scared him.

He can swim. Not all dogs can, but he simply chooses not to so far. Maybe with a little time and some more encouragement. It will be a happy day when he goes into the water on his own to conquer his fear. Hopefully, it will be sometime this summer.

Time for Frodo

As I write this, my dog, Frodo, is laying on the floor snoring while twitching his cute little paws. I don't know what he's dreaming about, but I hope he's somewhere like a green grassy meadow beside a babbling brook with lots of colorful butterflies to chase (or perhaps in his case, a rabbit or two).

Frodo's favorite spot is the back of the chair in our living room where he can look out the window when he wakes from periodic napping. I gave him a pillow for this picture - he's not spoiled.

He and Don took a walk today around the wooded area off our street. He came back with his tongue hanging out and looking for water (I'm talking about Frodo, not Don, but they do look and act alike sometimes - family resemblances).

In a couple of weeks, Frodo will go on a diet and exercise program with both of us. I'd like to get a mountain bike, but I'm not sure if I can take him with me while I'm riding through the woods. Also, Don and I want to start going to the gym again. It's going to be hard to do the kind of exercise Don and I want to do while getting exercise in for Frodo too. We'll have to figure that out.

Return of the Beagle walk

Sunday was a beautiful day here, so the dog and I went for a long walk. We stayed close to home, but still managed to walk 4 miles. It has been very cold, at least for here and there were many frozen puddles along our trail. Frodo stepped on one and it cracked with a very loud noise. It scared him and from that point on he avoid all ice. We did see one deer on the trail, it didn't seem too concerned about us and just stood and watched us until we were out of site. It had been a long time since we walked that far and by the end of the walk Frodo was completely exhausted and slept for the rest of the day. We are suppose to get more snow tomorrow so I guess it may be a while before we walk again. I love watching him when he gets on a scent. His nose begins to twitch and he makes a snorting sound, It kind of sounds like a pig when its eating.

Now for a little different topic. We broke down and purchased a Wii along with the Wii Fit. We haven't used the Fit yet, but are looking forward to it. We have played the Wii Sports and Cheryl has kicked my tail. Guess I need to practice more. I know one thing it sure let me know how out of shape I am. I was winded and sweating like I'd been in a real boxing match when I went three rounds with the computer. Hopefully it will help to get us back into some sort of shape other then round!

Feel Like Hibernating

"Our Adventures" is the name of our blog, but lately, it's just been too cold to be adventurous! Even Frodo hasn't been taking his regular walks. I know he wants to go out, but I'm not that fond of the cold weather. Maybe I should get him a treadmill! I've seen some dogs exercising on them on television. It wouldn't be the same though, and he would probably hate me for it.

Don and I have been dealing poker at the Borgata during their tournament. It's a lot less stressful for both of us this time. We are actually having fun with it. I wouldn't mind doing it more often. I especially like the fact that we are doing it together. We drive to work in one car and eat dinner there together. I think we are the only couple dealing cards there (at the tournament, that is).

During these cold days with poker in the evenings, I've been wearing pajamas during the day until I get ready for work. They're really nice and comfy along with the slippers my daughter-in-law, Stephanie, got me for Christmas. Non-skid too, I like that on my laminate floors.

America the Beautiful

Well, we finally did it. After all these years of talking about it, we finally bought a parks pass. We ordered it today online at http://store.usgs.gov/pass.

And for your viewing pleasure, that's where I swiped the picture for this blog. Hopefully, they won't mind though. Maybe it's good advertisement. Anyway, the cost of the pass is $80 annually. It's good for fees at sites managed by USDA FS, NPS, USFWS, BLM and Reclamation. I only know what some of these stand for, but I do know that we can now go to any federal park and bypass the entrance fee. Yay! I guess that means we're going to go to a lot more parks this year.

