Hiking with Heather

Photo Fail = Real Life

2019-09-07T09:36:00.001-05:00

On a recent late summer weekend, I tried recreating our first "family" portrait together from June of 2018. I don't think we'll ever get as great of a picture, but we're having a lot of fun trying!

After setting up the camera on a tripod and getting everything ready, I told my mom to just keep clicking away no matter what and hopefully we'd end up with at least a couple good ones. I don't know if any of them are "good" but I love what they depict... fun.

In my opinion, the photo fails are better than the perfect portrait. This is real life.

Jake's tongue sticking out while Charlie looks the other way.

They both finally look at the camera, but Charlie's lip is stuck on her tooth.

Reunion + Dog Mom's Day!

2019-05-12T08:18:00.001-05:00

Barley, Jake, Woody and Copper

We had scheduled another Littermate Reunion for the end of April, but snowy weather forced us to reschedule. Unbeknownst to me, we rescheduled for May 11th... National Dog Mom's Day!

VIDEO (click link):

So yesterday morning, I left Charlie with her daddy and drove 2.5 hours to Germantown WI to reunite Jake with his littermates at Homestead Howl Dog Park. Only 4 of the 5 dogs could make it but they still had a blast chasing each other and taking turns laying in a mud puddle.

The weather was still pretty chilly for mid-May and it seems that spring is a little behind schedule in arriving. I wasn't dressed warmly enough but watching the dogs romp around full of joy made it easier to endure the chilly wind for the two-hour visit.

VIDEO (Mud puddle!):

We all exchanged stories about the dogs and continue to learn how similar they are. All pups are total snugglers, very playful and sweet, have an ability to produce extra eye goopies (requiring kleenex cleanings often), love water and being near their people.

This was just the second time we've brought them all together and it was nice to do so without freezing our butts off in the snow like last time. It was easier sharing stories and getting to know each other this time and we're all still committed to and looking forward to the next reunion!

Barley and Copper taking a break to rehydrate.

Barley enjoying a stick.

Jake snoozed on the 2.5 hour drive home and proceeded to sleep for the rest of the day once we were home. I had to wake him up so I could give him dinner and a bath. His bath took longer than usual this time since he had taken the liberty of giving himself a "spa-like" mud bath at the park. The mud just ran from his fur in streams and didn't seem to want to stop!

Woody showing off his athletic physique.

Woody

After bathtime, I hand-washed his harness and collar to get all the mud and grit out and allow it to hang-dry overnight so it'd be dry by morning in case we go somewhere today.

Copper

Jake with Aunt Katie

You would think that National Dog Mom's Day would be filled with gifts and flowers like a normal Mother's Day... but no, to be a dog mom means that you drive your dog 5 hours roundtrip for a playdate with his brothers, feed him extra special food and treats, give him a bath and wash all his gear. So basically just like any other day!

Time to rehydrate and give kisses

Jake was happy to be home and reunited with Charlie, who had spent the day doing gardening projects with her daddy. Since Charlie is dog-reactive, she does not enjoy dog parks or meeting other dogs so she got some one-on-one time with Alan today while Jake went on his reunion adventure. It's good to separate these two once in a while so they don't get too dependent on each other.

Jake's 1st Adoptiversary

2019-04-13T12:28:00.000-05:00

One year ago today, we brought Jake home to become part of our family. It's crazy to think it's been a year already and yet, it seems like we've had Jake forever.

It was a Thursday and I was just going to drive 4 hours to Milwaukee to "see" Jake... not bring him home. I had no idea at the time how he would capture our hearts and how well Charlie would accept him.

That was our biggest hurdle: Charlie's acceptance of another dog. With her fear-aggressiveness toward other dogs, I thought we'd never be able to get a second dog. But in letting Charlie choose Jake, it worked like magic.

The day after we brought him home, we had a big April snowstorm. Jake adored the snow and had so much fun playing with Charlie in the backyard. I knew then that our Wisconsin winters would not affect this Texas-born rescue dog!

April 2018

Just a few days ago we had another huge April snowstorm... almost exactly a year to the day from Jake's first snow in Wausau. I had to smile at the irony. And once again, he was in the backyard like a kid on Christmas morning... so excited with the fresh blanket of new snow.

