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Favorite Cricket Memories

14 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by SaraS in Dogs, Outdoors

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

camping, hiking, pets

We had to say goodbye to Cricket on October 8. Ever since then, some of my favorite memories of that little dog have been percolating through my mind and I found I just had to write them down.

Back when I started this blog, I remember trying to define what it was supposed to be about, and why I wanted a blog in the first place. Why not just keep friends and family updated on my life with Facebook, after all? And I know, I know, I hardly ever post here (I have great intentions…alas). But as I put it then, sometimes a Facebook status is just not enough. This is one of those times.

Roughly in order of oldest to newest, but no guarantees. Memory can be a fragile thing.


Her Name was Not Babette

The humane society where we adopted her had named her “Babette”, which was a terrible name and did not fit at all. She had only been there a few days and didn’t know that name. I had thought of the name “Cricket” as a dog name years before and had never had the opportunity to use it.

The name fit her perfectly. It was a sign that this was meant to be.

Water is Wet, Who Knew?

Fox river trail in Illinois. Not sure when — maybe soon after we adopted her in 2002? Out on a walk with just me, Cricket, and Bailey. Bailey distracted me for a moment and her leash slipped out of my hand. She ran — full throttle — down the river bank, chasing away an entire flock of ducks and Canadian geese. The birds squawked as they rushed into the water. Cricket didn’t know about rivers and water. She dashed right in with them and was shocked when she got wet. I caught up with her as she was emerging out of the water, shaking herself off and looking both extremely proud that she had taken care of those pesky geese, and a bit surprised to discover that water is wet.

I took her back to the same spot the next week. This time, she stopped right at the river’s edge. I guess she remembered the lesson of the previous week.

“I’m Sorry, Cricket”

I still lived in Illinois and my very young nieces were visiting at my parents’ house. I think the youngest, Caity, was a toddler, maybe two or three? Cricket raced back and forth in my parents’ living room. This apparently frightened Caity — I remember her saying “she’s too fast!” As she raced by, Caity reached out and just barely touched her tail. My sister (her mom) immediately told her that “you don’t pull dogs’ tails!” and insisted that she apologize to Cricket. And she did. I had to hold Cricket still for a moment so that Caity could say, “I’m sorry Cricket.”

I’m not sure that Cricket really cared but I found it hilarious.

I can’t remember if it was the same visit or not, but at one such visit, she curled up in the girls’ doll bed.

Cricket made herself comfortable on the doll bed

Cricket made herself comfortable on the doll bed

Little Dogs CAN Hike!

Sometime in 2006, not long after moving to Montana, I hiked with Cricket up Crazy Canyon all the way to the top. Near the top, people heading back down with their big dogs saw her and expressed such surprise that a little dog could hike up the mountain. Their surprise amused and puzzled me. She was young then, she had perfectly good legs, of course she could do the hike! It never occurred to me that this was unusual.

The next day we were both a bit sore and stiff, since we were not really used to that kind of a hike.

Yes, a little dog hiked all the way up here!

Yes, a little dog hiked all the way up here!

…But that Meadow is Like a Jungle for a Little

In 2010, at the end of a camping trip in the Sapphire mountains, we went on a long, somewhat spontaneous hike. We crossed a beautiful meadow full of tall grass. Cricket began stalking some tiny butterflies fluttering among the grasses.

I also remember on that hike — the grass was taller than she was, and wet with morning dew. The ground through the meadow was soft and marshy. All the big dogs (and people) could stride through the grass unhindered and just get our ankles wet. Cricket had to plow right through it. She hopped along, popping her head above the sea of grass to see. She eventually wore herself out since she had to work ten-times (maybe more) harder than everyone else. Renee finally gave her a ride on the top of her backpack.

Hunting butterflies

Hunting butterflies

Finally needed a little ride

Finally needed a little ride

The Little Dog on Big Dog Duty

In 2011, Renee and I went backpacking in the Pintlers with all the dogs (Abby, Sirus, Myka, Darwin, and Cricket). We saw horse trailers at the trailhead, so we leashed the big dogs as a precaution, as they would bark at horses, which can be dangerous for all involved. So Cricket was the only off-leash dog.

She quickly realized this and she took over all the “big dog duties” as we hiked in. She scouted up ahead on the trail, she ran in the direction of squirrels and chipmunks, she scampered up big boulders along the edge of the trail for a better view. By the time we got to our campsite (I think it was around 9 or 10 miles in), she was completely exhausted. But so proud of herself!

