Keys Stories, Part 3 - A Romp at Anne's Beach & a Boat Ride with Captain Sam

Our third day in Key Largo began with a sunrise walk, followed by breakfast at Mrs. Mac's.  Mom even gave me a little piece of her omelet.  She said Mrs. Mac's makes the best omelets ever.  And the ladies at Mrs. Mac's were so nice to us -- especially to me.  After breakfast, we headed out for a day of adventure.

We first went to Anne's Beach, one of the best places for doggie romping in the Florida Keys.

And I romped.

And romped.

I found a coconut, and I had a GREAT time playing with the coconut.

A dog and his coconut

I'm a total island doggie retrieving coconuts

And we walked down the boardwalk and saw GIANT orange land crabs.

The crabs were HUGE

Then we got all cleaned up and ready for our next adventure.

Showering with momma

 Next we went to Robbie's to feed the tarpon.  (My mom has a tarpon-feeding problem enjoys feeding the tarpon at Robbie's.  You can read about it in my post Tarpon Feeding 101.) 

Fishies

And we saw a MANATEE.  Mom didn't get a good photo, but the manatee had a cute snout that was hairy just like mine.  Daddy dog LOVES manatees.

Then we went for a boat ride with my new friend Captain Sam of Keyz Charters.  (Which we highly recommend -- check out mom's TripAdvisor review of Keyz Charters.)  

Me and Captain Sam
(no, she's not about to rob a bank -- she's just being smart because the sun in the Keys is so intense)

Mom said the boat ride was an "ecotour", which I think means "fun boat ride where we see lots of cool stuff." 

We saw houseboats. 

And the most amazing birds.

This is a male frigatebird

We saw lots of birds.

I don't always love boat rides, but I really enjoyed riding in the boat with Captain Sam.  Dad says it's because she doesn't drive a boat like a maniac (unlike certain persons who shall remain unnamed).

What an awesome day of adventure.

The Problem with Mermaids

Last week, mom, dad, and I went to Norfolk, Virginia.  Our hotel was right on the Elizabeth River, and we found a great place to walk near our hotel -- the Elizabeth River Trail.  The trail runs along the waterfront, and there were lots of great smells and interesting sights.  

There was only one problem.  Mermaids.  Everywhere we turned.  

Just because you think the mermaids are cool,
it doesn't mean you need to get my photo
with EVERY SINGLE MERMAID

I hope nobody sees us

White dog with mermaid butt
Wait - do mermaids even have butts?

That's it - I'm done with mermaids

Fetch-A-Cure Mutt Strutt is TODAY! Get a FREE Garth magnet & sticker!

Today is the day of the 3rd Annual Mutt Strutt to raise money for FETCH.a Cure, a local Richmond, Virginia nonprofit that educates humans about canine cancer, its treatment, and prevention.  They also assist people who need help paying for their dog's cancer treatment.

Because Fetch-a-Cure is a local Richmond organization, we know them and we're very familiar with their work, and we know that money raised to support them is well spent.  Last year, Team Garth raised over $1000 for Fetch-a-Cure!  

This is me at last year's Mutt Strutt,
proudly sporting my Fetch-A-Cure bandana

So please consider sponsoring Team Garth.  To sponsor us, just go to the Team Garth team page, click on "sponsor our team" on the right side under the thermometer.  Every little bit helps - a donation of $5 would be awesome, more if you want.

To show our appreciation, I will send you a cool Garth magnet and a Garth sticker.

Thank you!!!!

In memory of Jake
January 19, 1999 - December 1, 2007

FitDog Friday! Garth's Top Ten Reasons to Join PetsMove.Org

It's FitDog Friday!

What better day to share with you all the GREAT reasons I belong to PetsMove?

