The Dobes Do Ledges

Last week we got our lazy butts in gear and headed down to Ledges State Park... or what's left of it. The Canyon Road was closed due to flood damage, so we parked at the top of a ridge and made the 1.5 mile hike down into the "belly" of the park.

What I saw just stunned me. Complete and utter devastation of one of Iowa's best state parks. There were a few people walking around, but only those who were up to the hike down into the park... since the road is closed. It was sooo quiet, usually it's jam packed with lots of people, families, dogs.

There used to be a paved road here - now it's all washed away, no sign that there was ever a road.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0264.jpg

This was the point where we stopped - the road was completely gone, and quicksand-type mud everywhere. I shudder to think what the rest of the park looks like (this is about 15% of the way into the park).... probably just ruined.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0265.jpg

So we backtracked a bit, and found a nice creekbed for the dogs to play in. Shallow, with clear water and sand, no steenky flood mud. Please note: Normally, I'd NEVER have the dogs offleash in a state park. When the Canyon Road opens to the public again, the dogs will be on leashes... but until then, we'll enjoy some rare freedom in the park!

Ilsa exploring. She's wearing a cooling vest to keep her from overheating... it was a very hot day.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0268.jpg

Ilsa splooshing around...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0270.jpg

More splooshing...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0272.jpg

Zoomies in the sand...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0276.jpg

Horrible photo, but the expression on Ilsa's face is hilarious!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0281.jpg

Ilsa rounds a bend in the creek...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0289.jpg

About this time, I decided that Ronin could be loose too - he didn't seem to show any signs of wanting to go AWOL. Tucked his lead into his pack and let him run freeeee!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0292.jpg

Ilsa instigates a game of Chase Me!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0297.jpg

But he ignores her... he wants to sploosh!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0299.jpg

Dumb guy was sooo proud of himself... he never gets to carry the gear...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0300.jpg

"I iz paramedic, I iz here to help!"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0308.jpg

"Mommmm.... Ilsa won't leave me alone...."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0327.jpg

"Ooh, fishie!"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0339.jpg

Ronin faaaaar away... with perfect recall too!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0354.jpg

Recall...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0356.jpg

"I'm hot... oo water! I'll plop down right here!"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0397.jpg

"Wut? Wut you mean I shouldn't get the pack all wet and steenky? Oh... Isorry..."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0396.jpg

Time to go home...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../bIMG_0413.jpg

THE END!

Awww! Such cute little puppers!

Thanks for sharing the photos!

Hi,

Love the photos - those expressions are priceless. :giggle:


dr del

What great pictures! I love the proud expression on your male dobe with his job of pack carrying. I bet they were pooped and ready to nap when they got home.

I've never heard of these cooling jackets. Do you have a link to anywhere that explains how they work and so forth?

Awesome pictures! I didn't want them to come to an end. :P Absolutely beautiful dogs!! It's very sad about all the flooding, but at least you found a safe, fun place to play.

I've got a 7 month old red dobe girl...I need to get some recent pictures of her uploaded...haven't done that in way too long. She's such a clown...I call her my "Moose on the Loose". :D

Oh! Your pictures are always so nice and you had me chuckling at the captions to them, just awesome! :gj:

Thanks everyone! :)

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I've never heard of these cooling jackets. Do you have a link to anywhere that explains how they work and so forth?

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There are various cooling coats on the market. There are four basic types - metallic mesh, chamois, gel and evaporative cooling. Ilsa's vest is made by Ruffwear, and uses the evaporative cooling system.

Basically, Ilsa's vest cools the dog in a few ways. First, it's light blue and semi-faceted to reflect heat and UV. Second, it is dual layered so it forms a layer where cool air can circulate. Third, the coat is highly absorbent, and when soaked with cold water it actually pulls the heat away from the dog - it works in the same way our sweat does, as it evaporates, it cools.

Link to Ilsa's vest

The mesh kind are very expensive, I've only seen them at dog shows, and all they do is reflect the sunlight.