Doing big dog duty on the backpack to Oreamnos Lake

Doing big dog duty on the backpack to Oreamnos Lake

She loved climbing boulders!

She loved climbing boulders!

She was still exhausted the next day!

She was still exhausted the next day!

Sun Worshipper

She loved the sun. She loved it a little too much — her nose used to get sunburned in the summer. At our house in Missoula, she loved the big patio that got too hot in the summer. We had to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t overheat!

She was really good at finding good spots to lay out there as well. She got into the planting boxes (at times when we didn’t have plants in them yet). We used to have a small pot with a wooly thyme plant that she loved to curl up on. Fortunately, wooly thyme is a ground cover that can handle people walking on it, so she didn’t hurt the plant at all. Alas, I can’t find any pictures of that. We left that plant behind when we moved to Washington, so Cricket lost that particular seat.

Sunbathing on the patio with Darwin

Sunbathing on the patio with Darwin

That's sort of an odd herb in our herb box...

That’s sort of an odd herb in our herb box…

Your nose is burning! Get out of the sun, you silly dog!

Your nose is burning! Get out of the sun, you silly dog!

Water May be Wet, but that Isn’t so Bad!

Even though Cricket didn’t much like the water (see the “Water is Wet” story above!), Renee started working with getting her to do better crossing creeks and even occasionally swimming. She got much better — she started crossing on her own, although she had great balance and was always on the lookout for a nice, dry log.

I remember on a camping trip in the Skalkaho area, all the big dogs leapt across the creek while running around. Cricket was running with them, and she didn’t even hesitate — just plunged right in and swam to the other side! Then she realized she couldn’t easily climb out on the other side, so she had to swim back to get out.

Wading in a creek on a camping trip

Wading in a creek on a camping trip

Expert Backpack Rider

As Cricket got older, she couldn’t always walk or hike as long as everyone else, so she learned to ride in a backpack. For a long time, we only needed this on longer hikes, or walks in cold weather. Her feet used to get cold and she hated wearing those little doggie booties (she was really good at getting them off!)

She relaxed easily in the backpack. sometimes looking like she might even fall asleep.

Totally comfortable in backpacks. This was a Montana hike several years ago

Totally comfortable in backpacks. This was a Montana hike several years ago

Just last April on a neighborhood walk.

Just last April on a neighborhood walk.

Completely comfortable

Completely comfortable

This Old Dog is Not Ready to be Old

Eventually we had to bring the backpack even on short neighborhood walks. We would go her pace for a bit, letting her stretch her legs and sniff, then pack her up so that the rest of the family could walk a little quicker and get some exercise

On a Saturday in late September, just a couple weeks before she died, we took all the big dogs on bike rides to let them run, then we took Cricket on a walk by herself, for some one-on-one time. We didn’t bring the backpack since we could go her pace and just as far as she could go.

She came out of the house spunky and full of energy and wanted to run. I momentarily dropped her leash and she took off, so I ran alongside her all the way down our street. And she ran! Not as fast as when she was young, but she ran.

It was a brief walk since she burned her energy right at the start, but so worth it for her to be like a young dog again, even if only for a few minutes.

We had no idea we’d being saying good-bye to Cricket so soon after this moment. I’m grateful that the day worked out the way it did, giving her (and us) this brief moment of exuberance.

Learning to Snowboard

12 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by SaraS in Outdoors

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

learning, Snow, snowboarding, Winter

One of the things I mentioned in my Good Things in 2013 post was learning to snowboard. This was really a terrific experience.

It all came about as a somewhat impulsive idea when Renee and I were shopping for a new winter jacket at the Bob Wards outlet store. And it seemed a little outlandish at first. After all, I was nearly 42 years old, and I had never learned how to downhill ski. And my cross-country skiing abilities were…well, not that good. I can mostly stay upright, but my stopping and turning skills are pretty poor. For cross-country skiing, I tend to be most successful on flat, straight stretches.

I can snowshoe pretty well, but that is pretty much just…walking through snow.

So learning to snowboard sounded impossible. Especially at 42.

But…on the other hand, I had lived in Montana for seven years at the time, and it just sort of seemed wrong to live within a short drive to multiple ski resorts and yet never once go to one of them.

So we went on a mini shopping spree and picked up some basic equipment. Snowboard, boots, bindings, warm snowboard pants, and goggles. As an aside, finding goggles that work well over glasses is a bit of a pain.

