Monday, August 3, 2009

Gentle when stroked. Fun when provoked.




Merlin and Tristan are Irish Wolfhounds. Like it wasn't obvious. By no means at the extreme size range of their breed. They show up at the Fort Washington Dog Beach pretty regularly, though they aren't usually big swimmers, which is why this article isn't entitled "Gentle when stroked. Fierce when they're soaked", which would be much funnier, but you work with the material you're given. They basically just wade in the river--of course, they can wade further out than some dogs can swim.

For those who have met Max, or some other 60+lb Shepherd Mix of comparable body shape, this should give you a rough idea of size.For us, it merely provokes a chuckle at the thought of all the livery cab drivers around here who come to pick us up (after the cab dispatcher tells them it's just a little dog), then freak out when they see Max. And then comes the perverse desire to spring Merlin and Tristan on one of these cabbies sometime, just to see the look in his eyes before he hits the gas pedal.

I'm not sure whether this is Merlin or Tristan, but the cab driver would be burning rubber either way.

Cowboy, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, of whom more shall be told presently.

Frieda, a retriever mix. And a sweetheart, I might add.

Max, a very impatient Shepherd Mix, who wants me to stop photographing the damn Wolfhounds, and throw some balls in the river for him to fetch.

That's more like it.


Cowboy stole Max's ball a few times, but his heart wasn't really in it. His herding heritage was telling him to chase some huge unruly beasts around a grassy field.

Well, speak of the devil!






Cowboy, you do get these aren't actually cows, right? And you're not in Australia. So take it easy on the outback, if you get my drift.

Fortunately for Cowboy, Irish Wolfhounds are not easily provoked. Which is more than you can say for the Irish themselves at times, but that's another story entirely.

(Some photos taken by Yolanda Garcia)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh god what a dog its so powerful...
___________________
Britney
Get your company name famous across the world with online marketing