It's no secret that a tired dog is a happy dog but tiring out your pup isn't always as straightforward as it might seem.  Sure, you can go to the dog park but sometimes there aren't any other dogs to play with.  Or maybe some days your dog is more interested in sniffing around then romping.  Simply put, there is no guarantee that a trip to the park will tire your dog out.  Unless you know that Eko is there, that is.

Ever since he was a puppy Eko has had a talent for riling up other dogs to play.  I can't count how many times I hear someone say, "I haven't seen my dog run like that in years!" or "she never usually plays chase, this is great!"  This morning at the beach was a classic example - there were a few dogs leisurely playing but Eko had them whipped into a full blown romp in no time.

With a few play bows and few yips and one blatant ball theft, Eko rounded up the posse

Eko then takes off, but he always looks back to make sure the chase is on

Catch him if you can

The pack in hot pursuit

For about twenty straight minutes Eko kept the dogs running at full speed

At one point Eko was running so fast and his ears flapping so hard that I thought he might fly away.  In fact...

We have liftoff!  The world's first flying dog! (Ok, maybe I doctored this photo juuust a bit)

While I consider myself a friendly person, I know that when I am frequently asked "When do you usually come to the beach?" it's not because people are looking for my company.  People are looking to tire out their pup and they know that a play date with Eko is 100% guaranteed to deliver.  We all love our pets the most, but I would wager that Eko's services make him plenty of people's second favorite!

Just walked in the door from a whirlwind day.  Eko and Ceci are snoring in their respective beds and it is up to me to tell the tale of our trip - presuming I don't fall asleep at the computer first.

This morning I was amazed at how far Eko and Ceci had come along in less than twenty-four hours.  The novelty started to wear off for Eko and Ceci became increasingly inquisitive.  The two partners in crime are finding the right balance that works for them.

"See. Will?  I am being calm and gentle just like you asked"

Yesterday I showed Ceci one of my favorite places - the zoo. So today Eko got to play host and introduce Ceci to one of his favorite places in the city - Montrose Dog Beach.

Montrose Beach: Land of the free (roaming dogs) and home of the brave (Ceci!)

The nice part about Montrose Beach is that a section of the beach is reserved just for people.  That meant Ceci could watch Eko romp with his friends without worrying about getting caught up in the ruckus.  It was fun to see Ceci smile and watch her eyes track Eko's gallop.  I think we have the makings of a dog lover for sure!

When Ceci is old enough to build sand castles, Eko will make an excellent assistant

At the end of our trip Eko was so nonchalant about Ceci's presence that she had to give him a baby-kick to the head to get his attention! 

Eko took it in stride and blew Ceci some kisses before we hit the road

I think Eko will be ready to babysit in no time at all.  I also think The Adventures Of Eko And Ceci might be the name of a children's adventure series I should write!

We caught a break with the weather today so Eko and I decided to head over to the dog park.  However, as we approached I noticed a distinct lack of play barks or the usual sound of paws flying by.  Something was up.

Eko normally heads straight for the gate but today there was a lot to investigate outside the park fence

Over the ridge of the park came a rumbling sound that quickly caught Eko's attention.  Can you spot what it was?

"Will, I do believe that it the strangest dog I have ever seen."

I momentarily worried that puppy paradise was being paved for a parking lot, but a worker assured me that this was not the case.  In fact, quite the opposite - the park is under renovation.

About a third of the old park was fenced off for this agility course.  Unfortunately the agility course had fallen into disrepair.  The equipment was so close together that it was tough for more than one dog to use the area at a time

The work to expand the park is well underway

We didn't make it to the park today, but I don't think Eko will mourn the loss once he  has his first romp in the new digs!

Every morning Eko likes to run downstairs ahead of me to get the weather report.

When it's cold and raining, Eko is less than pleased

I'm not sure why, but Eko is convinced I am the one to blame for the rain.

I get no credit for beautiful and sunny days, but I get plenty of grumpy looks when Eko thinks I brought the rain to town

Eko loves frolicking in warm rain, but like everyone, he hates this freezing rain.  He begrudgingly gets up for walks and pulls me home as soon as possible.  Long walks, runs and the dog park are all out of the question, but that doesn't mean Eko's energy levels are any lower.  He doesn't want to go outside and he gets bored inside, so I have to make sure my war chest is stocked to keep him busy.

Stuffed animals, toys, treat dispensers and bones are Eko's four main food groups

Eko's wobbler already has some serious battle scars, but it has withstood all Eko's attempts to crack it so far.  On a rainy day the wobbler keeps Eko busy with breakfast 

A frozen treat bone can keep Eko busy for up to half an hour.  Combined with a bit of training at the beginning and Eko is well worn out

Hopefully these April showers will bring some (sooner than!) May flowers, but I guess we will just have to keep busy until then.  The forecast for the rest of the week is cold and rainy, so drop me a line if you have any suggestions on how you keep your pets occupied indoors.

Rachel, a good friend of mine, is moving to Chicago in a few months.  Her Vizsla, Riley, is one of Eko's oldest pals, so the two of them will no doubt spend this summer romping it up at the beach.  But before the fun can commence there is some important business to attend to - Rachel and Riley need to find a place to live.  As someone who recently had to find a pet-friendly apartment, I know first hand how difficult it can be to find a place that works for both you and your pet.  So for Rachel and for anyone else looking for tips in the future, here are a few important lessons I learned while apartment hunting with Eko.

1. Always sort your searches properly - I initially wasted time looking for apartments because I was sorting listings by price.  But price doesn't matter if they don't accept pets! Your search will be much more productive if you know all your results are pet-friendly.  Here are a few different resources I used in Chicago.  Most major areas have similar offerings.

2.  All pet-friendly listings are not created equal - There were a few apartments I really liked that were listed as pet-friendly.  Only later on in the process was I asked the dreaded question, "Oh, and your dog weighs under forty pounds, right?"

I told the realtors, "you can fit him in your purse" but they weren't buying it

In addition to weight limits, some buildings also restrict certain dog breeds.

How could they turn away this little lap dog?

"Pet-friendly" has a different meaning in every apartment complex, so always make sure you see a full copy of the pet policy before you invest any time visiting.  I could have saved myself a number of headaches in this regard.

3. What's best for your pet is best for you!  I looked at a few different apartments downtown but I quickly realized that a high rise wouldn't work well for Eko.  Eko needs at least one good off-leash romp every day to stay sane.  And if he doesn't stay sane, neither do I (Whether I am sane to begin with is a point of discussion for a later date).  I ended up finding an apartment within walking distance of multiple parks and, best of all, a dog beach.

A happy Eko = A happy Will

4. Don't forget to check Craigslist - My early efforts at finding and apartment were thwarted by some of the problems listed above.  That's because all the listings you find through realty sites tend to be similar.  It wasn't until I looked on Craigslist that I found my current apartment.  One of the benefits of Craigslist is that you can more easily find listings put up by individuals or smaller apartment complexes that don't show up in many indexes.

5. Don't be afraid to ask - You will never know if an apartment is pet-friendly or not unless you ask!  Many people who list their apartment on Craigslist don't think to specify whether pets are allowed.  My apartment wasn't listed as pet-friendly but thankfully I thought to follow up and ask.

Home sweet home!

It wasn't easy to find the right apartment, but it was well worth the effort.  Hopefully some of my tips will make things easier for Rachel and anyone else with a dog that is on the hunt for a pet-friendly place to live.  If you have any tips, lessons or suggestions be sure to add them in the comments!