Doggie Dash is here!

The 2010 OHS Doggie Dash was today, and boy was it fun! We thought it would be absolute chaos, especially with our playful pup, but it was a blast! We made our way from our parking spot towards the waterfront, and dogs were everywhere trying to get to the park. We finally made it to the registration tent, and got into a line. That was the only chaotic place there since there were so many lines and so many people trying to meet right outside the tent.

We had planned to meet with Q's sister, Saylor, but we arrived a little later than planned and weren't sure if we'd get to see them. Then, I heard someone say, "Is this Quigley?" It was Lori Ann, Saylor's mom! What luck that she found us. We let the two siblings greet each other and play. It was so cute. Some people actually came by and asked if they were littermates. =) They sure played like it. Below, you'll see 2 photos of Saylor and Quigley (and some of their brothers and sisters) at the shelter on adoption day. Sooo cute! =)

And here's 2 pictures of them at the Doggie Dash. =)


Walking during the Doggie Dash was really not bad at all. We saw parts of the waterfront that we never saw before, and got to walk over two bridges, which we also have never done. Kath wore her "Quigley's Mom" shirt that Trisha gave her and I wore a shirt I made with Quigley's baby picture on the front and a small picture of him yawning on the back with the caption "Q-Ball". It was funny because at the registration line, someone behind us said, "Hi Q-Ball!". She must have gotten it from the shirt. Quigley was pretty well behaved the whole time. I think part of it was because we didn't end up walking with Saylor and family. If we had, my guess is that Quigley would've wanted to do nothing buy play. Instead, I think he had a little bit of doggie overload and felt kinda like he was in a gigantic pack-walk.


After the walk, we visited the many vendors that were onsite. Quigley scored yummy treat samples from various booths while we browsed the goods that were for sale. One of the neatest things that we got to see was the frisbee competition/demo that they had. There were quite a few great dogs, but the most amazing dog was a 3-legged dog. He only had one of his rear legs, but sat, lay down, ran and jumped as if he had all four of his legs. Truly amazing!
-- Picture Pending here --
All in all, it was a great day for the Q-ball. So many dogs = so happy!

Cooking With Dog

No, people, get your mind right! I ran across this interesting youtube channel one day, and just thought I'd share. =)

http://www.youtube.com/user/cookingwithdog

Below is their episode where they make Green Tea Ice Cream!
I have to try it sometime!

Sunday Stroll

We started our day with a nice stroll on our usual running route through Tualatin Community Park and Cook Park. Along the way between the two parks, we ran into Harry, a Springer Spaniel pup, around Q's age. They have played together there before, so no introductions were needed (not that Q truly needs any). Harry was on his way home, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to play with Quigley. One of Harry's people said "he's gonna sleep well tonight." =) That was surely a sign of things to come.

After playing with Harry, we looped up towards Cook Park in Tigard. On the way, I called my mom to wish her a Happy Mother's Day. Turns out, I called too early, and woke my mom up. Sorry mom, didn't mean to wake you. =p Finally, we arrived at Cook Park, turned around, and made our way home.

Remember earlier, when Harry's person said "he's gonna sleep well"? Well, he was right, Quigley did sleep very well....just in the middle of the day, instead. =) It was kind of a "pack nap". Lucky for us, Quigley is generally very relaxed and calm when we're all resting on the living room floor.

We were all refreshed and ready to enjoy the rest of the day after our nap. We picked up some food at the nearby Aloha Grill, and then drove to Atfalati Park after some miscommunication about going to Jurgens and Avery Park. Atfalati is a nice big park, with some playing fields, tennis courts, hills, and a playground. We walked up the hill to find a nice spot to sit. It was kind of tough with all the goose droppings everywhere. Finally we settled down and had our lunch. After lunch, Quigley and I played fetch a little bit. The funny thing is, he seemed to want Kath to play too! Instead of bringing the ball back to me, he would bring it to Kath. =) He always wants to play with EVERYONE, I tell ya. =) After getting a little tired, and from the heat too, I'm sure, we finally just sat down and rested. There were a few other dogs that came around too, but Quigley was pretty satisfied and tired to go running after them. If only every day were as easy to tire you out, Q. Here's a picture of Q trying to take cover from the sun with me under one of our beach blankets.