April 2019

VIDEO (April 11th Snowstorm):

VIDEO (Snowstorm Shenanigans):

Jake was not the dog I thought I wanted. He was not the dog I had intended on adopting. But sometimes life chooses for you... and you get what you need, not necessarily what you want.

I needed Jake more than I knew at the time. He is Charlie's opposite in so many ways and compliments our life perfectly. Our family feels whole with Jake in it.

Jake is very social and wants to meet ALL the dogs and ALL the people when we're out on walks. It's hard to tell him that not everyone wants to meet him though! I can take Jake anywhere and know that he'll be fine. He's not scared of anything, whereas Charlie is scared of almost everything. He's very chill and easy-going.

Jake is a cuddler and a lover. He wants nothing more than to be as close to his "pack" as possible. He insists on giving kisses and full-body hugs every day, every chance he gets. He follows me around and I call him a "mama's boy," but I know he loves his Charlie more than anyone else.

When I take the dogs for their separate nightly walks, Jake howls and cries the whole time we're gone. I know he misses me, but it's Charlie that he doesn't want to be separated from. He probably annoys her like a little brother, but they really do love each other.

Charlie has a spring in her step again and playfully wrestles and teases Jake all the time. She romps with him in the backyard and take turns chasing each other. They are hiking companions and she shows Jake everything she knows.

Jake makes me laugh every single day. He's a goofball to the core. I don't think he even knows how funny he is, which makes him even funnier. He's got a bouncy step when he walks and his ears flop playfully as he prances about.

He's a youngster at heart with a short attention span, going from one toy to the next always looking for fun. Jake likes to sleep as close to me as possible. Every time he gets up to rearrange himself during the night, he plops on top of me and slides off leaving himself tightly pressed up against me until I need to push him away to gather my blankets back around me. Even if I seem annoyed, he makes me smile and laugh because he's just so sweet and innocent.

I'm so happy to have this love-monster in my life and he makes us all so happy!

Race Day! (We did a 5k)

2019-04-07T19:12:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Jake and I participated in a 5k Run/Walk to support a local animal rescue group! This was the first time I had ever done anything like this... partly because it's outside of my comfort zone and also because with Charlie's noise-reactivity and dog aggressiveness, we'd never been able to participate in something like this (it would totally stress her out!).

VIDEO (riding the shuttle bus):

Shuttle Bus Jake

But now that I have Jake, I can finally do activities that include other dogs! Jake is a total social butterfly and absolutely LOVES meeting other dogs. He's such an easy-going dog. I never have to stress about him meeting/greeting other dogs.

VIDEO (meeting & greeting):

We had a lot of "firsts" for this event. Jake rode a shuttle bus for the first time (he did fairly well after he settled down and got over the initial excitement that there were other dogs on the bus and he wanted to meet them all!).

VIDEO (meeting the mascot):

When it was our turn to line up at the start line, I wasn't anticipating running the race but rather walking. However, when all the other people and dogs started running, Jake wanted to keep up with them! So we ran (jogged) for much of the first half of the race. Once the pack started thinning out and there weren't dogs in front of Jake urging him on, he resorted to his usual "weaving wanderer" style of walking and stopped to sniff where all the other dogs had peed.

Everyone lined up to start in the pouring rain.

We also did the whole thing in pouring rain. It was a miserably cold 42 degrees and constant rain for the entire time we were at the event, which included 45 minutes of standing around before the 45 minutes of our race time.

Jake in the blue harness on the right

Jake (blue harness) & myself (pink jacket) in the background

VIDEO (running the race!):

We were soaked to the bone. My clothes were dripping wet all the way down to my undergarments. My shoes were squishy. Jake's leash was soaked. All of our clothes and gear must have weighed an additional 10 lbs with all the water we were carrying.

But we did it! We finished the race. Although as we approached the finish line, Jake kept trying to pull me off-course toward the other dogs waiting in the pavilion. I laughed so hard as I pulled him back on track so we could cross the finish line.

On our way home to dry off!

It was all a big socializing party for Jake and he just wanted to get back to all his new dog friends. The weather was awful, but every day with Jake is a fun day and he gets me laughing even when things aren't perfect. Love my little man.

The End is Near

2019-03-16T19:04:00.000-05:00

It's too soon to say "we're in the clear" but after a long and difficult winter, it seems the end is near. Spring is definitely on its way.