The Bunny Hill, Lessons, and an Evil Rope Tow

We drove down to Lost Trail Powder Mountain for my first lesson on December 20, 2012. The plan was to do their “1 2 3” program. You get three 1-hour lessons with a lift ticket for each of those days. After completing the three lessons (on any days in the season), you get a punch card for an additional 3 lift tickets for practicing.

It is really a great deal.

I remember being extremely nervous on the 2-hour drive to Lost Trail, and looking back, I’m not entirely sure why. It just felt like I was going into completely unknown territory.

Once we arrived, it didn’t take long to sign up for lessons (Renee was doing a similar program for people with some snowboarding experience – called “4 5 6”). I remember worrying that I might end up in a lesson with a bunch of athletic little kids, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my lesson would just be the instructor and myself.

Even though the instructor was probably in his 20s, he didn’t seem to think there was anything odd about me wanting to learn to snowboard.

I spent the first day on the bunny hill learning how to move around with the board strapped to only one foot. We progressed to learning how to stop and do basic turns; I ended nearly every attempt on my butt in the snow.

The good thing about just learning is that you go so slow that the falls don’t really hurt that much. That comes later, once you pick up a little speed.

I think the most memorable part of the first day was discovering that the rope tow is evil. It looked easy. I watched other skiers and boarders just grab on and glide smoothly to the top. Every time I grabbed on, I’d slide up a few feet before losing my balance and falling. I got good at scooting out of the way of the next person in line. I also burned quite a few calories hiking up the hill just to get to the top.

The rope tow at Lost Trail
The rope tow at Lost Trail

Overall, the first day was really not bad — although I had sore muscles the next day, and I had a hard time believing that I would ever make it off the bunny hill.

We went back two more times in late December for the next two lessons, and I slowly progressed, even with the evil rope tow.

Strapped into my board
Strapped into my board

My last lesson in the “1 2 3” program was on December 27. After the lesson, I recorded my bunny hill practice runs with my phone’s GPS; here they are shown on a satellite view. The little red marks are all the places I stopped.

Practicing on the bunny hill after my last lesson
Practicing on the bunny hill after my last lesson

Real Runs!

On New Years Day, 2013, we decided to go to try Discovery Mountain for a change. I started out on the bunny hill and the “easy chair,” which is a slower chair lift great for learning. No rope tow! Although I still fell every time I got off the chair. Again, I got good at scooting out of the way before the next skier or boarder dismounted the lift.

After lunch, Renee convinced me to try a real run — and a real chair lift. We took the chair up to Gold Bug, an “easy” green run.

Renee at the top of Gold Bug, my first real run
Renee at the top of Gold Bug, my first real run

It took me about an hour to make it down the run. It went sort of like this:

Ride a short distance. Fall in the deep snow off to the side. Thrash around for 10 minutes trying to get up. Finally get up, ride a few more feet and then fall again and start over. Repeat for an hour.

According to my phone’s GPS, it was about 20 minutes of actually moving down the hill, and 40 minutes thrashing or sitting in the snow. Not particularly encouraging. But it was also my first time off a bunny hill, and just a few weeks earlier, I was convinced I’d never get off the bunny hill and onto a real run. Progress!

GPS track of my first Gold Bug run…lots of stops again
GPS track of my first Gold Bug run…lots of stops again

About two weeks later, we went back to Discovery for my birthday weekend. This time, Gold Bug took almost no time at all!

Look at that! Hardly any stops this time!
Look at that! Hardly any stops this time!

Real progress!

We continued with several more trips that winter, both to Lost Trail and Discovery. I did a second round of three lessons (the “4 5 6” program) as well, just to have more professional advice and suggestions. I continued to dislike the rope tow, particularly the second tow at Lost Trail where I had to be oriented with my back to the rope. More hikes up the hill.

I continued to fight with dismounting the chair lift. By the very last day we went (in March), I managed to slide off the chair and down the ramp without crash landing. Progress! And I made it down a few “easy blue” runs at both Lost Trail and Discovery.

So Why Did I Do This Again?

Back before my very first lesson, when we were shopping around and buying gear, I remember the advice I got from just about every sports store sales guy once we mentioned that I was going to learn to snowboard. “Be sure to go at least three days before you give up. You’ll hate it the first day, you have to keep trying before you give up.”

I found this to be mostly true, although I didn’t hate it during my first day. Not until the next morning, when I woke up with sore muscles and my mind attempting to analyze just why this seemed so frustrating.

Then I figured it out. I was teaching my body an entirely alien physical skill. I tried to remember the last time I learned a new, purely physical skill. I couldn’t remember. Maybe when I learned to ride a bike? That was so long ago I had no clear memories of how hard it was. In my memory, I’ve just always known how to ride bike, just like those lucky toddlers out on the bunny hill who will never remember a time they couldn’t ski.