We went to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge just this morning. We will probably be going there a lot actually. It's close and Frodo loves to walk there. There are all kinds of trails to follow. Short ones and long ones. It wasn't too cold this morning, but there was ice on the water anyway. We saw a few ducks and one crane. There were a lot of people taking pictures. Don thought they might be members of the Audubon Society.

Skipping Christmas

It's been a while since one of us last posted. I'll take the initiative to do it now. There's a really good reason though why we haven't. I don't want to call us boring for the last few weeks, but.......what can I say?

It's December, and we should be actively seeking December things to do. But really, it's not in us this year. Sometimes we skip Christmas. This happens to be one of those years. We are already looking forward to going all out next year at Christmas. Isn't that funny? We've talked about putting up a bunch of outside lights - next year. We've made plans to have a cozy Christmas just the two of us - next year. We're planning to buy a new Christmas tree - next year. We just don't feel like it this year. This sort of thing happens to us about once every four years or so. Don't worry, it's our natural state. We're strange that way.

We haven't really been bored during the last few weeks. There has just been a lot going on like paperwork that needed to be finished, car wrecks and other stuff one doesn't usually discuss. But oh, did I say car wreck? Yep, Don had an accident. He's okay and didn't have to go to the hospital or see a doctor. He even walked home from the accident. (Frodo and I walked to meet him.) Thank God all is well with that. The car can be fixed too.

When all else fails, talk about the weather, right? Well, the weather shouldn't be keeping us from walking Frodo, but apparently, it's been a good excuse. We haven't been for a good walk in a while now. Poor doggy! It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow. You can bet we will have him out on a leash then.

Walking in Tennessee

I noticed its been a while since I last updated here. We took a trip to Tennessee last week for a wedding. Naturally we took our child (Frodo) with us. He travels really well. He sleeps in his bed in the back seat until he feels the car slowing down, then he gets up to see where we are. He also loves to crawl up onto the lap of whoever is in the passenger seat and sleeps like a little baby. He is so sweet when he does this but after a while he gets very heavy and we have to fight to get him back into his bed. He tries everything he can to stay, he wraps his front paws around your neck in a doggy hug and it makes you feel bad about putting him in the back.

While in Tennessee we were able to take a couple of walks. There is a paved trail that follows along a river. It's really a nice walk. The first day we had to hurry because it was getting late so we only walked 3 miles. The next day we walked the full length of the trail, a total of 6 miles. We were both dragging after that one. One section of the trail was a wooden deck that extended over the edge of the river it was very scenic. We met a few other dogs while walking, I think Frodo took lessons from my son's St Bernard, when we walk he has a tendency to drool very badly.

We met one dog, a black lab, that Frodo had to greet, in the process he proceeded to wipe his slobber all over the dog's nose! I was so embarrassed! Here was this beautiful black lab, with a nice shiny glop of drool streaked across his nose! Such are the adventures of walking a beagle!

Long Walks

Wow what a weekend of walking! On Saturday we did the trails around the house. I wanted to walk further but Frodo had other ideas! We still managed to walk 4.25 miles. It was a great walk the weather was perfect for it. He is so funny, he knows all the trails and he knows all the short cuts. He kept trying to take all the short cuts and I just kept walking where I wanted, but I could tell he was not a happy beagle. When we get home from these walks he gets his drink and then disappears to his favorite sleeping spot and is dead to the world for the next few hours.

On Sunday we went to a new place, its a wildlife refuge about 5 miles from the house. They had a trail there call Songbird trail and it was 4.75 miles long. With the little side trails that we did I figured we walked at least 5 miles. It was a great walk, with some rolling hills and lots of birds. We also saw 4 deer. Three of them were together right in the middle of the trail. We stood and just watched each other for about 2 minutes before they went back into the woods. Its always fun on new trails because his beagle nose is going about a mile a minute smelling all the new smells. Its amazing how strong he is for a small dog. He catches a scent and practically drags me along until the scent runs out. I also thought I saw a bobcat, not sure, but if it wasn't it was sure a big cat! I didn't stay to find out one way or another! I will probably go back there again because it was such a nice walk. They even had benches spaced out about a half mile apart in case you need a rest. The only bad thing was I picked 5 or 6 baby ticks off my clothes when I got home. I guess they fell out of trees onto me because I never left the trail to go into the brush. I guess I need to use some of the dog's flea and tick repellent!

