Toby Freshly Groomed

A couple of week ago I published pictures of Brego just groomed. Today I have a couple of pictures of Toby, freshly groomed.

Here a nice picture sideways. (Look Brego sits underneath the grooming table)

Toby wonders why he can't get of the table and go for a walk.

Lommelse Sahara

Sunday afternoon we got in our car and drove to a place called "Lommelse Sahara". Is is 15 KM from our home so it is very close by. It is an area with woodland, heathland and ponds. We never visited the area before and we didn't bring a map, so it was up to our navigational skills to see where we ended up (and of course we did ask a little bit, because the language the Belgium's speak in that area is Dutch). The boys always start running immediately as if they exactly know where we are.

Behind the dogs, the first pond in which Toby already entered, as you might see on this picture, because he has wet feet.

Here a movie a Toby inside the first pond.

Toby discovered the second pond.

Here a nice place at the second pond where the dogs could enter easily.

We threw some sticks in the water. The standard way of working is that Toby swims to fetch the stick.

And on his way back he drops the stick, Brego picks it up and brings the stick out of the water.

Here's a movie that shows this same routine.

Brego is searching for the stick that Toby dropped.

Toby is definitely the better swimmer.

Brego turns were he can still feel the bottom of the pond.

Toby hurry's into the water......

Starts swimming like crazy.....

Brego follows a little bit after that.....

Brego turns around back to the shore.....

And look who carries the stick out of the water.....

And Toby is ready again for the stick to be thrown into the water.

When we continued our way, we got back to the place where Toby already entered the water before. Look at his face, looking very enthusiastic as if he just discovered the water for the first time.

Even Brego entered this pool.

And now Toby didn't let go of the stick so they carried it out of the water by the two of them

Then we discovered why the area is called Sahara, a lot of white sand and again a beautiful pond, in which the dogs didn't swim, there were a lot of people around here and we were not sure whether dogs were allowed inside the pond.

I tried to get them to sit side by side but the only thing they were interested in was the water, which we wouldn't enter.

Here on our way back, the white sandy bottom in the forest.

And immediately the temperature was higher, as in the real Sahara.

We will definitely return to this nice area.

Wash and Dry

The dogs were ready for a bath due to all the swimming they have done the last weeks. We have a dog bath so I washed them both after another.

When the bath was put outside both dogs hide themselves. Brego is the real blond one he hided under the grooming table, Toby fled into the garden to hide under a tree.

Brego was the lucky number one, after all he was the easiest one to catch.

But Toby didn't escape his bath.

As you can see both dogs love being washed, ahum ahum..

And then afterwards we have two clean and fresh smelling beardie boys. A quick snapshot because we will go out for a walk and they could get dirty again.

Dog Beach

On Friday evening we met with several bearded collie owner at the Beach in Noordwijk. This is a part of the beach where dogs are allowed to walk of the leash.
We arrived earlier, so we could enjoy a nice meal and some drinks in the beach club.
If Toby is at the sea he becomes very energetic and he has to run around for a long period before he returns to us, so before the meal both dogs stayed on the leash, which they didn't like at all.

After dinner they were released and they entered the sea immediately.

Toby is looking around to see whether there's something interesting to chase somewhere. He likes to run with dogs that chase after balls, sticks ...

The beardies weren't the only ones entering the sea. Rob couldn't resist the water and had to enter the sea as well.

With the sun at the back this gives some spectaculair images.

Here a picture where the dunes can be seen.

Brego posing for a picture and my shadow ruining it.

A picture with Brego on profile, with the sun in the back.

Beardies running after a stick.

My three boys at the beach in Noordwijk.

Afterwards we went to the beach club again to enjoy some drinks together. Dogs are allowed in this fantastic place.
Because they all drank salty sea water they were queuing at the water bowls that are present at the beach end club.

And the bosses enjoyed some drinks as well.

After the sun set down we drove home again after a very fun evening at the beach.

Swimming at the Wolders Marsh

We discovered another marsh in the forest nearby our dog school. We already went there a couple of times but didn't bring our camera yet.
Thursday evening we visited the marsh again and we were the only ones present there. What a luxury a marsh of our own.
We're almost there, the dogs sniffed a lot, probably a lot of dogs visit here, so new scents allover.

Toby went upfront and was already in the water when we arrived there.

Brego was collecting sticks with Rob.

Toby got inpatient and went to look where the sticks and Brego stayed.

Finally Brego arrived in the water as well.

Retrieving sticks together is fun..

Here a movie of the dogs swimming and retrieving sticks.

And this is how a beardie looks after swimming for a while.