# Bush Walking



## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

Took Duke on a bush walk today, the weather here has been heating up and it's been super nice all weekend. We went with a new friend and some people from Duke's dog school. So there was Duke, two kelpie x's, two irish setters, and two great danes. I was SO excited when I saw the danes hehe they're pretty uncommon around here so I've only actually seen danes in person once before. One of the danes is older and a bit overweight, but the other one was muscly and energetic (could definitely be leaner though! nothing like the danes we see on here :thumb. It was funny that Duke actually appeared small for once! He even went under the danes a few times haha

Here's a few shots from the day. Didn't take very many, and not many turned out any good lol they were very dark (didn't really play around with the settings, just snapped whenever I could, bit hard when everyone else keeps walking and ends up in front of my camera, blocking the dogs haha), by the time I lightened the photos they ended up pretty poor quality, but hey, you get the gist

Here's crew... minus me, taking the photo, and Duke, who had nicked off into the bush haha - the dane is looking at him just off camera.











Sapphire, getting excited for her lead to come off so she could tackle Duke. They got along pretty well :smile: he's never had such a big friend!











Duke, Sapphire and the kelpies (Gypsy and Chevelle) ahead of Finn the setter











The pooped danes at the end of the walk, Diamond (with the beautiful silver face ) and Sapphire











Gypsy and Duke (these two are VERY good pals) and the setters, Finn and Bailey











So there ya go :biggrin: that was our afternoon. Duke had a great time, bounding through the bushes, most of the time with a huge dane and a tiny kelpie lol. He's now sleeping it off


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## maplewood (Apr 14, 2011)

Fun stuff!!! They gray face is just heart melting <3


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## Janet At Nutro (Mar 11, 2011)

Diamond's beautiful silver face reminds me of my old lady Dutchess.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Lucky you, what an awesome day. Isn't it funny how the simplest things like taking your dog for a long walk with a bunch of his dog mates can really make your heart happy? Specially off leash.
I really like those kelpies, they are great dogs. And, yeah, those Danes are a touch tubby aren't they? Though, I bet they'll start losing a bit now that Duke makes them run around so much. Thanks for the pics.


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

Yeah, they definitely werent the nice slender danes we see around here! but even the younger one, who is so big compared to nat and linsey's danes, when I pat her I could feel all her ribs, and she had a fairly good tuck underneath, she doesn't actually have a layer of fat there lol dunno what the go is there :suspicious: maybe she's big boned lol

yeah I get so happy watching duke run as fast as he can, no restraints  I admit I am taking a risk, because his recall isn't 100% yet, but he is generally like velcro either to me or to the dogs, and they were all coming back when called lol. He's getting very good with his recall though :biggrin: I'm such a proud mumma. At his training class on Saturday we were doing recalls, and one of the exercises was in a small fenced in area - they put 5 or 6 dogs in, with owners, let them off leash and tell them they're free, and ignoring them, we owners just walked up and down the arena, and after going up and back a few times, we'd stop and call our dogs. There was only one dog that wouldnt go back to his owner (a beagle with a determination to hunt down every single smell lol). But Duke didn't even muck around with the other dogs, he walked up and down the arena pretty much by my side :biggrin: the trainer said he loves his mumma so much he doesn't want to leave her side, hehe (I think he was actually just a little tired haha)


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Great pictures!!! sounds like you guys had a blast!!! :becky:


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Those are great photographs. Does anyone on here have Irish setters? I can't think of anyone. They are so beautiful.

The one/only Great Dane in my life looked much like Sapphirenti, I think.

i think if we all waited until we were 100% sure of our dog's recall no dogs would ever go off leash! Like raw feeding, the first time is the hardest. I know I was so scared of it that my brother got tired of me whining about it and just opened the back door of the car one day while I watched horrified that Rebel would be gone forever. Seems like Duke is doing great all the way around.


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