A hot August day

close to home, originally uploaded by phaird.

Another week at the park with lots of the regulars. My official summer is coming to an end quickly but at least I always have the park to come to. It was another busy Sunday and everyone stayed close to the water.

In the photo, the dog by his owners legs just got a grooming which normally means, jump into the nearest mud hole and rub down on something gross. His dogs were being good and staying close to home. He also had a bag of treats for training.

Some people have said that bringing food to the dog park is a really bad idea but I'm not really against it. If socializing is part of the training, then treats are a good reward. I agree that it can get overwhelming quickly but, at least at this park, I've never really seen any problems. What is important is to be aware that you have treats and be sparing on giving them out. If you forget about them, a sneaky dog could put a hole in your pocket without you ever noticing.