We've hardly had a chance for outdoor activities this winter. After an icy December/January, we received record snowfall in the month of February. I was so busy and sore from all that shoveling and I had no energy left to take the dogs for walks or hikes. Even if I had wanted to hike somewhere, the parking areas were plowed in with snow and not accessible. The couple times we did make it out for snowshoeing, the snow was impossibly deep for the dogs and we had to turn back right away.

Last week we finally saw a bit of thawing but the thawed snow quickly froze on sidewalks causing dangerous conditions again. I attempted to take the dogs for a walk last Friday night (a week ago) but ended up falling on the ice and hurting my knee (among other things). I've been taking it easy this past week and opted to forego any additional walks until the sidewalks are completely clear of ice and snow.

A few days ago Mother Nature dumped a bunch of rain on us, which weighed down the snow on roofs and caused major ice dams. One of those ice dams fell off my roof and took down part of the roof overhang and rain gutters with it. That piece of roof crashed into a window. So I spent the afternoon cleaning up glass, boarding up the window and shoveling the remaining snow off my roof (actually Alan helped me with that part - thank you honey).

The cleanup of this damage will be ongoing for a bit... contractors are so busy with all the snow/ice damage that it's impossible to get someone out to look at it anytime soon. The next night, flood water from my backyard started pouring in a hole in my basement. I had to chop ice in the backyard to divert water away from the house and then mop up the mess in the basement. It feels like this crap will never end.

But then we had today! It was beautiful out. Spring is in the air... the sun is sitting higher in the sky, days are getting longer and the air has a humid quality to it that makes me believe winter is almost over. Just a couple more weeks of gradually warming temps to melt this incredible depth of snow and we'll be able to get outside on a more consistent basis. It's almost here... I can feel it.

The dogs were in heaven today. The snow on the trail has condensed enough that they could manage running around without getting too exhausted. No one had been through to break trail yet, so it was still exerting, but the sunshine and fresh air invigorated us and we spent over an hour walking and playing in the woods. I wore my snow-shoes still to make sure I could get through, but the dogs did well on their own without following me.

I found myself singing along to the radio on our way home, my spirits lifted from the time outdoors. My mood's recovery still has a long way to go after this crazy winter, but today was a good start and I'm looking forward to getting out again soon.

VIDEO #1 (click link):

VIDEO #2 (click link):

VIDEO #3 (click link):

Meet #Adoptable Sassy & Sara

2019-03-09T21:59:00.000-06:00

Meet Sassy and Sara. They are a mother-daughter bonded pair currently residing at Lincoln County Humane Society in Merrill, WI. Sassy is approximately 12 years old and her daughter, Sara, is approximately 6 years old. They were surrendered to the shelter when their owner went into the hospital (likely permanently), so they are looking for a new place to call home.

I assured them that a lot of people start over in their middle years or even much later on in life and that it’s nothing to be scared of. In fact, many people find their “second lives” even better than their first!

Sassy and her sweet little sugar face

Sara with the alert ears

We didn’t get to spend a lot of time together since another winter storm was on its way to our area, but we had a nice little walk around their current neighborhood for some fresh air and a potty break. I’m pretty sure these two are completely house-broken since they took this opportunity to go #1 and #2. Good girls.

VIDEO (click link):

I don’t think these girls had a lot of exercise opportunities in their last home, but they seem pretty open to getting a couple daily walks. They would probably be open to more walks if their new person would be willing to work them up to a healthier fitness level slowly. With spring coming, I’m sure it would be a piece of cake to get some additional exercise in the coming months.

Sassy is a sweet little #sugarface and seems to love attention! Sara is a little shy at first but warms up quickly. Both walked well on leashes, although I did a poor job of keeping us untangled. I was grateful for their slow pace since I had slipped on ice the day before and took a pretty ugly fall. My knee wasn’t up to walking a rambunctious youngster today, so these two were very nice and took it easy on me. Their leisurely pace would be great for someone who prefers easy dogs for walking partners.

If you or someone you know is looking for a couple sweet girls for leisurely walks and snuggles on the couch, please let them know Sassy and Sara are waiting to meet you at Lincoln County Humane Society.

