Sam and Jack Take Dog Beach in Coronado

Sam had never seen the ocean, and since we’re hanging out in San Diego, it was time. I was waiting for a friend to get out of a meeting in Coronado so I took Sam and his dog, Jack, down the road past the Hotel Del, all the way to the end, where there’s a popular dog beach.

Sam loves the water, but has only played in rivers and lakes. Which happen to not have crashing waves or shorelines that ebb and flow. He was disturbed by the tide’s comings and goings, and by disturbed I mean he’d be standing there, looking hopeful at all that enticing water, and then the tide would come rushing in around his legs and he’d do a backwards leap onto drier sand so perfect it was like something out of Pixar.

Once he figured out the ebbing and flowing was a constant thing, he reoriented his curiosities toward the beach, and the smorgasbord of friendly dogs to play and run with.

He got closer to the water than this, but not much.

Jack, however, took a different approach upon arrival. Jack is more strategic than Sam, and rather than bounding into the (terrifying) surf, he tucked himself next to a lifeguard tower and got the lay of the land.

Jack the puggle, plotting.

I didn’t get any action shots of Jack, though he did have a great time romping with his cousins, pugs and bulldogs. He kept far away from the dogs Sam was interested in, like this retriever named Alex:

The sand was flying.

But then it was time to go home.

Sam giving the Pacific one last shot.

We’ll go back, but I’ll hold off on that doggie surfboard purchase.

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