GRRCC Dunk Your Dog Day Photo Dump and Commentary

We looked forward to the GRRCC Annual Dunk Your Dog Day out at Wickersham's K-9 Ranch in Marshville, NC for at least a month.  Nugget absolutely loves to swim and I was anxious to see Oscar in action since our friend Dina at Pet Paradise Resort (Charlotte) helped him overcome is slight fear of water by getting in the doggy pool with him.  (Seriously, how sweet is that?!)  The weather was pacing toward perfection and the boys spent Friday night resting up for their big Saturday afternoon pool party.

The day started out great.  As predicted, the weather was gorgeous and we enjoyed our 30 mile ride out to the countryside.  Though we'd never been out to the ranch before, Nugget knew exactly what we were there for!  As soon as the harnesses came off, he was in the water ... and I didn't see him out of it again for 2 hours.  B took off Oscar's harness... and he took a running leap and splashed right into the water!  Where did that come from?!  Oscar's newfound confidence was extremely impressive and made me so proud!  As soon as we set our chairs down, I put his life jacket back in our bag.  My little man is all grown up!  

Though most of the day was huge fun, it did not come without ordeal.  First, we brought along Oscar's beloved red frisbee because that had previously been the only way to get him in the water.  So B chucked the frisbee way out into the middle of the lake and as the doodle began to paddle quickly toward it, the frisbee disappeared under the surface, never to be seen again.  Oscar was devastated but seriously WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T A FRISBEE FLOAT?!  We were eventually able to entice him to enjoy other toys which did actually float.

Toward the end of our afternoon, the boys were both getting a little tired and cranky.  Oscar staked claim to a blue ball he found and growled at anyone who came within 20 feet.  That was our sign that it was time to go.

We trekked back to the car and began packing everything back inside, during the process of which I discovered a handful of dehydrated baby carrots Nugget had obviously snubbed on a previous car ride and had since been baking in the hot Carolina sun.  Tell me again how dogs are unlike kids?

The icing on the cake was about mile 15 of the trip back.  Both Nugget and Oscar had fallen fast asleep as soon as the car pulled out of the ranch driveway and we expected they would remain as such until we got home... except they didn't.  Well, Oscar didn't.  B and I were discussing plans for the remainder of the weekend when we were startled by something that sounded an awful lot like someone PEEING IN THE BACKSEAT!  Yes, Oscar peed a big enough puddle to fill all bodies of the Great Lakes - TWICE - in the backseat of B's company car!  Thank God for waterproof seat covers...

Once home, the beasts each got a bath and we all settled in for a much-needed nap...  These kids wear me out!