Skiier Down!

I just got back from a weekend trip with my family to a very dog friendly hotel (the owners' dog, Guinness, hung out in the lobby) a few hours from here, in Pemberton. It was so much fun! There were trails right behind the hotel that went on forever that were practically deserted except for a few other people with dogs. The first afternoon when we arrived we went for a long snowy walk and then decided that we should try the trails on skis the next day. So we got out our cross country skis and skied for most of the day on Sunday and another few hours on Monday. Abby and Ryan were in heaven! Running and playing for hours on end in the snow...it doesn't get much better than that for two energetic dogs. Abby didn't seem to get tired at all at the time but is pretty sleepy today. Ryan was getting floppier and less coordinated near the end of skiing on Monday (not that he is ever the *most* coordinated dog...). He is also pretty sleepy today!

I was a bit worried about Ryan getting ice balls in his feet like he did last time we went to the snow - they got so bad they made his feet bleed. This time, in preparation, I shaved all the hair from the middle part of his feet - not between each pad, just the long hair in the middle of the foot. It worked perfectly! I didn't notice a single ice ball and he never limped or licked his feet frantically. I guess this will be a winter tradition with hairy footed Ryan (smooth coated dogs are sooo much easier!!).

The trail into the woods

Incoming!!!

Bend your knees and hope for the best since you can't hop out of the way too easily while on skis!

When I throw snowballs they act like I'm throwing a ball...they are just as competitive over it (as in...Abby screams at Ryan if he gets it and then tackles him) and if it lands before either one catches it they search for the specific piece of snow that was thrown. I guess all snow isn't the same?

This is Guinness. He was very interested in Abby. Especially in her hind end.

Abby...not so much interested in him. She did her best to be a good girl and ignore him, but when the noseinbutt got to be too much...

...she took it out on Ryan.

I think he's her punching bag. He doesn't seem to mind.

What??

I'm just innocently hopping through the snow like a little bunny rabbit.

What's that down there?

Skiier down!

Abby goes to investigate.

And then promptly goes for backup.

She gathers the brawn of the operation.

They head back down to begin the rescue operation.

...this doesn't look too much like a rescue operation...more like an excuse to cover her face in kisses...

...not like a rescue operation at all actually...

Ryan are you *biting* her ski pole??

Fleeing the scene of the accident

*The End*