Sunny Saturday Doggie Day

On Saturday morning, Kath got her hair done in at Ad Astra on Belmont in SE Portland. While she had her hairdresser work her magic, Quigley and I went for a long walk around the neighborhood. We ventured along Belmont, made our way South, past Hawthorne, down to Ladd Circle Park and Rose Gardens, and then back. All in all, it was over 2.5 miles of walking. The weather was great during the walk, not too hot, not too cold, though you could tell it was a lot warmer than Quigley had been used to so far. He drank a few bowls of water along the walk, and as a result had to pee at least twice that I can remember. Once we finally arrived back at the salon, we got to see Kath's updated hairdo, which was wonderfully done, as always.

For lunch, we tried to find the dog-friendly Berlin Inn, once again. The last time we hunted for it, we kept going in circles, but never found it. This time, we were determined. Finally, we found it across the street from Edelweiss Sausage Co. & Deli on 12th Street. We seated ourselves in the corner of their relaxing patio. It featured nice, high walls, which concealed much of the area, and buffered much of the road noise from Powell Blvd. You'd never realize you were in the city, it was so relaxing. =)


For our lunch, turned breakfast, Kath ordered the Blue Brew Cakes, made with Hefeweizen and blueberries, and I ordered the Leberkaese, which was a slice of sausage loaf with eggs, and potatoes (I chose potato pancakes). We also shared their Porta Sticks, which are breaded and grilled portabella mushroom sticks. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmmm! The food was absolutely perfect. I also had a refreshing Strawberry Lavender Lemonade, which was perfect for the sunny day. After lunch, our waitress brought out their dessert tray, which featured a VERY enticing selection of sweets from their in-house "Backerie" (Bakery). We selected their Cashew Cream Cake, which was very cheesecake-like, but without the cream cheese. That was the perfect selection for further enjoyment of the sunny day on their great patio.

After letting Quigley have a refreshing nap at home, we ventured out to Hillsboro for the library book sale, and then to the much mentioned Hondo Dog Park, right next to Hillsboro Stadium. This was a very large dog park, with a nice hill right in the middle. The layout and features of the park are great. My only qualm was the abundance of what I believe was goose droppings. I've been seeing that more and more all over town, so I can't really blame them since the geese go where they please.

Quigley eagerly found a few dogs, but found he was not fast enough to keep up with them. When he wasn't looking he was practically stampeded at one point! Being the tough dog that he is, he stood right up and found a few dogs closed to his size that actually seemed to want to play with him. One of the dogs was quite vocal, and at one point seemed a little aggressive, but Quigley held his own without stirring any trouble. They were all playing much better after Q showed he could stand his ground. Not long after, Q was even playing with a tiny little MinPin. Quigley was easily 5-times the size of this dog, probably even more! Quigley was so eager to play and let this dog know he'd be safe that he lay on his back to play with him. Quigley, we're so proud of you. You've learned and matured so much. Such a good dog. =)

Grilled Cheese Grill and Quigley the Co-Pilot?

We went to North Portland tonight, and ate at Grilled Cheese Grill. Since we were unsure of their policy on dogs (they have outdoor seating), we left Quigley in the car, just a few feet away. As we left the car, Q was surveying the area around hm, and then peeked over the backseat with his puppy dog eyes watching us leave the car.

Kath ordered "The Morton", which has meatballs, marinara sauce, ricotta and mozzarella cheese on Italian Sourdough. I had "The Moondog", with provolone, hard salami, pepperoni, chopped olive and pepper tapenade on grilled sourdough. Mmm, mmm, GOOD!!! Especially when combined with their creamy tomato soup. =) We sat in their "indoor" seating area, which was a converted schoolbus. The interior had some great artwork all over the bus, booths on one side, and a long counter spanning the other side of the bus. Trivia cards furthered the nostalgic experience inside the bus. All-in-all, it was pretty fun, and the food was great.