Once I realized that, the frustration faded a bit. It came back, frequently, especially on my first attempt with Gold Bug on New Year’s Day, but my best defense against the frustration was to remember that I was learning a new physical skill and it would just take time. And practice.

One thing I didn’t expect when I started this snowboarding journey was the amazing views of the mountains and forest from the ski mountains. When I thought about learning to snowboard, I thought about the technical difficulty of locking my feet to a board and teaching my body to guide it down the mountain while staying balanced and upright. Getting the chance to admire beautiful vistas of trees and snow and mountains didn’t even cross my mind. But even the view from the lowly bunny hill was gorgeous and inspiring.

Interestingly, this weekend I saw this article in the Missoulian making the exact point that everyone should ski at least once, just for the amazing views.

From a lift at Discovery
From a lift at Discovery
On our very last day, March 17, 2013, at Lost Trail
On our very last day, March 17, 2013, at Lost Trail

During some of our runs, Renee took some video of me with her phone and made this little video. This was mostly from the first few times we went in December and early January; hopefully by the end of the season I looked a little less stiff!

If the embedded video doesn’t work, click here

Now What?

This year, we had big plans for the 2013/2014 snowboarding season. Back in November, we had Christmas early and bought Go Pro cameras we could mount to our helmets to record our runs. We each had to have our own camera so we could record each other.

Life intervened with these plans when Renee became sick in early December and was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. She had surgery to remove it on December 20, 2013 (exactly one year after my first snowboarding lesson!) and obviously won’t be careening down the ski hill until her skull and brain are fully healed. I’m hoping that the snow will still be around in late February and early March and she’ll be up for some late-season snowboarding. But if not, there’s always next winter!

Good Things in 2013

05 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by SaraS in Dogs, Outdoors, Trips

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

camping, Chile Peppers, Gardening, hiking, rivers, snowboarding

So I already mentioned a couple reasons why I won’t miss 2013. The start and the end of the year were tough, to say the least.

But, to be fair to 2013, it wasn’t all bad. We had some good times in the last year…some really fun events and trips. I flipped through all the pages of my journal over the last few days just to remind myself of this…

Winter

Last winter was the year I learned how to snowboard! I remember feeling a bit ridiculous as I signed up for lessons at Lost Trail Powder Mountain. Who learns how to snowboard for the first time when 42 years old? Especially when you never even learned how to downhill ski, either?

I remember seeing little tiny toddlers scooting about on their adorably tiny skis and feeling somewhat jealous. Their parents had the right idea! Those kids probably wouldn’t even remember the painful falls (not to mention that they didn’t have nearly as far to fall!)

One of my first runs when I was off the bunny hill

One of my first runs when I was off the bunny hill

Spring

Renee spent much of the springtime helping Carolyn and Ally get their Potomac house ready to sell. I came out there a few times on the weekends to help as well. I think the day I remember the most was when Ally and I ripped out old, icky carpeting.

This all paid off in the fall when the house sold, and Carolyn and Ally treated us to a terrific weekend in Big Fork as a thank-you for the help!

Cricket and Tango hanging out at the Poto house while we did renovations…

Cricket and Tango hanging out at the Poto house while we did renovations…

Later in the spring, we took a trip back to my hometown, Batavia, Illinois. Renee got to meet my sister and see where I grew up. It was the longest trip we have ever taken in our trailer. It was also the first time we ever did the real “RV” thing, staying in RV parks with hookups rather than dry camping. I have to say, I can see the appeal of traveling this way instead of staying in motels!

Batavia windmill, down by the Fox River…

Batavia windmill, down by the Fox River…

Of course, we also did quite a bit of planting and garden prep in the springtime…which led to our best vegetable garden ever!

One of our pepper plant seedings in March

One of our pepper plant seedings in March

Summer

The summer was very busy and just flew by in a blink. Some highlights…

In June, we went white-water rafting on the Lochsa river in Idaho.

On the Lochsa!

On the Lochsa!

We also spent an afternoon at the shooting range, where I got to fire a few different guns and discover just how bad my aim was…although I did manage to hit a few! The holes marked with “S” were mine.

The holes marked with "S" were mine!

The holes marked with “S” were mine!