The chamois kind are in vogue with the show folk right now, but they're heavy when wet and not well-suited for hiking. Now if the dog is being led around the show grounds, they work well. They do keep cold for much longer, and can be used in emergency cooling situations because they can be removed and balled up, and placed on the head or between the rear legs to provide emergency cooling.

Link to chamois cooling coats

And the gel kind... not even worth mentioning. Basically there are absorbent gel balls inside the coat, and when soaked with water they swell. They dry quickly, and the gel balls move around, creating large areas where the dog isn't being cooled at all. This is the method the "cooling bandannas" at Petsmart use... useless IMO.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I've got a 7 month old red dobe girl...I need to get some recent pictures of her uploaded...haven't done that in way too long. She's such a clown...I call her my "Moose on the Loose". :D

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Everyone told me about your girl when I first joined... I look forward to seeing photos of her (poke poke - upload time!)

Seven months is right around the age where DoberBrains turn off... and DoberLegs turn on! Beware, she's going to be a holy terror! But don't worry, she'll get half her brain as a birthday present when she turns 2, and the other half will come when she's 3 or 4. :)

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Originally Posted by sekaiNdobes

Everyone told me about your girl when I first joined... I look forward to seeing photos of her (poke poke - upload time!)

Seven months is right around the age where DoberBrains turn off... and DoberLegs turn on! Beware, she's going to be a holy terror! But don't worry, she'll get half her brain as a birthday present when she turns 2, and the other half will come when she's 3 or 4. :)

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:rofl: She's definitely moving quickly into "brainless"...and her zoomies are a sight to behold!

I'm pulling some pics off my camera now...hopefully a few of them turned out! Will post a new thread soon. :D

Gorgeous Dobes! They both look so happy!:D

GREAT looking dogs! I love the ears on Dobes!

Wow great pics, I will have to get some updated pics of duncan posted up. I think its three people on the forum owned by dobes now!!!:gj:

Great pictures!

I never thought of dogs overheating when it's super hot...that cooler vest looks neat. Does Ilsa seem to mind putting it on and/or wearing it or does she know "hey, that'll keep me cool, gimme!"?

Wow! Nice dogs and Pictures! Nice park too? What can you carry in the dogs back pack? funny stuff!

What a beautiful pair of pampered pooches! :aww: I loved the pics!

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Great pictures!I never thought of dogs overheating when it's super hot...that cooler vest looks neat. Does Ilsa seem to mind putting it on and/or wearing it or does she know "hey, that'll keep me cool, gimme!"?

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Yep - like any other mammal, they can get heat stroke. The biggest risk with Dobermans (and other deep chested breeds) is bloat - and an overheated dogs is more at risk for it, especially if they've been exercising and drinking water.

Ilsa doesn't mind the coat - she's the type of dog that you could put a satellite dish on her butt and she'd ignore it. She's very tolerant!

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Originally Posted by Reediculous

Wow! Nice dogs and Pictures! Nice park too? What can you carry in the dogs back pack? funny stuff!

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The pack usually holds a few bottles of water, a collapsible dog bowl, a first aid kit, bug spray, two slip leads, dog booties, and dog biscuits. Sometimes more stuff, sometimes less - all depends on the trip.

Thanks so much for the information about the cooling coats and that link. I've just noticed that our Labrador is getting pretty hot when we are out for long walks. Living in the city there isn't any place to take her where she can puddle in cool, clean water to cool off and she's too brainless yet to be off lead anyways even if there was a clean pond nearby (18 month old Labs are beyond brainless!). I may have to look into ordering her one to help her deal with the summer heat better.

I watched a Dog Whisperer show recently where he recommended the use of packs on working breed dogs to give them "a job". The difference in the attitude of one male German Shepherd was close to a miracle. It went from this pacing, anxious animal to a serious, don't-bug-me-I'm-working-now attitude. It was just beautiful to see this big dog carrying his pack of water bottles and such like - ears alert, his carriage proud when before he'd been a mess of hyper nervous activity when out on walks.

YAY DOBIES AND ZOOMIES!!!!!!!!

Can't WAIT TO GET MINE...

(in a couple of years)

Great lookin pups...

thats too bad about the park :(