When we returned to the car, Kath found quite the surprise in her seat. Quigley was curled up and relaxed in he passenger seat! He only gets to sit in the passenger seat in my car, as it has two seats, but tonight we had Kath's car. He knows he's only allowed in the back of her car. Silly dog, trying to ride shotgun. Q was good, though, as it didn't seem like he'd tried to get into anything that he shouldn't have, other than the passenger seat, anyways. =p Good boy, Q.

Lunch on Hawthorne

On Saturday, Quigley and I met the Hale family and the Rinehart family in SE Portland, near Mt. Tabor Park.

It had been a few months since we'd all gotten together, so it was really nice to see them again. It was also nice to see how much the young ones had grown (2 girls, and Quigley).

We started off by letting the dogs play with each other for awhile. Quigley played with Hass, about the same as way as he did 2 months ago, but now he was maybe twice the size. =) After a bit of crawling, chasing, and play-biting, we drove to Hawthorne for lunch.

Our original destination was Apizza Scholls, but it turned out that it was closed. Luckily, ¿Por Qué No? was bustling with a crowd, so we decided to get in line for the taco goodness that they serve there. Turns out the wait wasn't very long, and it was pretty easy to get a table since they make you order before getting a table. I had "Bryan's Bowl" with Carne Asada and tortillas. Oh man, soooooo yummy. I definitely have to go back there. =)

When we returned to the car, Quigley and Hass were waiting patiently. It was good that they played earlier. There wasn't a whole lot of space for the two of them to really play in there. Maybe they had some interesting conversation? =) On the way back to Vince's, Quigley was exposed to yet another noise, a crying baby. Thankfully he didn't start barking or seem too worried or nervous. Hopefully he continues to do well with kids, as he's been very impressive around them for the most part. Good boy Quigley, you don't want to make kids cry, or they won't come and pet you. =)

Graduation!

Quigley graduated from Puppy Class today! Yay Quigley! During the class, there was an "obstacle course" which we took the longest, sorry Quigley, that was probably more my fault. =) He impressed all with his "Puppy Pushup" (Sit, Lie Down, Sit), and then his "Sit-Stay" lasted a whole second due to his excitement with all the other dogs, and my nervousness. Lastly the "Leave It" was a piece of cake, since he has no interest in plastic cones. LOL!

Another thing Q took home was the title of "Fastest Tail Wagger". All of this was due to carrots. No, I'm not sure how much he actually likes carrots. (None were harmed in the making of this blog.) But rather, we all had to get our dogs excited by saying nothing by the word "Carrots". It was a close match, Quigley must've edged out Patchy by a wag. =)

All-in-All it was a great day, and Quigley got his cap, certificate, and even a bowl of vanilla frozen yogurt! Good job, Quigley!

Veris' Birthday!

Friday, April 9, was my birthday. The big 3-0. To celebrate, and also to introduce Quigley, we had a bunch of friends over on Saturday. Nothing big, just a gathering of good friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in a bit.

My biggest concern with throwing a party was how Quigley would do. Would he be a rascal? Would he be over protective, since he didn't know all of these people coming into the house? Would he be overly excited? Would he bark the whole time?

Fortunately, the answer to all of these was "No". At first, Q barked quite a bit when the first guests arrived, my brother Jo, and our friend Antonette. For some reason he just barked more than normal. But after that, he didn't really bark a whole lot once he realized that people would be coming in, and that it was OK.

