Archive for November, 2009
I’ve never been the type to dress my dog up in human clothing, although I know plenty of people who get their kicks that way. My own mother started dressing up our family terrier Bertrand shortly after my youngest sister left home for college. It seemed to be a therapeutic response to “empty nest syndrome.” In any event, there’s no harm in outfitting a canine in a full human wardrobe, especially if it brings the pet owner some joy.
For my part, I’ve always stuck with practical canine clothes. My Siberian husky, Sasha – whom I’ve talked about in previous posts – is already ideally suited for long, cold winters. Her layer of thick fur is evolved to handle Arctic temperatures, so Denver must feel like a cakewalk. Still, the rash of rain we’ve gotten lately has made our regular walks less pleasant. I went online and bought a few dog jackets that stand up to the weather and repel the rain.
Like most golden retrievers, my dog has no problem plowing through the waves of a nearby lake if it means tracking down a precious tennis ball. At least once a week, I take the dog down near the shore where she’ll pad happily along the sand in pursuit of the ball. When she started bounding through the water with reckless abandon, I was struck with an idea.
I raised the sail on my Hobie Cat and called the dog to see if she would jump onboard. Much to my surprise, she took to the boat like a fish to water, sitting patiently on the bow with her tongue lolling to one side. Before taking her out in deep water, I purchased a dog life jacket online. These days she starts wagging her tail the moment she sees me picking up the jacket. That’s a clear indication that it’s time for a sail.