Leaping Labdog

Nicki was astonishing today.  At a swoop, he jumped and scaled a seven foot cliff.

At Squalicum Park, behind the big hill there is a large mound of bulldozed dirt with grass and bushes growing on it.  It is about 12 feet high and, on its front side, a large bite has been taken out of the mound, leaving a seven foot sheer cliff with a five foot dirt incline at its base.

As the drizzle had cleared, i took Nicki to the park for some ball chasing.  On the big hill he met some other doggies and spent 15 minutes playing chase with them.  A late arrival was a small 10 month old border collie mix whom Nick, for some reason, took a shine to.  It's human accompaniment was not all that sociable, and the pair soon walked down the hill and off toward the back of the park.

Nicki resumed his ball chasing and then, from atop the hill, noticed the little border collie on the aforesaid mound.  He took off like a hare, down the hill and galloped over toward the mound where he ran up the dirt incline and then, without missing a beat, thrust himself up the cliff with his hind legs and pulled himself over the top with his front arms. 

I let out a hoooot of surprise and applause.

The border collie had by then followed its owner further away.  Nicki ran back up the hill and then back down again at the mound for a repeat performance.

He is getting very strong.