Farley’s Friday: A Dog’s Reflections on Travel

Farley here.

I’m in Florida. The land of leashes, poop bags, thunderstorms and dark water.

My reflections . . .

I don’t mind the leash, but Kristina thinks I don’t get enough free running time.

Poop bags? Well, that’s Kristina’s duty. I barked, “duty.” Ha Ha 🙂

Thunderstorms scare me. They’re too loud and shake the boat. I pant at Kristina to make them stop, but she just smiles at me and says, “You’re fine.” Easy for her to say when she understands what’s going on and to me, well I’m a dog so how could I know?

The dark water . . . That’s where my reflection comes in.

Reflections in Flat Water
Reflections in Flat Water

I look in the water.

“Come here,” I bark and wag my tail.

“Hang on,” Kristina says, but she’s obedient as usual and is at my side in seconds.

I look at her, back at the water and at her again. She does well with visual signals and gets my meaning.

“There’s a dog in there,” I bark like a crazy dog from the Canadian wilderness. “Get it out! How can it breath underwater?”

Kristina laughs.

I’m getting a little scared now. “Don’t laugh,” I bark. “That dog needs help.”

“That’s you, silly.”

“Me? Me?” I bark. “Am I really that handsome?”

“Of course,” Kristina says.

So now I’m obsessed. I stare at my handsome reflection every chance I get. Who knew I was sooooo good looking?

Me handsome!
Me handsome!

Okay, I’ll admit it was fun watching fish and dolphins in the clear Bahamian water, but now I have a new hobby to entertain myself.

As we motor north on the Intracoastal Waterway, I sit on the bow and check myself out!

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten Terrier Sails North

Farley here.

So my humans tell me it’s getting hot in the Bahamas and it’s time to start the sail north. Sound exciting? Not really, for a dog anyway.

When we travel, Matt and Kristina sail the boat and I do a lot of sleeping. Sometimes we anchor for the night and there’s not even a beach to go to. Sometimes there isn’t even land in sight over night. They’re crazy.

My problem. I don’t sleep well when Kristina is awake at night. I sit in the cockpit waiting and waiting to go to bed, but I just can’t do it while she’s in the cockpit. She needs my constant protection. Matt, on the other hand, can stay up all my himself.

As we head to Canada, Kristina promises none of this . . .

Canada can't always be like this, can it?
Not sure about this white stuff. Me thinks it’s cold.

And lots of this . . .

I think this was in Canada.
Green stuff. Much better.

But should I believer her?

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: Wheaton Terrier Chases Windsurfer

Farley here.

No matter how hard I try I can’t catch my human on his windsurfer.

First there’s the problem that I’m afraid of deep water, so I try the beach approach.

Farley Chasing WS

“Wait,” I bark, but he doesn’t.

He gibes and I have to go running the other way.

Farley Running

“Wait,” I bark again, and still he ignores me.

“So don’t wait,” I bark. “I’m going to roll around and get sandy.”

Farley Rolling

“Good luck getting this off my fur before I get on board.”

Humans are soooo easy to drive crazy.

By the way, did you notice how crowded the beach is – not!

Woof Woof.

 

Farley’s Friday: Wheaten Digs For Crabs

Farley here.

I love to dig. I’m a wheaten. That’s what I do. So what’s up with the crab that doesn’t get that?

I dig, dig, dig, and then . . .

“Ouch,” I bark.

“What? I’m supposed to chase the crab. It’s not supposed to bite my nose!”

Farley and Crab

Farley’s Friday: Dog Toys

Farley here.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

My human friend, Sharon, gave me a squeaky toy for Christmas. I’m not the type of dog that likes toys, but this one is pretty cool.

It makes the greatest noise.

Farley and Toy

Last night, I snuck it out of the cubby hole my human hides it in (like I can’ find it).

I eyed the clock.

Three a.m.

That’s a reasonable time to play, I thought. Kristina -not so much. She’s always nice to me, no matter what I do. She gently took the toy away, explained why I had to wait until morning to play and then rubbed my belly. Now that’s what I call fun to be reprimanded.

