Leader of the Pack

The Adventure Pack

Coco and Rucksack took off for a quick sprint the second I released them from a sit-stay when I let them off leash.  Later on, Wesley made doggie snow-angels and sometimes just plopped down in the snow to lie there for a minute.  Rucksack went stickless for most of the hike but found a good specimen toward the end and brought it all the way back to the parking lot at Chautauqua.

The Play Pack

Brady was pretty mellow...

The Adventure Pack

Coco and Rucksack always have a lot of fun when they're off leash together on the hike.  I use to worry that Coco was sometimes too pushy with Rucksack but he always goes back for more.  Coco was a little difficult to round up today when it was Mogul and Benny's turn to go off leash.  It's happened a handful of times over the past few weeks that when I call her she thinks I'm trying to play a game like she plays with the other dogs, and she stays...

The Adventure Pack

Toskey found a stick to tease Coco with during today's hike, but they lost interest in it pretty quickly and just chased each other around for the fun of it.  Wesley walked in line right behind me for the first part of his time off leash today, but then he and Rucksack had a good run together and the pack met some other friendly dogs along the trails.  Wesley stopped a couple times to clean his paws again, but Rucksack wasn't bothered by it today.

The Adventure Pack

Coco, Rucksack, Wesley, and Benny all had a lot of fun leaping through the fresh snow today.  Benny was back to scooping up a mouthful about every 10 steps.  Rucksack kept burying his face in it and ended up with a white mask for the rest of the hike.  Because of their longer fur, Wesley and Rucksack both got some snow packed into their paws and they each stopped a few times to nibble and lick it away.

The Play Pack

The Play Pack

Coco, Mogul, and Benny all had a blast in the snow today!  Mogul always gets more of a kick in his step when there's snow on the ground, and today was no exception.  He found several playmates to hop, spin, and chase with.  He gave Coco a few good chases.  Coco and Benny played together, too.  Benny also found a big white Labradoodle who he had a lot of fun with and Coco found a playmate in a Coonhound who chased her all over the park. ...

The Adventure Pack

Benny wasn't as interested in eating snow off the ground today - there wasn't as much snow left anymore!  Coco kept running up the trail and then pausing briefly to sniff a spot and then continue on.  Benny followed behind her and stopped at all the spots she did but spent a good deal longer sniffing out each one.  I picked up a stick and gave it to Rucksack to carry along at the beginning of the hike and he brought it along for about the first h...

The Adventure Pack

Bennny was again hooked on eating snow today, dipping his head down every few steps to scoop up a new mouthful.  Mogul vomited once early on and we took a slower pace for a little while but when I let him off leash afterward he was full of energy and ran up and down the trail with Rucksack following behind him.  Coco has been a little difficult lately with not coming to me when I call and instead trying to play "catch me if you can" but today she came...

The Adventure Pack

Wesley had a blast rolling around in the snow.  We came across another hiker with a couple Goldens who asked Wesley's name because he was wondering if he knew him, which it turned out he didn't.  The Goldens with him had much redder coats.  Isaac chased Rucksack a little when they first went off leash together.  Then Isaac found a big tree limb to carry and Rucksack stared at him the rest of the time but kept his distance.  Isaac teased...

The Adventure Pack

Benny thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he could eat the ground that he was walking on (packed snow) and spent a lot of his time during the hike doing just that.  When he wasn't nibbling at snow, he was following Coco around.  I think Coco enjoyed having a sidekick today as she urged Benny along with her.  Wesley and Rucksack spent their time off-leash together playing almost non-stop.  After short breaks, Rucksack danced all around in front ...

The Adventure Pack

Coco and Rucksack made the most of the snow, chasing each other between the trees off the side of the trail and scooping up mouthfuls of snow as they ran.  Mogul trooped along just behind me throughout the hike, leaving frequent scent marks.  Benny got Mogul to chase him for a spurt and went from side to side along the trail, exploring.

The Play Pack

Pico got just about every dog at the park to run with her today, a...