In July we took a terrific trip to Glacier National Park. I think this status I posted on my Facebook sums it up:

It was a fabulous trip. 12 days, nearly 70 miles of hiking, 11,000 feet of elevation gain, about 10 or so bear sightings, a few ptarmigans, some deer, three moose, a couple marmots, and too many waterfalls, mountain sheep, and mountain goats to count

As part of that trip, we trekked the long uphill to Ptarmigan Tunnel, which was incredible. Who came up with the idea of blasting a tunnel right through a high cliff face?

Carolyn at the tunnel!

Carolyn at the tunnel!

Otokomi Lake

Otokomi Lake

The people who rented my house on the other side of town decided to relocate to Portland, which caused me a few day panic. Much to my surprise, just a simple “For Rent” sign brought in the calls and we had new renters so quickly that we really only had time for a few quick repairs and touch-ups. This was a pleasant surprise, as I expected it to take much more time.

Finally, the summer ended with Renee’s 50th birthday celebration. We camped for the weekend up at Tally Lake near Whitefish. The camping trip was great, Tally Lake is a really nice lake (it actually made us want a boat), but the highlight of the weekend was zip lining at Whitefish Moutnain.

Renee and I zipping through the trees

Renee and I zipping through the trees

Did I mention our gardening success this year? We harvested about 17 pounds of peppers (anaheim, ancho, and bell peppers) and 19 pounds of tomatoes. Our freezer is still packed with roasted peppers, just waiting to be used on our favorite pepperoni, green chili, and mushroom pizza.

One of our pepper harvests weighing in at about 3 pounds

One of our pepper harvests weighing in at about 3 pounds

Fall

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. It came quick in 2013 since the summer flew by so fast.

In late August / early September, we decided to trade in our 22-foot Jayco trailer for a new Lance truck camper. It was an adjustment to lose storage space, but we are hoping we can now be more mobile on our camping trips and get into more remote areas than we could with the trailer. The Lance may be smaller, but it is a definite upgrade in quality.

We only had time for a few short weekend trips with the new camper, but we’re looking forward to some longer trips in 2014.

The new Lance camper!

The new Lance camper!

Later, in September, we decided it was time for a second vehicle. We bought a 2011 Nissan Juke. We want to use the smaller car for most of our around-town driving and even for driving to the ski resorts in the winter to save on gas. So far, the all wheel drive has performed great on the snowy and icy roads.

The new Nissan Juke!

The new Nissan Juke!

Later, in November, Carolyn and Ally took us, Martha, and Nancy on a trip to Big Fork as a thank-you for our help with the Potomac house. We had a great weekend exploring little shops and staying at the Mountain Lake Lodge.

So, I guess I have to admit that 2013 wasn’t all bad. I’m still hoping that 2014 will be better, though!

First Real Hike!

17 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by SaraS in Outdoors

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

hiking, video

Saturday was a beautiful spring day. It was also the first weekend since I got the “all clear” from my foot surgeon. My foot is still not fully back to normal, but I did get the okay to start hiking and going on longer walks.
map of our hike

So we went on a hike in Blodgett Canyon with Toony and DeAndria. We left the dogs at home for this one because we were concerned about traps and we didn’t want to deal with five leashes. We’ll probably bring them next time, but it was nice to hike without having to worry about the dogs.

The hike ended up being a little over 4.5 miles, so it was definitely the longest since my surgery.

new-backpack.jpg

My new backpack the day it arrived in the mail

It was also a good opportunity to test-drive my new, lightweight hiking boots and my new pack. So far the new gear is working out. The pack felt great. The boots felt pretty good too.

It felt great to be out on a hike again. The last significant outdoor thing I’ve done was when we went cross-country skiing the last weekend before my surgery, back in early January. I’ve been going on short walks for a while now (probably longer than I was supposed to) but there is a huge difference between just walking around town and hiking on a trail.

Wow, my foot actually can bend now!

Wow, my foot actually can bend now!

Blodgett Canyon is not a difficult trail. It has a little uphill at the start, then just follows right along the creek. There were a few fallen trees to climb over and a few rocky patches, but for the most part it was a great choice to get back to hiking.

recording video

Renee caught me recording a little video

tall cliffs and blue sky

I love the cliffs up against the blue sky!

blue sky and the creek

I didn’t take a lot of video or pictures during this hike…it was nice to just be out in the woods and relax. But here is a very short video with some of the highlights. I especially liked getting some shots of the rushing creek and a cool waterfall on the cliffs across the creek from the trail.

 

It was a great day out in the woods. My feet were sore when we made it back to the car, but it felt more like general soreness from being out of shape, not pain from the surgery.

