The Dog Days of Autumn

The term "Dog Days" was coined by the ancient Romans, who called these days caniculares dies (days of the dogs) after Sirius (the "Dog Star"), the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun. The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose just before or at the same time as sunrise. (Late July - early August, hence "the dog days of summer") The ancients sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that that star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather.
Today I spent an absolutely delightful day in the company of Urska and Grin (red merle Aussie of the Sept 11th Blog entry) at an Agility competition just north of Ljubljana.
There were about 150 dogs that attended and there is something about dogs that transcends language and culture and I felt completely at home. Before the entrants run the course with their dogs, they are given the opportunity to walk the course without the dogs and plot their strategies.



To an agility uneducated person the exhibitors look like a rather odd club of folks pretending to be airplanes!
Not only were there lots of dogs, but there was even a brave soul with a Siberian Husky, and another brave soul with an Alaskan Malamute.




Both girls had their patience sorely tested, but remained in very good humor as their dogs entertained the crowds by careening around the ring, ignoring commands, and running their own course! But it wasn’t just the northern dogs that had troubles with the course, even marvelous Grin had his own agenda today, and more than once Urska called him a “husky” and considered sending him to Canada with me!
Taking photos of dogs running like wild things is not easy, but I hope these capture a little of the excitement of the day.





Regardless of his behavior in the ring, I have never had the opportunity to spend so much time with an Aussie and understand completely now why so many people with Northern Dogs are drawn to the Aussie. Urska, no need to think of sacrificing a "red dog" on this dog day of autumn, Grin is welcome to come to Canada, anytime!!!!