We kept him in his crate for the most part, as I didn't want him to cause too much trouble, especially with some young children and their LEGOS in the house. He didn't seem to mind at all, though, and he seemed content to be in his crate. I let him out early in the party so he could have his dinner. He carried on as normal, and did a few of his commands with me, without seeming too distracted. After eating, he went back into his crate to relax. The next time out, was to go potty. Surprisingly, he didn't try to pickup any LEGOs or completely stop to say "Hi" to everyone. He knew exactly what I wanted him to do, and he did very, very well.

Another thing we're happy about is how well he does with kids so far. One of the kids there, Rubie, seemed very excited to see Quigley. She gave him treats, and wanted to let him out of the crate, though I didn't think it was such a good idea right away. My god-daughter, Evie, was afraid of him at first. After seeing her older sister, Rubie, taking such interest, and seeing that her younger brother Lucien was fine, I think she warmed up to him. =) She even asked me if she could say "Bye" to Quigley before she left. How cute.

After the kids left, I let Quigley out briefly. I passed out treats to everyone to give to him, and had them make him at least sit before giving it to him. I think he liked it, since he got to meet people and get food. What a better combo!

Overall, Quigley was absolutely wonderful during the party. I don't think I could've asked for a better behaved dog that day. =) Good boy, Quigley.

Kath's Birthday

We started off the day with our 10K training run, with Quigley tagging along. This time we ran the path from Tualatin Community Park towards Durham City Park. It was a particularly good dog-day, as Quigley got to meet a number of great dogs while we were out there.

For breakfast, we ventured over to the Waffle Window for the tasty treat you see above. Called "The Three Bs", it has Bacon, Brie and Basil on it. Oh so yummy! While we waited, we met a cute older dog named "Mandu" (sp?), and Quigley was quick to try and play. Mandu's human friend was very responsible and checked to make sure that Quigley was vaccinated before letting his dog play, and then happily let the two dogs have a little romp in the parking lot. Mandu had been used to romping around at "Puppy Romp", a supervised Sunday play session for puppies. His owner couldn't recommend it more. We'll be looking into that for Q in the near future.

After breakfast, we walked along Hawthorne. Quigley was greeted by many people, and he did really well, even with younger children. Pictured above is Q waiting for Kath in front of a store on Hawthorne.

During the walk, we ventured down to the Fred Meyer store, and I asked Kath to wait with Quigley outside. Well, I bought her the above flowers.... and when I came out, she told me how allergic she is to them! DOH!

Next, we ventured up to Laurelhurst Park. We walked all long the paths, and enjoyed the park thoroughly. In the above photos, you'll see Quigley watching an older German Shepard from a distance, watching some ducks, and surprisingly, NOT chasing a squirrel! We met a few people, but mostly the park was pretty quiet. We did let Quigley run around a little bit and play fetch, but only with his really long leash on.

On the way home, we decided to stop at Burgerville to try their Rosemary Fries. They satisfied our French-Fry craving nicely, and as an added bonus, they gave Quigley a doggie biscuit!

We decided to work off those fries by taking Q for a walk around Tualatin. During our walk, we encountered even more "wildlife". First was a bunch of ducks at a "DUCK XING". From the picture above, you can see that the "X" is for "HULA HOOP". =) When we got to the Tualatin Commons, Quigley got to meet the kittens you see above. They didn't seem to want to play with Quigley, as they just sat there. =) Maybe another time, we'll be able to introduce you to some real kittens, Q, depending on how well you behave, anyways.

Later that night, Jay stopped by on his way back to Seattle. We all went to dinner for Kath's birthday at Hayden's Lakefront Grill, by the Commons, near where Q met the "kittens". The evening ended nicely with some wine and créme bruleé.

Saturday Market Opening Day

Today was the first day of the Portland Saturday Market. We arrived on scene to find a VERY big crowd on both sides on Naito Parkway at Ankeny St. We parked at the SmartPark nearby, and decided to take Q down the stairs. At first he was hesitant, but he quickly gained confidence and was making his way very easily.