Fall hum drums

The fall/almost winter hum drums have set in. I haven't been walking the dog as much or as far and I think we are both suffering for it. I did take him for about a 2 - 3 mile walk Saturday and we just made it home before the down pour. Frodo does not like walking in the rain! The first few drops and he is shaking himself and wanting to head for home. I feel really bad for him, he is going through a really bad allergy spell. He keeps scratching his nose by rubbing it on the carpet or using his paws. He loves me to scratch just under his mouth with one hand and on top of his snout with the other. I give him a benedryl when it gets to bad just so he can get some sleep, not to mention me getting some sleep.

I know there are not many people following the baseball world series this year, but living this close to Philly, I have gotten caught up in the excitement. I can't believe I stayed up until 2am Sunday to watch the game. Frodo was the only smart one, he went to bed and had a good nights sleep!

Walking Near the Rich and Famous

We took a road trip this weekend to walk the dog and see some new sights. We drove to Rhode Island, Newport to be exact. Actually we went to Raynham, Ma and spent the night there. I learned one very important fact, even on the outskirts of New York City you are going nowhere fast. Its only 292 miles to where we stayed and it took us seven hours, three just getting around NYC. Other then that the drive was beautiful with all the trees and their fall colors. Newport is pricey, so we stayed in Raynham. It was only 38 miles away. The picture is taken from the Cliff Walk in Newport. It is a 3.5 mile walk (we only did 2.6 of it, one way) that borders the Atlantic Ocean and some of the most expensive and extravagant homes that I have ever seen! Some of these homes are still owned by the likes of the Rockefeller's and Vanderbilt's. Also there is a college there that has some of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen.

We only did 2.6 of the 3.5 miles because from the point where we stopped there were lots of narrow passages with 10 - 15' drops. The path has deteriorated due to storms so walking has become very hazardous. They even have warnings posted that if you get injured, you will be there a while. Since all the direct access is from private property, the medics have to come via the same path that you are on. But as it turned out, 2.6 miles was probably just right for a little beagle. The total round trip walk to and from the car was at least 6 miles! Plus we took time to play near the ocean with him. He liked the water but was scared of the waves, even the little ones that just barely covered his paws! It's a little strange we live in New Jersey near all the Jersey beaches, and the first beach Frodo visits is in Rhode Island!

Here is the result of a long walk and playing on the beach!

He got into the car, and I don't think we heard a sound from him other then snoring for the next 2 hours. While on the trail he was able to meet many other dogs and all sorts of people. I have got to say I was a little surprised at how well he did. He is normally not well mannered as he likes to jump on people and give them kisses. But there was no jumping, and he actually listened to what we told him. The funniest part of the day happened as we passed a family on the walk. From behind us, we heard a little boy call out, "Look at the fatty dog!" There were many a shhhh's from the parents, but we were too busy laughing and acknowledging that he indeed is fat. But we are working on it for both his sake and ours!

Small video of Frodo running from the waves!

New Park

This is the new park we found for our walks. Its about a 2 mile walk round trip. As you can tell I didn't take the picture, the wife is finally starting to walk with us! This was our warm up walk just to check the park out. Its a great place with some paved paths and some that go through the woods, these are Frodo's favorites and Cheryl's least favorite due to chiggers and other pests. So when she is not with us, Frodo and I will do some cross country walks. Frodo loves all the new smells, and there are lots of grey squirrels all over the park. Also we have come nose to nose with numerous other dogs, Frodo tries to make friends with all of them, but some don't want a beagle for a friend. Besides the walks Frodo loves the ride in the car to the park. He is like all dogs and loves to stick his head out the window and let his tongue flap in the breeze. Of course his ears look like a couple of sails when the wind catches them. We are going to try to walk every day for the next couple of weeks and then work into jogging. I keep telling her I'm too old for this %%^& but she doesn't believe me, so I guess we'll find out together! Actually I'm kind of looking forward to trying to get back into some shape. Since I left the military I have kind of let myself go and I know that it has affected my health. Plus the fact that I have a job where I sit on my backside for 8-9 hours a day. So I guess eventually Frodo will learn what jogging is too!

