Right at the base of Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea (very appropriately), you'll find Carmel Beach.  It appears to be locally renowned for good surf and excellent dog-walking conditions, and is also a venue for other community events.  Since we've arrived in Carmel, we've been totally consumed with unpacking - so we decided to take a break and walk the girls down to their new beach to gauge their reactions.  Now let me just remind you that Luna and Penny are ‘city’ dogs, have grown up in suburban neighborhoods, and have never really been exposed to the beach before. Now based on this, our first real experience with them at the beach (Luna's 'dog beach' experience in Washington doesn't really count), I have to say that I am jealous of my fellow dog blogging friends who can go to the beach and trust their dogs off leash without any fear of embarrassment.  Remember the beach scene from \"Marley and Me\" where Marley is running free as a bird with the wind blowing in his ears, while Owen and Jennifer are chasing after him? Yes, that’s a scene we didn’t want to recreate in public, so… we decided to keep Luna harnessed-up, and vowed to practice more off leash training with her.  It’s not that we don’t trust her, it’s just her that her excitement tends to override any good judgment, just like many other Goldens I know. 

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