We Completed Our First Triathlon!

Ok, so it was all in fun and not really a true competition. But we did all three events ... well, most of all three events ... and we met some really nice dogs and people and we had a blast.

The Minnesota Iron Dog Triathlon is a fundraiser for Top Dog Foundation. They are trying to raise funds to build a sanctuary for dogs that are old or otherwise considered unadoptable in the area around where we live. Because every dog deserves a permanent home, food and shelter from the cold. Did you know there are only 9 sanctuaries in the U.S. - and that only 1 in Ohio is dedicated to providing a permanent home for elderly dogs. Top Dog Foundation wants to change that.

This is our picture when we were just starting out. Thanks to the Top Dog volunteer who snapped it for us - we forgot to get her name.)

Anyways, so we had to walk on the trail for about a mile. (It really wasn't all that much of a chore, although dogmom didn't like it when we tried to run down the hill - something about her knees...)

And then we had to walk through the obstacle course. We didn't like the tunnels and wouldn't go through them for dogmom. I went around them and Opie jumped over them. We jumped over all the bars, except when there were people watching us. Then we just sat there and looked at the bars and watched their dogs go over them (even the little chihuahuas and rat terriers!).

Then we got to go swimming! I ran right into the water and started trying to drink it all. Opie hates the water - but even he got all his feet wet! Everybody started laughing when he kept trying to shake all the water off of him and only his feet were wet. Really, I'm serious. His body was dry but he shook like he was all wet. So, I went over and shook my water all over him so it at least looked like he went swimming.

Then we walked back to the area where the vendors were.

See, here we are at the finish line wearing our medals! (Thanks to Patrick Nau of Patrick Nau Photography for taking a picture of us with dogmom's camera!)

• We stopped at the Patrick Nau Photography booth.
• And then we got to look at all the paintings and the lady that was painting pictures of dogs - Best Friend Watercolor Portraits by MarySue Krueger.
• And the Petco guy gave dogmom a bag of goodies with balls and Frisbees and stuff.
• And the BarkBusters training lady commented on how happy and social and well-behaved we were since dogmom had two dogs on one leash! (Can you believe it?!?)
• And we saw Jody and Randi from Lake Minnetonka Pet Sitters. Randi might even start coming to visit us on Wednesdays again.
• And Top Dog Country Club had a booth ... they do boarding and doggie daycare, and a portion of the fees help the future sanctuary.

And, the Star Tribune had some people there to promote their PetCentral section and web site. (Dogmom hates that, cuz they're competitors of the papers she works for.)

Anyways, we had lots of fun. Dogmom was really impressed that we behaved the whole time and didn't get snarky or scared this time. After seven years, we're getting better!

And, this is what we looked like on the way home in the back of the truck ...

Wuf Ya!