We need more days like this

It doesn't get any better in this part of the country than a day like today. Sunny, warm, 70 degrees, no wind, no rain, no humidity, no bugs, and it was on a weekend. In fact, both Saturday and Sunday were picture perfect.

Sparky meeting Smokey. In his younger days
Smokey is just the sort of dog Sparky would
have beat up, but he has mellowed.
They met with no problems.

I got stuff done, took six dogs to the pasture to run and then walked two. The only dog who didn't get any organized exercise today was TJ, but I let him wander the yard on his own and that's enough to satisfy TJ these days.

Smokey has now met the entire pack. Sparky and TJ were the latest and last pack members to meet Smokey nose to nose. Smokey clearly doesn't have a problem with dogs, other than he just doesn't really know how to play or interact appropriately. His real issue, it seems, is barrier aggression and guarding behavior, and most of that seems to be defensive in nature.

Smokey, Max, and Sparky

Sparky doesn't do a lot outdoors these days, but it was a beautiful day and he wanted to come outside when I was taking everyone to the pasture. He ran around a bit and had a good time, but he tires quickly these days so I brought him back inside before the others.

That's Serena dogging Smokey in the foreground.
Look at Sparky down below. There really should
be name for Sparky's gait; it's sort of a bounce
and skip. I've never seen another dog do it.

Smokey in front, Max behind in the shade working on a
tennis ball. Max destroys them and Serena picks up the
remains and eats them.

I spent most of my time chasing Serena and getting stuff
out of her mouth, mostly tennis ball fragments. She will
eat them. I used to just let Max and the mower chew up
old tennis balls. Now I'm playing pick up to keep Serena
from eating them.

Smokey is usually found following Theo around, as he is here.

I was glad Sparky wanted to come out with us today.

Serena, Smokey, and Sparky

Theo, Smokey, Serena, and Sparky

Sparky, Smokey, and Max

This picture actually has five of the six dogs in it. You may be able to spot Theo's tail on the left,
then there's Max, Sparky, Serena, and Smokey.

Smokey seems to idolize Theo. That's not uncommon when
we have a young male shepherd around. They all want to 
grow up to be Theo. 

Smokey mostly kept his distance today but here's Theo
delivering a correction to Smokey, only taking a small tuft
of hair off his butt this time, however.

Here's Smokey and Sparky again.

Theo and Serena

After destroying a couple tennis balls, Max found this
flattened soccer ball to carry around.

Trooper didn't get in many pictures because he spent his time
out at the front fence as he always does.

The way Great Danes play ball is to the let the shepherd get
it and then knock them down and steal the ball when the
shepherd drops it.

Serena about to steal the ball. That's Trooper (rear left), heading back to the dog yard.

My little girl, Maya

Maya and Serena on the afternoon hike.

Maya was alerting on a lot of scents on the trail. The excitement
spread to Serena and she gave me a good pull.

I like this picture of Maya.

There was not a lot of slack on the leash today.