Meet #Adoptable Hazel

2019-03-02T16:41:00.000-06:00

As often as possible, we'll be volunteering to walk/hike/kayak with #adoptable dogs and promote their story on social media. This is Hazel's story:

This is Hazel. She is approximately 9 months old and currently residing at Lincoln County Humane Society in Merrill WI due to being previously homeless. We picked up this silly girl to take her on a volunteer walk around her neighborhood. She was not expecting visitors, but seemed glad to go along with us. We took her out to the car to get her suited up with an appropriate walking harness (which didn’t quite fit her petite frame), but she jumped into the car like she knew what she was doing and was ready to go for a ride instead of a walk. Since we were only approved for walking on this particular day, we lured her out of the car with a few treats. Hazel is a smart dog and seemed to understand the agenda after that.

For a previously homeless dog, she knows how to make friends quickly. She was happy to meet all kinds of people on our walk and greeted everyone like good friends. When we came across birds feeding at a neighborhood bird feeder, she got very excited and jumped onto a snowbank twice her height to greet them too! If given the chance, I think she would definitely chase birds and probably squirrels too.

The busy street we walked along didn’t seem to bother her at all. She was just happy to be outside and getting some exercise. Hazel walks really well on a leash and every so often would turn her head to check on us to make sure we were still coming along. We stopped a few times to snuggle her sweet face and admire her curly tail. She was more than happy to soak up the love and eat some treats. I’m pretty sure she’d be a good snuggle buddy on the couch at home too.

Hazel has a pair of the most expressive ears I’ve ever seen. She wears them all kinds of ways… up, down, backwards and sideways. There's no doubt that she is a beautiful little charmer and completely adorable in every way, but her ears are definitely my favorite feature!

When we found a big empty parking lot to run around in, she got very excited. Hazel scooped up snow in her mouth and got a small case of the zoomies, which was a little complicated since she was attached to one of us via a leash. This little girl has lots of energy and would love a dedicated playmate to take her on walks and hikes.

If you are interested in this silly loveable girl, you can find her hanging out at Lincoln County Humane Society. But with her sweet demeanor and good manners, I don’t think she’ll last long.

VIDEO ~ Feeding treats & soaking up love (click link):

VIDEO ~ Walking along snowy streets (click link):

Special thank you to Sara Guden for assisting me on today's walk! Your help is much appreciated.
If you're interested in helping #adoptable pups, check out Rachael Rodgers e-Guide on Instagram for Adoptable Dogs.

An Exercise Project

2019-02-23T11:03:00.002-06:00

Jake and Bella

On a recent visit to my sister's house, I noticed their dog Bella had gotten a bit overweight in recent months. Winter can do this. It's often hard to get outside when the temps are so cold or the snow is too deep. But I also noticed that my niece was slightly pestering her mom about getting more of an allowance.

Long tongues from lots of playtime!

So on my drive home, I put the pieces together and decided to offer an allowance proposal to my niece when I got home.

The terms: I would pay her $5.00 for every 30-minute walk she took with Bella up to $20 per week. She'd need to download a dog-walking app similar to the one I use to track my hikes with the dogs to show proof of the walk (mileage, time walked and the date) and send me a screen shot of the completed app results as well as a picture of Bella on the walk.

We've just finished up Week 2 of the project, and so far it's been a pretty good success! My sister reports that Bella is much calmer in the house now that she's getting a few walks each week and my niece is happy with the extra allowance. Plus I get to have more communication with my niece via the texts about their walks so we can stay in touch better.

I'll be happy to see if Bella has lost any weight the next time I'm down for a visit. I guess it's a win-win for everyone.

Beautiful Bella

Sweetheart of a Weekend

2019-02-16T16:09:00.002-06:00

We're enjoyng a 3-day weekend to celebrate Alan's 50th birthday! I wish we had planned something more special for such a milestone but with the crazy weather we've been slammed with these past two weeks, there wasn't much time for planning anything.

Yesterday we went road-tripping to do some antique and second-hand shopping around our area. The dogs came along for the boring car ride, but unfortunately we didn't do anything too fun with them.

So I decided to take the kiddos snow-shoeing today to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and fresh new snow. Alan had to bow out for this excursion so we went just the three of us.

The roads are in great shape now that the plow trucks have had time to clear them. The trails, on the other hand, have not been blazed yet. I should have known when we arrived to the parking area for the trailhead and it was empty.