Our first stop was to the information booth to try and locate a food booth with wedgie fries that were so good last season. Sadly, they are no longer at the market. We also checked for a pottery vendor that we'd seen last year. The very helpful attendant recognized who we were talking about, but unfortunately, that vendor was not at the Market at the time. Oh well, maybe next time. =(

As we made our way into the crowd, Quigley was met by a few admirers, including a young couple who have a friend who is also named Quigley. =) As we briefly chatted, Quigley was apparently thirsty, and found some beer that had spilled on the ground. Geez Q, you're too young for that!

My thirst and hunger came reeling back, so we headed towards the full food booth-area. Unsure of what to eat, we decided to brave a single-pass through the area to view our choices. We decided to get some gyros from one of the Greek places, so we made our way back through the crowd to find the end of what was the longest line there! Q was surprisingly calm, and either sat or lay down patiently by us. And he hadn't yet had his lunch! I don't know if he was truly patient or if it was just sensory overload, but he barely barked or caused any nuisance. One girl even commented on how well trained he was....and then the puppy teeth came out. :) That was more like a puppy.

Even with the flow of people in the area, so many people noticed Q and either stopped to pet him or simply said that he was cute. It's amazing how much draw a puppy has, even when lying down in a very crowded area. =) Even with the attention he was getting, and all of the people walking past him, Q was always keen to watch for other dogs. He would get up to try and say "Hi", and on occasion was successful.

Once we got our food, we found an open space on the grass along the park. Once we stopped, Q staked our claim by promptly squatting down and doing his business. Thanks Q. At least nobody would want to encroach on our area after that. =) After we had lunch, we ventured into the fray to do some shopping.

Q followed Kath throughout the market pretty well considering how busy it was. Granted, I did have him on a tight leash, so that may have had something to do with it, but overall he did a good job of following. We stopped at a few locations, and Q did very well, just waiting patiently near the booth entrances with me. Of course, the puppy magnet was still active, and he pulled a few people in to pet him, while others spontaneously said "Cute Puppy" as they walked by. While shopping, we found out about the "Doggie Dash" on May 15. It's a big run/walk that supports the Oregon Humane Society where you can take your dog along and have a great time exercising and socializing. We hope to take part in it this year. Apparently there's also a pancake breakfast included. Bonus! If you're interested in joining our team, let us know. =)

Q was able to meet a few dogs in the more open areas, including a Yorkie and a Husky. The dog he spent the most time with was a little Shih Tzu who's owner was super friendly. They got to play a bit in the park, which Q seemed to really enjoy. It was surprising since he seems to take more interest in the bigger dogs, but I guess it all depends on the dog and owner, really. =)

To end the day, we spent some time walking among and admiring the cherry blossoms. It reminded us of our trip to Japan last year.  With the weather to great, the scenery so beautiful, it was the perfect way to end our day at the market.

Ballard!

After spending the Saturday in Seattle, I took our barker to Ballard where Kath was visiting our friends LeAnne and Rex. Quigley got to run around like he does in our house, but this time with the luxury of a backyard and patio. He surprised (and scared) me when he jumped from the bench on the patio onto the grass. He'd never been able to jump like that with us, and so I didn't know if he could make it. It was no sweat to him, and he landed it like a champ. If only we had a backyard that he could run around like that in. Oh well, at least with him running around our first floor, he doesn't have to get wet and/or dirty. =)

We had our 2nd 10K training session with LeAnne and Rex that day. Instead of 2 and 5 minute intervals (run/walk), it was 3/4 (run/walk). Q, however, had his own pace in mind. Parts of his pace involved weight-training for myself and resting periods for him.

After our run/walk, we decided it was time to chow down. We went to downtown Ballard to Zak's for some burgers and shakes. Q waited patiently outside with Kath, while we placed our order and then waited for the food to come out. He did very well meeting people and dogs during the wait. Once we got our food, we went to the park next to the Ballard Library. There were plenty of kids, younger and older, and some other dogs there. Once again, he did very well, even some skateboarders came by, he didn't seem fazed, unlike his usual scared-self around skateboarders.