After this hike, I am relatively optimistic that I will be able to hike during our Utah trip in a few weeks.
on the trail

Darwin’s Interesting Day

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by SaraS in Dogs, Outdoors

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

labrador retriever

Darwin waiting for more fetch

This is Darwin. He is our “special needs” dog. He is usually a good dog at home, but he has issues with other dogs (other than the poodles and Cricket) and with people he doesn’t know very well. In these situations, he gets very barky and anxious. Since he is a medium sized black dog, he can often look a little threatening when he does this.

We’ve done a lot of work with him on this — including working with a professional dog trainer — but most of the training is really more about how to manage him rather than necessarily curing his issues. He has shown some improvement and has been a little easier to manage, but he still has his issues.

Today, he had a few experiences that were very new to him…and he actually did quite well.

So, this morning was hectic and chaotic. Renee had an early appointment and had to rush out the door. I went into my home office and started work, completely forgetting that today was an Alpine Canine day. They come and pick up the dogs in a cute little bus and take them on a three-hour hike. This has been especially great since my foot surgery since that has made it much harder for us to hike the dogs ourselves.

Alpine Canine Bus

The orange Alpine Canine bus

Normally on Alpine Canine days I put Darwin in his kennel ahead of time so that he is out of the way when they pick up the other dogs. I also lately have been working in the living room for an hour or so in the morning, so I see the bus pull up.

But in the chaos of this morning, I completely forgot all of this. Until about 9:15 or so when all the dogs started barking wildly. I “ran” to the living room (more like a fast hobble) and was surprised to see the Alpine Canine bus parked in the driveway. The hiker picking them up, Jeremy, was already at the door.

The first thing that came to my mind was not the fact that Darwin was running around free, but rather getting collars on the poodles. I grabbed the collars and opened the door so that I could start sending out the dogs as I put on their collars.

Then Darwin started barking, alarmed to see a stranger standing at the door.

The next thing I knew, he dashed out the door and started running towards the bus. I’m not sure if it was because he wanted to go hiking too, or he heard the other dogs on the bus barking, or maybe he just wanted to know why there was a strange vehicle in the driveway.

Jeremy, the Alpine Canine hiker, rushed right after Darwin and somehow — I’m still not sure how — got him to stop running around the yard. Then he scooped up the dog and carried him back to the house. I wish I had a camera in that moment for the look on Darwin’s face as he realized that a complete stranger had not only touched him, but picked him up and carried him.

Once Darwin was safely back in the house, we finished getting collars on the poodles and they went off on their hike. Darwin seemed a little bummed to see the bus driving away. I still couldn’t believe that Jeremy had been able to wrangle him and carry him so quickly.

Later in the day, while the poodles were still on their hike, we took Darwin and Cricket on a short walk to a nearby school so that he could play fetch and get a little exercise. I still can’t go on long walks all the way to the river, but this at least gives him time to run around a bit. And he loves fetch.

Darwin and Renee in the park

Darwin and Renee in the park

When we finished with the fetch, we let him carry his tennis ball as we walked home. It sometimes seems to help; it is sort of a “binky.” Plus if he does decide to bark, at least it will be a little muffled.

We passed an elderly woman who noticed him carrying his tennis ball. She stopped and approached us to comment on this and say hello to Darwin. And for the second time in the day, he surprised me. He didn’t get upset and start barking when she walked up to us. He actually stood there wagging his tail and looking friendly.

He only got a little concerned when she held out her hand. He backed up and barked (muffled by the tennis ball), but he settled back down as soon as she backed off. We chatted for a few more minutes and then continued on our walk home.

He’s still a special needs dog, but it was encouraging to see him do well with a few new experiences.

Thinking About Summer

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by SaraS in Outdoors, Photo of the Day, Photography

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

backpacking, camping, hiking, sky, summer

So here it is still winter (complete with new snow yesterday and this morning) and I’m still hobbling around the house waiting for my foot to heal. But I find myself thinking about summer…and camping, hiking, and backpacking.

So I had to look through some of my pictures from our backpack trip to Oreamnos Lake last September. I love this one – the sky is so blue. And the dogs are all looking down the rock as if to say, “are you crazy? We’re not going down that way!”

Up on a rock looking down

Trapping Rant Part 2

19 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by SaraS in Dogs, News, Outdoors, Rants

≈ 1 Comment

I just realized I never followed up on my previous post regarding KPAX’s special report on trapping.

I think this page is the summary of part two. They did at least acknowledge concerns about pets getting trapped, but it was very brief. Overall, I wasn’t especially impressed with their “special report” on this issue.

