- well this blue heeler, anyway.
When I used to take my labrador to the beach, his joy was visible.
His joy was audible.
But Flo can take it or leave it.
She may look like she's enjoying the water, but she's merely doing a low-key scan of the horizon as always, on the lookout for something to herd.
She was more interested in the foreshore, walking on a leash.
She had a bit of a paddle, because it was there.
But she didn't leap, dig, swim, wag or cut loose.
A labrador belongs here.
A blue heeler turns her back on it.
19 comments:
I have seen some heelers that love the beach. It just depends on the dog, even some Labs are not crazy about the beach.
If you love the beach and dogs at the beach, check out my book Salty Dogs! It is over 100 photos of 39 breeds of dogs published by wiley.
YOu can read more about it at my website
http://jeanmfogle.com
check out my blogger blogs, one is just pics of dogs at the beach.
I'm glad I added that second line now as a disclaimer to my brazen generalisations!
(And watching one of your youtube videos I see evidence of a bluey very much like this one enjoying the beach.)
I guess this is more about Flo, who has been such a crazy dog in general - everywhere BUT the beach!
I was interested to observe the way she was almost wary of it, a bit like the Boston Terrier in Salty Dogs. In this different environment, I realised that she's basically a nervous dog.
Your book looks great, Jean.
I did get to see a few dogs romping along beaches last week, and it's such a wonderful infectious thing.
I also love your blog entry of April 1 ;)
Oh beautiful doggie.
She's obviously searching for "the morning penis"
...or some hores to regulate
I go now
Actually, she's looking towards "The Nobbies" ;)
(With a Rye smile on her face)
In Newcastle, there is a Nobby's Head, a Bogan's Way, and this building, which has caused innumerable visual puns in the Newcastle Uni student magazine about male bodily organs.
Fine dog; maybe if a few more of these had been in the surf she would have developed an affinity for water!
OMG - that building takes the cake.
Just about.
I think The Nobbies on Phillip Island was originally called The Nobby as some early maps suggest?
(And it was a bit of poetic licence to say Flo could see it from Rye back beach, she adds sheepishly)
But yes indeed! That is exactly what Flo is hoping for on the horizon. Such a sight would warm the cockles of her heart.
I love the ambient blueness of that second photo.
Took this picture of this guy t'other day. At the beach.
scurvy?
aft t' th' sea...
- oh and yes, it is a beautiful blue.
(Must confess I did not take the photos myself)
Well, blue heelers were genetically bred to project manage waves of unprocessed protein across oceans of red dirt and scrub. Not all that H20 stuff.
Blue heelers are thoughtful situational analysis dogs with excellent time and motion management skills, clear professional goals and a very laconic sense of humour.
When I'm next able to properly live with a dog (time and spacewise permitting) I'd go for a blue heeler cross. They don't demand the same immediate attention like other breeds but they certainly reciprocate quality attention in the long run. Mutual respect, no time wasting and shouting your round is what seems to count with them.
Plus Flo is a dignified matron, not some yappy teenage hoon. You were expecting her to go "Last one in is a pussy!" followed by a running bellyflop into Bass Strait?
And look, a flying cat exhibiting the stoicism common amongst bluies but often rare in felines.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86fVoioExE4
Love the way at the end he/she's saying "yeah nice landing, but can we get a beer now?"
And it was a nice landing. The pilot was doing a hard 90 degrees starboard turn 500 feet up and less than a k out and yet still touched down perfectly straight and level within 20 metres of rollout.
No doubt the cat seemed so blase 'cos the pilot had never fallen out of a second story window and landed undamaged on his feet without the aid of a plane.
Also I think the furry copilot was actually an ocelet - a generally unflappable feline sub-species. A jaunt in a Cessna 172 is nothing compared to dodging anacondas,Gerald Durrell's collecting nets, panthers, logging operations and David Attenborough's camera hunting packs.
Actually it's probably not a Cessna 172. The windshield is a bit too wraparound. But you get the overall point. We're talking about some kinda flying VW here.
However I'm pretty damn certain it's an ocelet lounging around on the dashboard coaming during final approach and touchdown.
Jeez, we've been ignoring Flo haven't we? My shout. A meat shandy darl?
I thought it looked a lot like an ocelot. Very cool.
My shout
Yes, I've defintely warmed to blueys, I like their medium size, and they do have (or this one has) a cat like independence combined with clumsy bouts of affection, but it's still a black labrador and a beach in my ideal future.
"a meat shandy?" - have you seen that meat-flavoured water in the petfood section of the supermarket?
Couldn't believe my eyes.
As Nabs said, your Heeler is a livestock rounder-upper and your Lab, poodle, and setter, is a WATER dog wot brings back the floating dead ducks.
I had a Setter when a child, and she used to spend hours at Rye front beach trying to pluck crabs out of the shallows. hours.
Bless you dear Flo.
The 'blue dogs' photo is Blairgowrie Front/dog beach.
re meat shandy:
“The product was originally designed for Australia’s 3.9 million canine loving households as a safe alternative for owners concerned about their dogs drinking from muddy puddles, dirty lakes or grimy park taps,” Mr Larkey, owner and Managing Director of Dog Plus said.
...
“I’m astounded at how the product has taken off. My advice to other Australian companies is that if you can export an idea like drinks for dogs, you can do anything,” Mr Larkey said
Think this pack will stick with the muddy puddles, dirty lakes and grimy park taps, thanks. Cheers.
Mr.Larkey's bank manager must have laughed like a muddy drain when he read The Business Plan.
all the way to the muddy bank I guess.
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