Tails of a Spinning Dog

If it was up to him, Hobie would keep the gift to himself.

It's been quite some time since we've updated, but wanted to share that Hobie turned 11 a few weeks ago! He's slowed down some this year, but he's still the playful, growly schnauzer who's always up for a good game of fetch, especially with his new squeaky football. And while he's been relatively healthy, Hobie made numerous trips to the vet this past year. He no longer has a bladder of steel and we can't leave him alone as long as we used to. So now he just gets more walks.

And he couldn't be happier.

Why do dogs howl at sirens? I dunno, but it sure is cute.

Munching on grass. Yum!

We found a small growth in Hobie's foot and thought it was another fat blob or fox tail. Hobie paid a visit to Dr. Paul and it turns out to be neither. We're gonna watch it for a few more days before we decide to remove it. In the meantime, we fashioned a sock band-aid to prevent Hobie from licking his wound, and he switches to a rain boot when we're out on walks. Of course, this draws the "Aw, what happened to his paw?"

And Hobie's response? Whining, of course, that I'm talking to someone other than him.

Hobie was very interested in the box of gifts we received from Kris' family. He managed to sniff out his gift and once he heard it squeak, we couldn't leave it under the tree. So we hid his gifts in the closet until Christmas Eve. He could barely contain his excitement once he finally got his gift.

Hobie went on another camping trip, this time to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. It's a gorgeous park filled with towering redwoods. But like most California state parks, dogs are not allowed on any trails. So we made our way down to Pfeiffer Beach, and since it is owned by the National Forest Service, it's dog friendly!

On our way down to the coast, we realized we had forgotten to bring a toy for Hobie. Luckily, we spotted a pet store along the freeway and made a quick dash inside and chose a Chuckit! Flying Squirrel
. The crazy miniature schnauzer was clearly delighted with his new toy.

Hobie was definitely a much happier camper at Big Sur vs. Big Basin. It was much warmer at Big Sur and running off leash at Pfeiffer Beach was pure heaven. We wrapped up the weekend by spending the afternoon on the Carmel River Valley State Beach