Ehem!

Did you forget about me? See the expression in large.

I took the dogs down to the lake today. I had in mind photographing the dragonflies near the dock. Well, that didn't happen since there weren't any to be seen. But, even if there had been dragonflies, I don't think it would have worked out... the dock moves slightly as we walk along it... the dock moves A LOT as the dogs walk along it (and back and forth and back and forth). Even with the monopod, I'd have never gotten a clear shot! So we hung out in the sun for a bit instead.

Up until recently the dogs really never went out onto the dock. (When they were puppies and apt to jump in the lake or get muddy in the muck, we decided to have their underground fence stop before the water.) But now that we have the larger dock and older/calmer dogs, we have been introducing them to the dock. As we do in preparation for a walk, we take their electronic collars off and say "collar off" and then they know that they can cross the line at certain areas of the yard. They both understand this and go out onto the dock eagerly. Riley also understands that she is free until I put the collar back on and say "collar on". Piper is so cute and thinks she has to stay on the farthest end of the dock unless we walk her back to land. Today I was trying to get a shot of her and had to back up because of my long lens... and back up some more... then some more... I was on land and then some before I got her all into the frame. It took me a minute to realize why she was posing so nicely for me (neither dog EVER does - they hate my camera). She was in her mind stuck on the end of the dock thinking I had forgotten about her. As soon as I caught on, and walked out to her, she trotted along with me back to her collar and the freedom to wander her domain again. At least I know how to get her to pose for me now! ;) Here she is enjoying the dock before she realized I had left.

We had a nice day with on and off sun. I dog sat a neighbor's dog and learned that a 100+ pound dog doesn't move unless he wants to... This has been an experience... He sort of wore me out! I guess you could say my day went to the dogs. ;)