We went for a walk in the park....you'll never guess what happened next!

Went for the clickbait title! I wasn't actually sure how I might cleverly title my relation of these events. I debated whether I'd write about this at all, actually, but here we are. In a way it's embarrassing, and it's certainly a cautionary tale. You see, about two weeks ago I sprained my ankle while walking Elka.

This lovely picture? I took it about half an hour before the Fateful Moment. (Though it really is my new "good" picture of her; it's the shot I wanted, and I actually got it for once.)

A Dog Named Leaf Giveaway Winner!

As always, entrants names were written by moi, and selected at random by Elkacopter.

The moment of choice:

And the winner is:

Congratulations! I ask that you email me your address by contacting me at TheElkaAlmanac AT gmail DOT com.

Playing a game? Don't you need these?

This is a fun story to share, but a difficult one not to overexplain.

We're gamers in my house, of varying sorts. Video and computer games, but also tabletop role playing games. When you're playing tabletop games, you need various different books, and also dice. The dice are very important.

Taste of the Wild Giveaway Winner!

Wow, guys, we had 38 entries for the Taste of the Wild giveaway! That's very exciting.

What's less exciting is my pictures of the winner selection. Elka, you see, was focusing very hard on this freaked out looking squeaky chicken that I got her from Wal-Mart. I figured, "Okay, she can do that while I write down all of these names, then I'll throw the names on the floor, per usual, and she'll pick one up and go back to chicken squeaking."

Buddy book giveaway winner!

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to see who the winner is of Buddy (How a Rooster Made me a Family Man), by Brian McGrory. Well, wait no longer!

A Dog Named Boo: Winners!

The moment you've all been waiting for: the winners to the A Dog Named Boo giveaway!

As has been long-standing Elka Almanac tradition, I wrote the names of the entrants on pieces of paper and threw them on the floor. Then I looked at Elka and said "Pick it up!"

She looked down (notice Gumby? He has to help, evidently)

There was a lot of consideration here. But she picked one! I told her how awesome she was, and looked down again and said "Pick it up!"

Unlike the last time, Elka had no problem with me asking her for the same cue twice, and our winners were selected.

Drumroll.....

Dog Tag Art Giveaway: Winners announced!

Thank you very much, those of you who entered in the Dog Tag Art Giveaway! I always think that free stuff is exciting (that might be genetic) and am doubly excited when I'm the one who can provide it, or help facilitate, anyway.

Per usual, Miss Elka V is the one who presided over the selection ceremony.

Birthday BBQ at the park

Sunday was pretty busy! I already posted about the walk that Elka and I took (or one aspect of said walk, anyway). I didn't tell the story of the whole day, though.

See, after we got back from our walk, we cooled down for a bit, and had some water. Then we got in the car and (wait for it) went back to the park! It was our friend's birthday, and we were invited.

Command Clinic: Drop it

I've put off this particular command clinic because, thinking back, I couldn't actually remember how I taught Elka "drop it". It's a cue that she certainly knows, and obeys, as I mentioned in this post, when she dropped the remains of a turkey sandwich she'd found in the park. If I was already eating a turkey sandwich and told to spit it out, I don't know that I would. So, good Elka, really!

So, "drop it" is important. It can keep your socks hole-free, keep a game of tug civil and controlled, protect your fingers while playing fetch, and keep your dog from consuming hazardous things like rocks and bottle caps and the like.