Our final Ballard destination was All The Best Pet Care. This was an awesome pet store with very friendly people working there. I was interested in getting a toy called a "Bob-A-Lot", which is a wobbly, treat-dispensing toy, with the same effect as a Buster Cube. Q wasn't so successful with the Buster Cube (it's just too big right now), and I had no idea if Q would want to play with the Bob-A-Lot, so I wasn't sure if I should purchase it. Well, the pet store had the best thing ever... a toy testing area where your pup can demo various toys sold in the store! We tried to see if Q had interest in some toy, which he kinda did, but when it came to the Bob-A-Lot, it seemed to keep him interested, so that sold me on it. =) Q even met some more dogs while playing around. He tried to play-bite at an older dog, but didn't get too aggressive. He also tried to share the Bob-A-Lot with a more aggressive Golden Lab puppy, who barked, growled, and bit at him. I was happy about that encounter though. He backed away at the right times, but he stood his ground so that he could play with the toy as well.

That last stop was a great way to end our day in Ballard. Q got his new toy, and they actually gave us some different samples of pet food that we could try with it. We walked back to our cars, said our byes to LeAnne and Rex, and then made our way home. What an eventful weekend, Quigley. =)

Seattle!

This weekend, Quigley visited Uncle Jay in Seattle.  After feeding Q a relatively late lunch, his stay started off with a nice long walk with some good hills.  First stop, of course was to go to the bathroom outside Uncle Jay's apartment.  After that, Uncle Jay and I searched for our lunch location.  During our "hunting adventure",.Quigley met a beagle, a mixed-breed with Whippet and Schnauzer, a really fluffy Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and a few other dogs.  After passing various locations, carrying Q when he didn't want to walk, and meeting many people who melt at the sight of a puppy, we ended up at Dick's Drive-In for some burgers, fries and shakes.

Uncle Jay and I walked Quigley down the street to Cal Anderson Park, and found a bench by the water feature there.  Q waited fairly patiently while we ate our lunch, and he met a few more dogs, including what appeared to be a Bernese Mountain Dog.  After the Bernese Mountain Dog said "Bye," to Q, it went to the water feature and waded for a few seconds.  Another interesting thing that was in the water was a photographer and the model he was photographing.  It's crazy what some people do, as it wasn't warm or sunny, and that water must've been cold.

After we ate, we ventured further into the park.  I put Q on his long leash, and found an open concrete area to try and get him to play fetch.  Well, there was too much seeds and bark on the ground, that he had very little interest in his ball.  We moved further in, and found a empty basketball court.  We threw around his floating Kong, since it had a rope.  Now he was playing fetch... sorta.  It was more of run after after the Kong with Uncle Jay holding the leash, run past the kong and turn around to get it, then maybe run back to Dad, and if so, past him.  Silly dog.  Silly, Silly Dog.  Q met a few more dogs, including a 14-year old Golden Retriever / Australian Shepherd mix, and a 12-year old dog before we finally made it home for his afternoon nap.

Later that evening, after feeding Q his dinner, we took him for a nice long walk.  We started off walking a loop at Freeway Park.  From there we decided to look for our dinner, so we walked down to Pike's Place.  Since it was late, it turned out that nothing was open, so we headed back to Jay's apartment.  On our way, we passed by the newly opened "Biscuit Bitch", which serves late night biscuits and gravy.  While it sounded good, it wasn't exactly what we wanted for a late dinner, and we didn't want to have to wait another 10 minutes for it to open (10pm).  While we made our way back towards Jay's place, we crossed a busy intersection.  Then, all of a sudden, I felt a jolt on the leash.  I looked back to see Quigley squatting to pee in the middle of the crosswalk!  Poor guy, I had to pull him to get out of the street, and you could tell he just couldn't hold it any longer.  =(  Q, you need to give me some warning when we're walking, kinda like you do at home or in your crate.  You did so well inside Uncle Jay's apartment, now we just have to figure each other out when we're out and about.

