Happy Holidays and sad ones too.

Just before the holiday season this year, a new dog friend arrived on the scene for my morning group. Aidan is a beagle/boxer mix and he is very sweet and full of energy for playing and chasing.

Aidan

He was instant friends with everyone, starting with Stella...

Stella hugs Aidan

Stella and Aidan mix it up

when Hank showed up, he got right in on it too.

Hank and Stella initiate Aidan

Aidan really loves to be chased, and Cookie was glad to oblige.

Cookie chasing Aidan

these dogs love to run

Soon everyone was after the new kid..

Bloom and Stella get in on the chase game

Elsewhere, we had some new combinations over the holidays when some dogs were on vacation. This is one big happy pack of dogs on a walk.

Gracie, Salix, Guy, Jupiter, Bandit & Hanna [L-R]

 Guy got to do some playing with Salix and Hank.

Salix, Guy and Hank [L-R]

And Jupiter wasn't going to let the opportunity pass him by.

Jupiter and Guy, with Salix in back

Sometimes I just gotta take a picture of one of my dogs, just because... 

Here's Corrina, whose not much for playing, but always has a good time just taking in the smells

Corrina

You've got to get down low to the ground to get a good shot of Edie

Edie

Here's Salix and her friend Sugi who only came for one day

Salix [front] and Sugi

Sometimes Bloom, the great dane, just kind of likes to hang out and look handsome.

Bloom

Because of the holidays, I took Buster and Haley on a walk by themselves, since all the other dogs in their group were on vacation

Buster and Haley

It reminded me of a few years ago, when I would take Buster & Haley every Tuesday and Thursday with our old gal Spider. It was last year at this time that Spider moved on. We miss her!

Spider

Autumn Leaves

This dog walker loves the fall. Cool weather, and thus far almost no rain. I tried to capture a little of the Oakland autumn, this week.

Pinky and Crema are still walking together, and at least tolerating one another. We stopped here to check out some fallen leaves.

Pinky [L] and Crema

Some of my groups are difficult to photograph in action, so this week I decided to kind of embrace that, and give some glimpses what a pack walk really looks like. This is my Monday & Wednesday crew, they love to walk as a pack. Bandit was out of town in the first one...

Haley, Buster, Dodger and Gracie [L-R]

and then Gracie's schedule changed so she was absent for this one...

Haley, Buster, Bandit, Dodger [L-R]

I didn't plan this on purpose, but here's what it looks like to walk 5 black dogs...

Bandit, Guy, Salix, Hanna and Jupiter [L-R]

It wasn't all pack walks, I brought Jupiter, Salix and Guy to Hardy Park to play and much fun was had...

Salix, Guy and Jupiter [L-R] mix it up

People like to complain about Hardy Park, but the dogs... not so much.

Jupiter and Salix are all smiles

Guy is a happy guy

Jupiter takes a break from playing to pose for me

Our puppy Stella is growing up fast, and she has no problem playing with the big kids. She loves Hank, and when they get going... watch out.

Hank [L] and Stella about to pounce

Hank even distracts Cookie from her ball once in a while, and gets her in on the action...

Hank [R] getting Cookie involved

Stella loves to wrestle with Salix too...

Salix gives Stella a little nibble

Even a big guy like Jupiter doesn't worry her much...

Stella and Jupiter going mano a mano

Stella welcomes all newcomers--this fellow with the big ears mixed it up Stella and Jupiter

Another pup named Stella showed up and our Stella was thrilled. The two Stellas had a good time trying to steal the stick from Bloom.

Bloom tries to fend off the pups

After all that puppy action, Bloom was happy to meet another dog his size, and what a good looking girl she was...

Great Dane party

Finally I did try to take a couple of posed shots with the autumn leaves. After the girl party, it was hard to get Edie, Salix, Gracie and Hanna to sit still.

Edie in sweater, Salix and Gracie, Hanna [clockwise]

Dodger is not much for poising, and by this time, I think Gracie was getting annoyed at all the posing with leaves, so maybe that's enough for this time...

Dodger [L] and Gracie

Thanksgiving week

After a couple of weeks off, Chamba and Corrina came out for their Tuesday walk, and this time they got to meet Salix.

Chamba, Salix and Corrina [L-R]

Chamba is usually pretty focused on the ball, but once Salix started chasing him he decided that was much more interesting.

Salix chases Chamba

And when she caught up with him there was much fun to be had.

Chamba gives Salix the play bow

Meanwhile Corrina did what she likes to do best, which is to check out the smells.

Corrina sniffs out something good

Eventually Salix convinced Corrina to do a little bit of wrestling.

Corrina and Salix play a bit

Because of Thanksgiving, we had different combinations-- some smaller groups, and a few solo walks. These are always fun, since I get to have some one on one time with my buddies. Here are a few portraits of my pals.

Edie with her holiday sweater

Dodger getting ready to get in the car

Pinkberry gives me look

Crema rooting out some good smells

Bloom wants me to throw the ball

Is Hank hearing voices?

Cookie likes to pose

Stella lis still learning "leave it"

For the holiday, we had Hanna staying at our house. Stella really, really wanted her to play, but she had to learn a how to wait for it. Eventually Hanna started to initiate things at her own pace. It was very sweet to behold.

Hanna warms up to Stella

Before long they were wrestling like crazy... right under the dining room table.

Hanna and Stella wrestling

Hanna goes right under Stella for a sneak attack

Posing for pictures and getting dirty

Mondays and Wednesdays I take this group out in the Dimond District. This is the hardest group to photograph, because they are always marching out ahead of me. We stopped for a minute so they could pose for a few pics.

Gracie, Buster, Haley [L-R] and Bandit's back

Bandit really hates getting his Gentle Leader put on, but he sure does like to go out for a walk afterward.

Bandit

Buster and Gracie are very interested in squirrels.

Buster [left] and Gracie

Here's another group that I just couldn't get a good photo of while we all marched along, so I pulled over for a posed picture next to the golf course.

Gracie, Salix, Dodger, Hanna and Edie [clockwise from right]

Hank got to go on a special walk for his birthday, and he sure did have a good time. 

Hank- age 2

He showed everyone his favorite patch of dirt. Hank loves to get dirty!

Salix [R] checks out Hank's patch of dirt

 And then he really got everyone going, and some serious chasing ensued. Boy do I like to watch my dogs run.

Bloom, Hank, Salix and Cookie [L-R]

Later in the week Hank and Stella were reunited, and this time Stella had gained enough confidence to really mix it up with him. Once again Hank pointed out the delights of getting really dirty.

Salix [L] stands watch as Hank and Stella [R] wrestle