But in related news, this Saturday the Humane Society here in Missoula is hosting a workshop on releasing your pets from traps. The workshop will be put on by Footloose Montana, a non-profit organization fighting against trapping on public land. They were (briefly) mentioned in the KPAX piece.

Renee and I are definitely planning on going to this…hopefully this will help us keep all our dogs a little safer when out in the woods.

Trap Workshop Poster

Trapping Rant

07 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by SaraS in Dogs, News, Outdoors, Rants

≈ 1 Comment

Last night, our local CBS channel (KPAX) had a “special report” about trapping on public land on the ten o’clock news. It turned out to be just “part one;” the second part should air tonight. Part one made me extremely cranky, especially right before bed.

Here’s the story. The text on this page is most of what they covered in the story:

Trapping Remains Hot Topic – Part 1

They spent most of the time talking to trappers and people who support trapping as a “traditional way of life.” They alluded to people who oppose trapping, but sort of implied that the opposition is mostly concerned with the animals that are being harvested via trapping. They didn’t mention at all that much of the opposition is about safety of the people and pets that are also out in the public lands.

For example, the trapper they talked to said he didn’t see that this was any different from hunting or from hooking a fish. And, from the perspective of cruelty to wild animals, that’s mostly true – the animal ends up dead either way. I would point out that at least the hunter or the fisherman normally kills the animal cleanly, not leaving it to perhaps suffer for hours or days. But set aside that issue for a moment. 

My big issue is that I don’t want to see one of my dogs get caught in a trap. I’ve heard too many horror stories. The trapper they interviewed sounded relatively responsible, but not all people doing this are going to do things the right way. Some will set their traps right near trailheads, for example. What a lazy way to “hunt!”

Then there was this quote from a Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks spokesman:

We certainly respect the opinions of those people that are opposed, there are differing opinions on hunting, fishing, trapping – you name it. That’s personal opinion and some of it’s the result of information they’ve heard that maybe correct, or incomplete or inaccurate information. It’s a value thing and people have different opinions which they’re entitled to,” he added.

Nothing in there even hints at the fact that people might be opposed for safety reasons, not because of “differing opinions on hunting.” And I totally don’t get the “value” thing. Yes, I value my dogs being alive and safe and unhurt. Is that what he means by “value thing?”

And again the trapper they interviewed:

It’s the perception that we’re these people that are beating animals over the head with a club – and that’s not true,” Kempthorne told us.

No, actually, I didn’t have that perception. I had the “perception” that you left dangerous traps (perhaps even baited with food) in areas where pets out for a hike in the woods might stumble over them and be hurt or killed. And nothing in the interview or overall report did anything to erase that perception of trapping.

Anyway, I suppose I will tune in to the news again tonight for part two, and see if the “special report” gives a fair hearing to the other side, and clarifies the reasons people oppose trapping. But so far, I was not very impressed.

Image

Photo of the Day: Clark fork late morning

02 Wednesday Nov 2011

Tags

rivers

Clark fork late morning by SaraS
Clark fork late morning, a photo by SaraS on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Clark Fork during a brisk lunchtime dog walk with Darwin and Myka today.

Posted by SaraS | Filed under Outdoors, Photo of the Day, Photography

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A Summer of Biking with Dogs / The WalkyDog

12 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by SaraS in Dogs, Outdoors

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bicycling, bicycling with dogs, labrador retriever, Poodles

Last spring, not long after we bought new mountain bikes, we started taking the dogs on bike rides for exercise. The four big dogs need a lot of exercise. Bicycling with them is a great way to give them really good exercise in a short amount of time.

But biking with dogs isn’t always all that easy. We would take them one at a time—I just rode along while Renee would take the dog on a long leash. I didn’t have the nerve to ride one-handed like that.

So I started looking into other options so that I could take a dog too. We decided to try the WalkyDog. This device has a bracket you attach to the seatpost of the bike. The leash itself is a metal bar with springs inside for shock absorption. It has a quick release so it is easy to attach and detach from the bracket.

Once all set up, you can ride along like normal (while paying extra attention to the dog of course) and the dog can run alongside the bike. He can’t get ahead or behind the tires, although he can get pretty close.

The WalkyDog the day UPS delivered it

First Attempts to Use the WalkyDog (Back in April)

When the WalkyDog arrived, we of course had to get the dogs used to the idea. I was pretty confident that this wouldn’t be a problem since they had all gone on bike rides before. The web site where we ordered it recommended starting slow, hooking up the dog and walking before riding, and so on. Pretty logical stuff.

