Cool Dog!

Abby is quite the dog and very, very cool! Sometimes, I am so amazed at what an awesome pack member she has become. She is so lovable and obedient (mostly) and surprisingly adaptable. No matter if we are having a relaxing day napping or riding in the car or striking the pose, Abby fits right in. I couldn't have asked for a better kid and am so glad she has accepted us as her family!

Abby and Frank

There is nothing more fun for me and Abby then hitting the beach in the evenings for a swim, walk and Frisbee playing. I once had a black lab that loved to surf and never thought I would see that it another dog again. But now Abby surfs!!! I was able to capture a few seconds of it the other night. I don't like to use my phone much at the beach because my hands are always wet and sandy, but I had to get this short video. I love my cool, little surfer girl!

When Abby has been out playing and swimming on any particular hot day, she loves to cool off with her favorite treat: puppy cups! These dog 'ice cream' cups (sans the ice cream) keep her content, non-stop licking, until the frozen treat is gone. And she's very careful to not make a mess, never a drop on the floor nor cushions!

She's my Abby Dabby Doo and the best kid ever!!

Abby’s Typical Evening

Last evening had to be the best sail of the year, so far! What we thought would be a wash with the looming storms turned out to be an awesome charter! With dark clouds hovering all around, we thought there would be no way we could make the evening sunset sail. However, to Abby’s delight, the skies broke and the rains stopped so off we went…

But not before my little gerbil lapped up a bit of water from the icy cooler drain:

Then Abby took her initial post in wait of the boarding guests. She’s quite the dutiful crew member, sporting her life jacket, sizing up each passenger to see who might be in need of her attentions.

Of course, not long after we set sail, Abby settles in for a nap. The wind, the gentle roll of the boat through the waves, instantly calms her soul as she grabs a power nap.

As the boat tacked to the other side, she moves to the low side of the cockpit. This evening Abby was particularly content in napping for most of the trip.

Wait, what was that? Did someone call for me???

Abby has come a long way from last summer’s charter season! Now 20 months old, she is quite socialized and life on the boat has become the norm. While last season she was rambunctious and in a state of minimally controlled chaos, this year she thrives on sharing her home with guests as she has become quite the icon on the boat…all her manners intact. Well, most of the time…

Life With A Boat Dog

 

This is awesome!

We own a 41' Tartan Sailboat and Abby is a wonderful sailor! She lives on the boat with us and goes sailing all the time. Frank runs a sunset charter business during the summer on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Abby is part of the crew. And yes, this is the same boat we all live on.

Abby loves to greet the customers, but has learned who doesn't really want to be bothered by her presence...who the hell doesn't like dogs anyway?? Oh well, paying customers first and sometimes, for whatever reason, she has to ride below deck. This does not make any of the pack happy, but especially Abby :(

For the most part though, Abby get to ride up top and enjoy the wind and waves with the rest of us! She does wear her life jacket now (which I will post a pic of soon) like a good young sailor does. Anybody on board under the age of 12 must, by law, wear a life jacket and that includes Abby Dabby!

After the meet and greet, Abby will keep a watchful eye as we leave the dock and head down the ditch to Kitty Hawk Bay. Once the sails are out, however, she will settle down into the cockpit on the heeled side and fall sound asleep. Most of the time, the only instance she wakes is when the boat is tacked signaling her need to move to the other side of the cockpit to be on the low side of the boat's heel.

When the winds are light, Abby will wander the deck to see who might be interested in giving her a  pat on the head or scratch her belly. She knows immediately who the dog lovers are and befriends them quickly, but she is rarely annoying and will move along at the right time. Usually to the cooler with its missing plug...she looks like a gerbil getting water out of its water bottle :D

Once the trip is done, Abby will wait patiently for all on board to debark so that she can run through the empty dock parking lot to burn off any excess energy then settle into her fave spot in the salon's aft berth for some evening TV viewing.

What a dog's life!