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Chasing Sand Pipers

We were in Florida over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  We packed up both dogs, Tellie and Skylar and drove 1831 miles there and back to spend time with Alexa's parents.  I knew Tellie would be fine. she climbs in to Alexa's lap and promptly falls asleep.  She is an old pro at being in the car for long distances.  She drove across country with us when we moved from Colorado to Maryland.  Jersey was also so very good at marathon driving.  She would climb into the back of the Jeep and take in the scenery as it passed by the windows.  She also would fall asleep but would excitedly wake up whenever we would make a pee stop.  Driving in the car was always an adventure for her not only because she knew we were going somewhere fun but because she was able to spend time with us.

I didn't know what it would be like for Skylar.  The furthest from home she had been in the car was Annapolis which is 30 miles south of where we live. She hasn't even learned to jump into the car yet and here I was expecting her to not get car sick, be calm and not mind driving a long, long way.  My only experience long distance driving with dogs was based on how good Jersey and Tellie were.  I thought all dogs would behave the same way and have the same reaction to being cooped up for hours at a time.

Aside from whining and pacing from window to window for the first half hour, Skylar settled in and seemed to realize she would be in it for the long haul.

We found the trick to getting her distracted enough to not mind the drive was to give her a huge knuckle bone.  This bone which is as big as my head, was plenty to keep her occupied for hours as we drove through DC, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and the northern part of Florida. The gnawing, scraping, nipping, peeling, nibbling sounds; the "skishhhhhh, skishhhh, skisssh" of her teeth tearing the fat off the bone mixed with the sounds of snoring told us she was content.

The other key to the drive was leaving the rear windows open about a quarter of the way so she could stick her nose out the window to get the particular smells of each state as we passed through.  I think the noise of the wind rushing along the sides of the car as we drove the highway also soothed any concerns she might have had.  Unfortunately for me and Alexa, it sounded like being in an airplane for hours at a time.  We found ourselves shouting at each other as we struggled to be heard above the cyclonic noise of the wind.  We endured it though because we needed to make sure Skylar would peacefully get to Florida.

Bottom line, we all made it and had a great time, especially when we would walk to the beach.  Skylar discovered the joys of chasing Sand Pipers as they scuttled up and down and back and forth along the waterline while the ocean waves rolled onto the sand. She never gave up the chase as the birds continually fluttered from one place to the next; the big dog charging after them.  Skylar's tongue flapped out of her mouth like a flag blowing in the wind atop a flag pole; her legs galloping like those of a Stallion at a full run, pounding and splashing through the water.  The delight on her face when she would get knocked and bashed by a wave washing ashore left both Alexa and I with a sense of gratitude that this nine month old puppy, revelling in her futile pursuit of birds, had truly become a part of our family.

Tellie spent her time digging holes.  Her front paws furiously throwing sand behind her and through her legs while her face would disappear deeper and deeper into the ever growing trench she was scratching out on the beach.  Every now and then she would take a break and chase Skylar as Skylar chased the birds.  Tellie would leap at Skylar's neck and try to hold on as they both ran down the beach.  She growled with joy trying her best to hold on.  She looked like she was riding a mechanical bull as it would spin around and around, faster and faster.  Eventually she would get thrown off only to get back on her feet and resume the chase, barking all the way.

Alexa and I couldn't help but comment on how much Jersey would have loved to be with us.  She would have relished the sand, the water, the beach and the sun and the chase.  She would have chased the birds and plowed through the ocean just as Skylar was now.  That's when we stopped and looked at each other. Understanding washed over us like the ocean was washing over Skylar. She was enjoying it now and Tellie was engrossed and focused on digging her holes. This is when we realized being in the "now" was filling us with happiness and contentment.  As much as we knew Jersey would have loved it, we knew our chase of Skylar as she ran further and further down the beach after the uncatchable birds was where we had to be and we loved it, too.

Skylar never caught the birds and Tellie didn't dig to China and that's OK.  They'll have the chance to do it again and again and again.