Celebration, doggy style.

Hazel has been a-okay for more than 24 hours. It seems the set-back was indeed weather related. It has been ridiculously hot. So hot, it's been impossible to properly exercise - be it dogs or horses. Or myself, for that matter. In this kind of weather, there is only one way to give Hazel the exercise she's used to - swimming! 

It is difficult to be good to dogs in my city. I often find myself doing things on the sly just to get her real, diverse exercise. I get away with it because she is so good and also well trained. In Guelph, where she spent her first 18 months with me, we had so many more options. Many of them included swimming. Unfortunately, that has not been the case here. I know of one pretty good place that was close to our last apartment but would be more difficult to get to from our house.

I had scoped out some options last week, in anticipation of this heat wave.  Since I was finally confident that Hazel was completely fine, it was time to celebrate!

So, naturally, I took her swimming!!

She just LOVES chasing sticks in the water. I know, it's a bad photo. The sun was low and I was almost out of batteries.  When people see Hazel swim, the conversation usually goes something like this:

Person: Wow, look at her swim, she must be part lab.

Me: Actually, she's a Plott Hound. There is probably something else in there too but she definitely takes after the Plott almost exclusively.

Person: Well, the other part must be lab. I mean, look at her swim!

Me: Maybe...but I really doubt it. Plotts are known for having fully webbed feet, so it's no surprise she can swim well [better than your fat lab, I think, but don't say]


Person: Well, I bet there is lab in there.

Me: Sure, maybe. [I acquiesce]

Person: What's a Plott hound anyway?

Me: Um, I'm never sure how to answer that question. I mean, what is a Labrador Retriever?

Person: It's a lab, of course.

Me: Exactly.


Person: ...


Me: Well, a Plott hound is originally a German bred hound, unlike most others which have British origins. Now, they are more popular in the Southern states, at least in the East, and they are the state dog of North Carolina. They are bred primarily for large game, such as bears.  They have finer "hound" features than other hounds, like the smaller ears. They are very active yet also have very calm temperaments. [Well, they asked for it!]


Person: ...[blank stare]...oh. neat. She sure is a fast swimmer.

Me: yeah.

Lol. Honestly, I've had that conversation so many times. Nevermnd, today we celebrate.

One wet dog with a good stick. 

She was not being cooperative 

with looking at the camera.

But very happy, all the same!

That tail seriously cracks me up.