July, 2010 - 1 of 3

Another growing season off to a strange start so let's bypass that for the time being and pay a visit to the Riverview Park in Carson City.

I for years labored under the stereotypical and not uncommon illusion that the standard poodle's main purpose in life was that of a lounger. That is what one typically sees on TV anyway.   'Perfectly suited as an indoor living companion', my @$$!' These are high energy dogs and they need lots of exercise. The park is the ideal place to work off some of that boundless energy.
There are several miles worth of trails in this area.	There is habitat for water foul as well.
After doing  six or eight 100 yard sprints for treats and practicing recall at the same time,  the bag of skin and bones shows no signs of slowing down.
Milkweed, Cottonwood and an assortment of other allergy producing seeds and pollens are in the air.

This is only the second Western Pond Turtle I have seen in the state of Nevada.  They are quite wary.	Lots of ducks out here.  This is the first time I have seen a blue-billed one.  Must be the Ruddy Duck.  Fortunately the dog didn't see it.
There were more Yellow Headed Black Birds than I have ever seen in one location at this park.  Juveniles all over the place.	Not sure what this is, but I think it is a shoreline wading bird.
Further down the road, the world's skinniest chicken discovered that he is in fact, a water dog.  What was the reason for this dramatic turnaround in the attitude towards water?   A ball, of course.  The poodle is so skinny and with those big webbed paws that he literally slices through water, where the more rotund retrievers didn't stand a chance in getting the ball first - and it was the retriever's ball. It was pretty amazing.  A lady tossed a ball into the water for her retriever.  Max the poodle didn't know what was going on at first and he figured it out when the retriever was about 10 feet away from the floating ball.  Within seconds he closed the gap with the retriever.......
....out flanked him and came back with the ball. An amazing display of speed.         Even Rufus got in on the action - a little.
In another month all these fox tails are going to be nasty.  It is best to inspect the dog's paws for imbedded fox tails on a regular basis. They are nasty. Some nice clouds cropped up later on in the evening.  Clouds in July in Northern Nevada are an unusual sight.