Leader of the Pack

Adventure Pack

 It was very cold when we started out our hike this morning.  Benny, Milo, and Coco all had brief moments of cold paws - where they held up one paw or limped a bit while walking - so we broke into a light jog to get the blood flowing.  We kept up the jogging pace for about half of the outing and it seemed to do the trick as nobody was holding up their paws anymore and everyone was in sync and keeping pace together with happy looks on their faces.

Adventure Pack

We walked the Bear Creek Path today and the whole pack was very much in sync.  When we passed some yards with barking pups, Coco, Benny, Milo, Mamacita, and Oliver all stayed calm.  Mama did whimper a bit about the especially noisy dogs we passed but she stayed in pace with her packmates and didn't try to pull us over to them.  It was sunny and beautiful out and the whole pack seemed to be feeling a happy and peaceful vibe.

...

Adventure Pack

Oftentimes the dogs find different things to draw their attention as we hike but today everyone was very much on the same page.  Periodically, the entire pack stopped to thoroughly sniff out an area of interest together.  Even Oliver, who usually hangs back when his packmates checking out a scent, was milling around with Coco, Benny, and Sputnik as they all thoroughly investigated each scene.

Play Pack

Benny was the most pla...

Adventure Pack

It was a busy day on the trails.  Thompson pulled a bit along the way but the rest of the pack did a great job of staying together.  Every now and then, Coco and Sputnik started to wrestle around much like Mama and Sputnik have been doing the past week.  Oliver stayed at the back of the pack; Benny couldn't decide whether to walk on the outside or between me and Thompson.  At one point, we met a black Lab who stopped and waited along the trail f...

Adventure Pack

Milo wandered around off the trail today to explore.  Oliver walked at the head of the pack for a while before falling back in with his packmates.  Sputnik and Mamacita nudged one another every now and then, and occasionally their nudges turned into brief wrestling matches before we continued on our way.  Meanwhile, Benny was lagging behind a bit today and it took some encouragement to get him to keep going.

Play Pack

W...

Adventure Pack

Milo trotted right behind me for the whole hike.  Meanwhile, Mamacita chomped on patches of snow and Benny, Thompson, and Sputnik all walked at my sides.  When we stopped for water, Benny and Sputnik were happy to lap it up.  Milo licked at the water stream a few times but wasn't particularly interested.  Thompson and Mamacita are both unused to drinking from the Camelbak spout and were very wary - they sniffed at it but backed away when water s...

Adventure Pack

Mama and Stella were very well behaved again on today's hike and stuck right by my side without a tug as we explored the Chautauqua together.  Sputnik, Benny, and Oliver were also very nice and calm.  When we stopped to say hello to an older dog, Sputnik gave him lots of kisses.  Benny and Oliver stopped by with a family who were sitting at the side of the trail and made a lot of friends.

Play Pack

Milo was excited...

Adventure Pack

We had another new mix on the hike today with Benny, Oliver, Sputnik, Stella, and Mamacita.  Stella was very good on her first hike with the pack and stayed right at my heel as she walked on the leash.  Mamacita also walked nicely at my side.  Sputnik pulled a bit but generally behaved himself well.  Sputnik and Mamacita got into a playful mood and started wrestling around with one another but settled down when I got their attention.  Meanw...

Adventure Pack

We had some different pack members on this morning's hike today since several of our other packmates are on vacation for the holiday season.  Mamacita, Thompson, and Luca all did well.  Thompson and Luca both pulled quite a bit at the beginning of the hike but then they settled in the pace and were very good.  Meanwhile, Benny and Milo enjoyed exploring the trails off leash together.

Play Pack

Thompson hopped around wit...

Adventure Pack

We took a nice, swift-paced walk along the Bear Creek Trail today and Benny, Milo, Sputnik, Rucksack, and Roger Roger were all exceptionally calm and well-behaved.  Benny and Rucksack occasionally pulled ahead slightly, but never tried to drag us and responded well to a light tug by falling back with the rest of the group.  Sputnik and Benny found a stick - really more of a twig - that they both wanted and they played a tame form of keep-away as they trot...