Del Valle

We took the dogs to Lake Del Valle today to play in the water. We picked up sandwiches and an extra doggie life vest along the way. Once we got to the park we headed up the Dog Run trail where dogs can be off-leash and found a nice beach. The dogs ran to the water and drank gallons since it was a warm day, while we laid out our picnic blanket, inflated our 2-person Coleman boat, and then strapped Ayla and Mac into their life vests. Chris climbed in the boat and paddled around with the dogs following him. I threw the toys out far for Ayla to fetch. Mac went out quite a bit, but I think it was a little scary for him and he spent most of the time tooling around the shoreline, occasionally swimming further out.

Chris then paddled across to the far side of the lake. I ate my sandwich while he was gone and played with the dogs. After a while Ayla started getting worried and looking for him, then whining because she couldn't find him. When he headed back and was getting nearer she swam far out to him since she was so happy to see him again. After that Chris would paddle out a ways and I'd throw the toy toward him. Ayla would swim out to get it and Chris would loop the tow rope on the boat in the handle on Ayla's life vest, and she would tow him back in. She did this over and over, and she's a really good swimmer with the life vest on!

I took the boat out once, but I can't paddle well at all so after a while I came back in and stuck to swimming. We had a really great time, but after about three hours of playing in the sun and lake the dogs were very much ready to go. We hiked back out to the car, loaded up, and came home where I gave both dogs baths. Now they're sleeping hard - Mac in the chair with Chris and Ayla on the couch with me, with her head in my lap. I don't think they'll move the rest of the evening!