Abby and Myka

It turned out I was a bit wrong about this. I tried Abby first. As soon as we got near enough to the bike for me to attach the leash, she started backing away. She refused to get close enough for me to connect her to the bike.

So next I tried with Myka. She also freaked out at first, and managed to wriggle completely out of her harness when I connected her to the bike! At this point, Renee came outside to help out. We spent some more time coaxing her to accept the idea. We managed to get her to go on a very short ride, first with Renee and then with me.

My theory on why they freaked out is that they weren’t used to my bike (it is larger than Renee’s) and they weren’t used to the idea of riding with me, since Renee usually took them on her bike.

The Scared-y-Cat Surprises Us All 

So after the rather unenthusiastic response from the first two poodles, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from Darwin. He is, really, a scared-y-cat of a dog. Loud noises and strange things scare him easily. Clang a metal dog food bowl against the floor and he scrambles under the bed.

Darwin waiting for us to start riding again.

So with some concern I put the harness on him, took him outside and brought him up next to the bike. To my surprise, he stayed calm. Connected him to the bike and he just looked around as though saying “well? Are we going now?” Walked the bike around the yard once — barely — and then hit the street. He had no trouble at all, just started running alongside the bike like he had been doing it forever!

So although it was a mixed review from the poodles, Darwin gave the WalkyDog a full thumbs up. Since then, I’ve taken Darwin on many rides, sometimes with Renee and sometimes on our own. I’ve also taken Myka numerous times.

Concerns and Safety

Obviously, there are some risks when bicycling with a dog. All the risks associated with bicycling (traffic, road hazards, and so on) are compounded when you have a living creature attached to your vehicle and running alongside you.

But you know, there are risks in everything. We could get hit by a bus while walking across the street. Our dogs could run off while hiking in the woods and get hurt. There are no end to the bad things that could happen. And the positive aspects of bicycling are just huge. The dogs love it. They get better exercise than on a walk, and they seem to love seeing us “run” at their same pace.

When I first started researching the WalkyDog before we ordered it, I saw a comment online (I can’t remember where) that said this was a terrible idea because it was essentially chaining your dog to a treadmill that could break his neck if he tried to stop. I sort of wonder about someone who says something like this. After all, the bicycle is not powered by some sort of inattentive robot. It should be powered by a human who actually, you know, cares about the dog running along and can pay attention to pretty obvious signals. The “treadmill” in this case can be extremely responsive to the actions of the dog.

When I ride with a dog, the ride is all about the dog. I go the dog’s pace, not my own. When he slows down, I slow down. When he speeds up, I monitor his speed and make sure he’s not overdoing it, although sometimes it is amusing to just relax and let him tow me down the road. The point is, I’m not going to be getting massive amounts of exercise since I am constrained by the needs of the dog.

Ready to go!

I’ve found that it works well to position the WalkyDog so that it is almost perpendicular to the bike, but pushed back just a bit. In this position, I can see Darwin (or Myka) in my peripherial vision at all times. If he slows down and drops back a bit, I see the change immediately and can adjust.

It is also necessary to be extra-alert when biking with a dog. For example, the other night we passed two skateboarders flying down the hill. Darwin doesn’t really like skateboarders very much — they move fast and they make funny noises. He wanted to chase the first one, and so I had to veer sharply the other way to get his attention and get him out of the way of the second skateboarder.

I usually talk to the dogs quite a bit as we ride, which helps keep them calm and helps teach them what to expect. When we make turns, I call out the direction we are going. Both Darwin and Myka now know what “left” and “right” mean. Darwin also knows that “Let’s Go” means he needs to stop looking around at whatever is distracting him and keep moving.

Advantages of Biking with Our Dogs

So far, in 2011 we’ve ridden about 120 miles with the dogs. A few of these rides were before the WalkyDog, but most were after. Sometimes we take two dogs at once, now that I can take a dog too. It is a little more chaotic with two, as they tend to compete with each other a bit. For example, Myka insists on being the lead dog. She does not do well if the other bike and dog are in the lead.

The dog who has benefited the most has probably been Darwin. He can be a difficult dog these days. He loves the poodles and Cricket but is iffy with other dogs, so he can’t go to the dog park for exercise. With bicycling, I can take a short lunch break during my workday and give Darwin a good workout. Then in the evening we can take the rest of the dogs to the dog park.

The best part of it all is, I usually come home from a dog bike ride in a good mood.

On the bridge during an evening ride

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