Woof Woof.

 

 

Farley’s Friday: Dogs Getting Sandy

Farley here.

I’m a happy dog. I found my friend Jasper. I never know when I’ll get to see him, but I’m sure happy when I find him.

We were sailing in the Exumas and ended up at Compass Cay. I went for a walk and there he was.

Dogs getting dirty

The first thing I did – – – stole his stick.

Jasper plays the tough guy, but all I have to do is growl a little, and he drops it.

He barks at me. He barks at the humans as if he expects them to help.

I play with the stick until I get bored and then I let Jasper have it for a while.

His tail wags at very high speeds, he’s never grumpy that I stole his stick, and he keeps playing with me.

What a great friend.

Woof Woof.

 

Farley’s Friday: A Dog Falls Overboard

Farley here.

I fell in the ocean, right off the back of the boat! How humiliating.

My human friend, Debi, drove her dinghy to the back of our boat to pick me up for yoga. I should have known something weird was going on when Kristina didn’t put my harness on me. You can see it in the photo below. She makes me wear it, so IF I fall overboard, she can easily pick me up.

Well, I guess she forgot to put it one me.

This is the harness I should have been wearing!
This is the harness I should have been wearing!

Debi arrives and I get a bit excited.

“Hello,” I bark.

Debi drives close to the back of the boat and ties up. Kristina is ready with her yoga gear.

“Not today,” Kristina says. “There are wild pigs on the beach. You have to stay on board.”

I whip my head around to face Debi and she confirms the bad news. I turn too quickly and start to fall.

“Oh Oh,” I bark, but no one grabs me.

My paws slip off the first step.

“Help me,” I bark.”

I’m now on the second step and the third is not far away. Before I can let out my third bark, I’m in the water.

I know I can’t get on the back step by myself so I head to shore. Lucky for me, I’m pretty slow at the dog paddle and don’t get far.

Debi pushes off the stern and drives beside me. I’m a smart dog and turn to face her.

No here comes the problem. I’m not wearing my harness. The dingy tubes are two feet out of the water, and Debi has nothing to grab on to. She reaches under my armpits and struggles me aboard.

She’s soaked, I’m soaked, but at least I’m aboard.

Woof Woof.

Thanks for reading . . .

Farley’s Friday: Where Are My Puppy Friends

Farley here.

I have lots of friends, but sometimes they disappear. Where do they go? Do they live on sailboats too?

Take Piper for example. I met her the same day I met my owners. She has different owners and she has an attitude.

Farley and Piper

Piper is a border terrier, and she’s cute, but really, look at her whispering in my ear. She told me her owners were nicer than mine. Ha! I don’t think so. We’d only been with them for five hours, so how could she know?

I’ve travelled across Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. I don’t think she’s done that.

I’m with my owners most of the time. I get walked at least twice a day and sometime more. I get real meat added to my dog food.

I may have to live on the sailboat, but she has to live in a backyard. So I ask you, aren’t my owners nicer?

I spent 5 weeks with Piper this summer, and we went camping together, with both our owners, so I have to admit hers are pretty nice too.  Piper still has an attitude, but she quickly learned Kristina spoils all dogs and settled right in with us.

Woof Woof.

 

Farley’s Friday: When I Was A Wheaten Puppy

Farley here.

Some things change. Some things don’t.

Kristina brushed my hair today, and I noticed it was all blond. I don’t look in a mirror very often, so I was a little surprised.

I’m pretty sure I was born brown and black, and I don’t die my hair . . . so what the heck?

10 weeks old ... and I'm so cute.
10 weeks old … and I’m so cute.

I guess my hair changed colour. But what didn’t change?

You can see by the photo below, where I’m 8 weeks old, I’m not exactly excited by a ball. Well I’m still not.

Could someone get this ball away from me?
Could someone get this ball away from me?

Sometimes my owners throw a ball for me, and I might chase it, but I will never pick it up. How humiliating. That’s for humans to do.

Do you pick up a ball for your owner?

Woof Woof