Gah!!

Learned more about myself and "poison in the well" when dogs were getting too aroused at the dog park today.  I didn't even want to go, but Jory smelled it as we drove towards a friend's place, and since I didn't know where we could explore nearby I thought "oh, what the heck."  No one got hurt, but I'm glad I left when I did.  Some idiot kicked a stranger's dog off of his smaller one.  1) Lucky his leg is in one piece 2) also that it didn't just escalate the growing fight.
I feel pretty dumb for being cautiously optimistic after the first everyone-bark-at-one-dog event was broken up, but this fool just waddled out of his chair, kicked, and turned around like he was turning a light switch.
The high-energy wrestling and tension got to Jory as well.  We were there less than an hour, but he's been sleeping all night like I took him on a long hike.
On the bright side, I found out that a good playmate for Jory will be at the park around noon on Thursdays.  Not in the park: chasing tennis balls in the river.

I don't want to go back there, between bad pack energy, rude dogs biting at Jory's cheeks, and finding out about some horrible STD he can pick up that will shrivel his balls and cause any infected ladies to abort their litters/have them prematurely.  Tennis ball girl is cool, but not the rest.  Furthermore, I'm sick of saying "Picardi Shepherd."

no.

"PI-cardi."

(Your not-my-dog, that is.  ...I just wanted the orange caption.)

I guess I need to bite the gas bill +extra time bullet and drive into the canyon for some quality off-leash exercise.  I guess that compared to the DP it's not much more driving OR non-productive.  At least I will get exercise too.  It's the doggie-socializing that I'm really in a bind about.  My dog-owning contacts are all... very busy &/or flaky.  However, I'd rather he not play with dogs at all than to pick up bullying a**hole behavior.

I decided that Jory can grow into his joints and bones without undue strain for another 6 weeks AKA before starting any agility.  It's the hurdles!  Save myself $60 in the mean-time.  I'm excited to meet the tracking/shutzhund bro tomorrow, though.

Think I really lost my phone this time.  Must re-activated the smartphone.  :(  blegh, the moneys.

PS Jory's gate has really enhanced.  It was already good, but now he's like adorable-yet-majestic art.

PPS  The park made ALL OF HIS FUR so nasty!!!  3*(  whyyyy?!  it's crusty & a little gritty, and we just had him feeling like a glorious pillow!  I resist bathing him immediately for the sake of his skin.