Garth's TOP TEN Reasons 

to Join PetsMove.Org

1. All the cool doggies are doing it

My buddy Gizmo (of Gizmo's Terrier Torrent)
is tough competition
(and no, we didn't feel like having photos taken)

2. You can get an inspiration band

3. You can make new friends & connect with 
others with similar interests on Forums

4. You can get info about dog exercise & nutrition

5. Accountability helps you stick to a program!

6. PetsMove.Org will help you get/stay fit, and fit doggies live longer & have fewer vet bills . . . 

& fit doggies have more FUN

Fit doggies: Ricky, me, and Makayla
Photo by Brian Padow, Canine Adventure

Photo by Brian Padow, Canine Adventure

7. Girl doggies like fit doggies!

8. You can get support in your fitness routine

9. You could BE ON TV

and, most importantly

10. You can WIN PRIZES (and who doesn't like to win prizes?)

So why not join PetsMove.Org today?  It doesn't cost anything, and the benefits are AWESOME.

Keys Stories, Part 2 - Crazy SUP PUP Maneuvers and the Wayward Husky

Our second day in Key Largo began with a morning walk to the other side of the island to see the ocean.

GOOOOOOD Morning, Key Largo

Then we went to Mrs. Mac's Kitchen for breakfast -- and more photos.  

Posing in front of the Mrs. Mac's sign

After breakfast, I took a nap while mom and dad went snorkeling, so I was all rested up for our afternoon pack adventure.

After lunch, mom, dad and I went on a paddleboard ecotour with PADDLE! The Florida Keys (who we highly recommend, by the way - check out mom's Trip Advisor review).  Our guide took us to a place we never would have found on our own, Dove Sound and Dove Creek in Tavernier.

We paddled around Dove Sound, then we went down Dove Creek, a tiny creek through the mangroves.  We saw parrotfish and mangrove snappers and nurse sharks, and dad even saw a sea turtle but it swam away before mom and I could see it.  (Which was okay with me.  You never know when a sea turtle is gonna' decide to add labrador to its diet.)

Exploring the mangroves

Dad was rocking a super-fast board,
leaving us behind

When we got to a nice, deep canal, we took a break. 

It was a warm day, so mom decided to take a (voluntary) swim to cool off.  This provided me with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate my paddleboarding skills without a human in the way.

I can stand at the far back on the board, no problem

Surveying the area for creatures who might want to eat me

What's THAT?  Oh, just mom's foot.

Mom says there are no hungry sea creatures here,
but I'm not buying it

Mom said the water felt good, so she tried to "encourage" me to join her, but I was determined to stay on the board, and I did.  (This is amazing, by the way.)

Nope.  Not going in.

When break time was over, we headed back down the canal.  Mom was trying to get yet another photo of me, so she backed up a bit, and she toppled right off the back of the board, thus taking a second (involuntary) swim.  Did I fall off?  Nope.  (Daddy dog says it is important to note that he didn't fall off his board either.  Mom fell off and he didn't.)

Still on the lookout for sea creatures

We paddled back through the mangroves

One of the many advantages of being short

How many pups get to go on an adventure like this?


On our way back from the put-in place, we were stopped at a stop sign, and we saw a husky slip through a gate and take off running down the road, with a human running after him and calling to him.  The husky was paying no attention to the human -- he just kept running.  (Sometimes huskies do that, we've been told.)

We watched as several cars drove by, and the husky just kept running.  So mom told dad to drive past the husky, then stop.  Dad drove a little ways past the husky (who was still running) and pulled over.  Mom opened the door and got out, and a few seconds later the husky ran between our car and the thick brush at the side of the road, and mom grabbed him by the collar.  Mom said to him, "It's okay sweetie.  I know you're afraid because I'm a strange person grabbing you, but your mom will be here in a minute and it will be okay."   

A man on a bicycle who had been trying to help catch the dog and the woman who had been chasing him both came up and put a harness and leash on the dog, and thanked momma over and over.  The man said they needed to rename the husky Houdini, and the woman was thanking mom and crying and said she was afraid the husky was going to make it to Route 1 (the busy major road that runs the length of the Keys).  

We were so glad we were driving by at that particular time and that momma's timing was perfect and she was able to grab the husky.  I'm not a Houdini-dog, and I have no interest in running from mom and dad (after all, they have the treats), but if I did, mom and dad sure hope someone driving by would help. 

We went back to the hotel with a good feeling because the Houdini-husky doggy was safe at home that night.  We had a wonderful adventure, then we were able to help out someone who needed it.  What more could you want out of a day?