Leader of the Pack

Adventure Pack

We came across a whole herd of deer at the same splace we spotted that one yesterday.  This time, Coco and Monarch were the ones to take notice while Sputnik and Clover were just trotting along and sniffing at the trail in front of them.  When we stopped a couple times for water breaks today, Clover was back to pulling away from the spout and chomping awkwardly at the air when I offered her a drink.  Monarch was a little more hesitant than she has be...

Adventure Pack

The parking lot was full but the trails weren't very busy at the Chautauqua this morning. The construction work has blocked off a lot of the parking, so not as many people can get to the trails.  Early on in the hike, Rucksack and Mamacita perked up and were staring intently into the distance while sniffing at the air.  Sputnik and Coco hadn't taken notice and I couldn't figure out what had caught their interest so we just continued on our way.  Whe...

Adventure Pack

Rucksack and Sputnik both chomped on some snow from what little remained in patches alongside the trail. Coco and Mamacita were content with the water from the CamelBak. I was actually surprised to see how willing Mamacita was to take water today, as she usual turns away when I offer it to her. Today, she drank it up right in turn after her packmates.

Play pack

Colby, Thompson, a...

Adventure Pack

The trails were pretty busy again today but we hit one long stretch without anyone around, so Sputnik had a chance to play off leash with Coco.  He took full advantage of the freedom by bounding through the brush.  Coco ran along with him but couldn't keep up with his level of enthusiasm for very long and eventually fell back into line with me and Mamacita on the trail while Sputnik ran around us to try to lure her into some more chasing.  He succeed...

Adventure Pack

When the sun comes out, so do the hikers.  The Chautauqua was much busier today than yesterday, with people and dogs alike.  Sputnik has been doing a much better job at staying relaxed and not fixating on other dogs that we pass by, and today was a continuation of that positive trend.  Even when Sputnik and Mamacita both got a little bit excited about a Golden Retriever who was headed up the trail on our way down, there were no growls - just a little...

Adventure Pack

Between the cooler weather and the construction going on around the entrance to the Chautauqua, the trail was pretty empty this morning.  Coco, Sputnik, and Mamacita enjoyed a quiet hike through terrain that was pretty muddy in some spots, as last week's snowfall is melting.  Sputnik chomped on a patch of snow at one point but Coco and Mamacita weren't interested.  We didn't encouner any other dogs along the way, and only a few people.

Adventure Pack

Rucksack got out of the car before Coco at the trailhead today, therefore dodging Coco's typical burst of enthusiasm that is always directed at him when he exits the car after her. On the other hand, Mamacita couldn't avoid Rucksack outpouring of affection that began, as always, about halfway through the hike. I wonder whether the delay is because Rucksack is just distracted by his initial excitement to be out and about, or because Mamacita's scent c...

Adventure Pack

Sputnik, Coco, and Mamacita all wanted to play with each other on the trails today, though that's tough since Sputnik and Mamacita both need to stay on leash.  But the three of them did hop around together in the snow for a bit.  Rucksack wasn't as playful but he still managed to get his legs covered in snowballs from tromping through the powdery trails.

Play Pack

Playful spirits continued into the afternoon as Ruffers, Colb...

Adventure Pack

The falling snow seemed to bring out Monarch's and Sputnik's playful spirits today.  They hopped around with each other a bit, while Clover and Coco were feeling more mild-mannered and just trucked along through the snow.  There was a stark contrast between how empty the trails were today and how populated they were every other day this week.

Play Pack

The park was as empty as the trails were, but Thompson, Ruffers, Coco, Is...

Adventure Pack

Mamacita, Sputnik, and Coco hit the trails at Shanahan Ridge together this morning and had a nice hike.  We took a quicker pace than usual through our ascent, with only a couple stops for the dogs to sniff and mark.  On the return leg, we took our time and lingered a lot more as everyone - especially Sputnik - checked out points of interest.

Play Pack

There were a lot of dogs at the park today and everyone found a playmate. ...