Fall has sprung a leak

Fall has arrived with a vengence. It started raining yesterday and is still going strong. Its a bit of a Noreaster. We get more of these then hurricanes this far north. They blow almost as hard and can create quite a mess. It absolutely destroys walking time. I feel bad for Frodo, he doesn't understand that I don't do walks in the rain. When I come home from work he meets me at the kitchen door when I come in from the garage, he gives me a fair amount of doggy kisses, then runs and sets by the front door waiting for his walk. When I tell him "not today" his tail droops between his leg and he goes and lays down and gets the most forlorn looks. He can achieve some of the most sorrowful looks. It almost makes me look for a raincoat or umbrella, notice I said almost! For those of you who don't have pets, especially dogs, they somehow become the boss of the household, even small ones like beagles. It seems that all actions are based on what would make the dog happy. It's very apparent when it comes to bed time. He gets this wrinkled head look and comes and lays his head on your lap and lets out a big sigh. He does this a few times and if you ignore him, he drags himself to bed. When you look in on him he normally is in some pitiful position with one of his stuffed animal. I usually give in and go to bed with him. It's actually funny, it's almost to the point where I can't sleep unless he is snuggled up to me. All in all I wouldn't trade him for any amount of money!

Quite of the Morning

Frodo (my beagle) and I set out on our morning walk at about 7 am this morning. I love walking early in the morning, it is so peaceful. We live close to the Garden State Parkway, so unfortunately I do get a lot of highway traffic noise, but I can still hear most of the sounds as the forest comes alive. It seems like it starts with a single bird call and the next thing you know the whole forest is alive with the chatter of a dozen different birds. I have seen everything from Robins to Turkey Vultures. This morning we had a couple of Canadian geese honk out their warnings when they saw the dog and I coming. They like to do an early morning feeding in the soccer field behind the local high school. For some reason Frodo never seems to be interested in them, could be that his nose is too busy with other smells to pay them any attention. Did I mention that he has an incredible nose? A couple of weeks ago we were walking on the sidewalk with some trees and shrubs to our right. All of a sudden he puts on the brakes and goes lunging into the woods, I thought he had seen a critter, but no he comes out chewing a piece of bubble gum that someone had thrown away! I have no idea how he smelt that gum. I didn't let him keep it!

Don

A Walking Adventure

I have a beagle, that means lots of walks and slow enough for his nose to smell every blade of grass. We went on a three mile one this morning. I love walking in the early mornings, not too hot, and more of a chance to run into some of the local wildlife. This was the case this morning, we came face to face with a couple of deer. They were a ways away but they stood watching us and we froze watching them. We all turned in opposite directions and went our separate ways. Then a while later into the walk we came across a box turtle. Now my beagle is very curious, but he is also the biggest chicken dog I have ever seen. He was almost by the turtle when he noticed movement. He went to investigate and when the turtle pulled his head back into his shell Frodo jumped straight up into the air and tried to run in the opposite direction. I finally was able to coax him into walking around the turtle, but soon as he knew he was clear he took off on a high speed sprint, thank God for 15 foot leashes. He is a very smart dog though and knows all our trails, I just ask where he wants to go and he finds the trails. I think his favorite part is going to his wading and drinking pond at the end of our walks. He never swims, just wades and drinks. This morning there was a fisherman there and he didn't hear us coming and Frodo just about gave him a heart attack. It is always an adventure with Frodo, you never know what he is going to do or get in to!

Don