Tin Shed Cafe

We had to head into Portland today to redeem some of our ticket vouchers for the Portland International Film Festival.  Since we hardly head into town these days, we decided to take Quigley to the Tin Shed Cafe (http://tinshedgardencafe.com/) on NE Alberta.  I'd read that this place was dog-friendly from PortlandPooch.com.

We arrived there, and entered into their "garden" area which was a nice, cozy, and warm seating area.  We got to sit right next to the fireplace, which was a plus, especially for Kath. =)  There was another cute dog there who was older and didn't really want to play with Q.  Quigley of course was insistent on trying to get her to play, or at least to say "hi".  Eventually though, she did come around, but we think it was more because we were hand-feeding Quigley, hehe.  Overall, Q was well behaved, even though he barked a bit.

As far as dinner went, it was delicious.  I had the "Salmon & Spice" sandwich, which had a tasty, perfectly cooked salmon fillet with a tasty chipotle sauce.  Kath had the "Peter Piper Picked a Pesto", which was a tasty pasta with pesto sauce and mushrooms.  (More complete descriptions are on the restaurant website.)  Anyways, the food was great, the atmosphere was great, and being dog-friendly is a definitely a plus.  We can't wait to go back again!

Dog's First Day at the Beach

On Friday, Quigley had received his 3rd shot for Distemper, and also his Rabies shot.  With the great weather, and Q fully immunized, we decided to take Quigley to the beach on Saturday.  We picked up Uncle Jojo in Corvallis and then headed over towards Newport, and then up to Lincoln City.

The first stop in our itinerary was Beach Dog Cafe on the South side of town.  It's a cute little place with limited seating, but apparently it gets pretty busy, so we expected a wait.  We couldn't have arrived at a more perfect time.  We parked right in front of the place, got there just in time to beat a rush of people, and were able to seat ourselves at their only outside table so that Q could sit with us.  We had the stuffed french toast and the Coney Dog.  Mmm, mmm, good!  In all the times we've been to Lincoln City, why hadn't we discovered this place sooner? 

Another thing that brought a smile to our faces, was the cutest little boy that Sonja, one of the owners, brought out to say hi to Quigley and a pit bull who had arrived not long after. He was sooooo happy to see the dogs. You had to see the smile on his face, it was truly infectious.

You can tell that they are very dog friendly there, as the walls are decorated with pictures of their patrons' dogs.  (Picture of Quigley, pending, hehe)  They also offered Quigley a delicious treat that we found out was available at Paws On The Sand, located on the North side of town..

Naturally, our next stop became Paws On The Sand, which was a great little pet store with very friendly people.  We picked up a floating Kong on a rope, and a bag of the Darford holistic dog treats that Q had tried earlier.  The people there absolutely loved Q, and gave him some more cute little treats.

After that, we made our way towards the beach, and introduced Q to sand.  I'm not sure what he thought of it at first since he kept falling and shoving his face in it, getting covered in sand.  It was so cute.  Once he got to the harder, wet sand, walking became much easier.  We let him sorta play fetch with his new frisbee (run after it and try to pick it up), chase after us, say hi to more people and dogs.  We also did a little bit of training, doing sit-stay, come, and lie down, which he did pretty well for being in a new environment with so many new things all around.

After playing at the beach for a few hours, we drove south to Newport for dinner.  We went to the Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach.  While we waited for our food outside, Quigley met even more people, including some kids.  He did fairly well with all the new people, even the kids, though he did jump up a few times, and nipped a little when he shouldn't have.  Overall, though, he did a good job.

After dinner we finally made the long trip back to Corvallis to drop off Uncle Jojo and then bring our fun day to a close.  It was a great trip for the four of us.  Quigley seemed to have a blast exploring his new play area and meeting all the friendly people and dogs.  The coast will definitely be a destination for us when the weather is nice again. =)