There was one zig-zagging snow shoe trail someone had left, but it didn't really go anywhere and by the time the dogs and I made it to our actual trailhead, we were totally exhausted from trekking through the extremely deep snow.

VIDEO #1 (click link):

VIDEO #2 (click link):

I laughed out loud at how the depth of the snow completely swallowed up the dogs when they climbed the snow mountain at the end of the parking lot and disappeared on the other side.

Look at them run!

I struggled up with my snow shoes on and then was as buried as the dogs were on the other side. After some photos and romping around, it became apparent that we weren't going to make it too much farther so we headed back to the parking area.

I have a feeling a lot of people will be out today packing down other trails for us, so tomorrow we're going to head out really early before anyone else and enjoy some quiet time at one of our favorite places.

Waiting for me to slide down the snow mountain in the parking lot to go home.

Despite the difficulty of removing snow earlier this week, it sure was pretty to get out in nature and enjoy the fresh drifts like a little kid!

Reflection of Charlie in my sunglasses.

Dog is co-pilot.

Snow Day!

2019-02-12T19:08:00.002-06:00

We've been hit hard with a lot of snow over the past week. The sky dumped about 15 inches of snow on us today... on top of the 12 inches we already had from last week. Looking around at the enormous piles of snow, it's hard to believe there was no snow just a week ago. Lesson learned: be careful what you wish for!

I took the day off work today since my little car likely would have gotten stuck either on my way to work or on my way home. Plus I figured it would be best to clear the snow from my driveway and sidewalks continually throughout the day.

VIDEO - Tour of Snowy Yard (Click Link:)

It turned out to be a good decision because people were already getting stuck on the road in front of my house right away this morning... and continued to get stuck all day long. Neighbors stepped up and helped strangers dig and push their cars out of impossibly deep snow.

There was already 6 inches of snow on the ground for my first round of shoveling after breakfast. I took a short break mid-morning and then headed back out before lunch to shovel another 6 inches (it was coming down fast!).

After lunch I tackled the deep and very compact snow at the end of my double-wide driveway where the snowplows dumped all the snow from the road as they passed by. This took another hour.

VIDEO - Dogs Playing in Yard (Click Link):

VIDEO - Snow Day Games (Click Link):

With lunch behind me and a short break to bake some Valentine's cookies for Alan, I headed back out to clear another couple of inches again.

In between all the necessary shoveling, I played with the dogs in the backyard and shoveled out race tracks for them to play in. Jake absolutely LOVES snow... even more than Charlie (which I never thought possible). Watching them joyfully bounce through giant snow piles made all the hard work of actual shoveling worthwhile.

They reminded me that snow days can be fun too... not just all work.

VIDEO(Click Link):

Alan's Valentine's cookies!

Groundhog Day Hike

2019-02-02T21:04:00.000-06:00

We finally got a chance to get outside for a hike today after a week of bitterly cold temps. It hasn't been this cold in decades and I'm really glad for it to be over (for now).

The dogs have been sticking to me like statically-charged dog hair (you know what I'm talking about!). I can't get a break. They have been following me around non-stop all week wondering why we're not going for a walk or a ride to the park.

Jake pauses at the hook by the door where the harnesses and leashes hang... nosing them and then looking at me like, "aren't you going to put these on us?"

Ugh. It's torture. Mostly because I want to go outside too, but also because I don't speak their language and have no way to tell them that I can't control the weather.

They could barely get enough time to go potty in the backyard before their paws would freeze up and they couldn't walk. For two of the days this week, we had to go through the routine of putting boots on them for potty breaks because it was just too cold to go potty at all.

VIDEO (Click Link):

But today, it finally reached that 20 degree mark where it was safe enough to be outside for an extended period of time.

On our drive to the hiking trails, a dense fog developed and visibility decreased drastically. It coated the tree branches, making them look fuzzy. The atmosphere became ethereal.

There were a ton of people out on the lake ice-fishing, but no one on the trails. I decided to play it safe and made our own trail out onto a peninsula so we could play without running into anyone.

Charlie was a little nervous from the ice-fisherman sounds drifting across the frozen lake... ice augers and 4-wheelers zipping around. I urged her on so we could get some good exploring time in and she grudgingly agreed to come, although she turned around frequently threatening to head back to the car by herself.

After a while she relaxed and decided romping around and chewing sticks with Jake was fun afterall. I liked breaking new trail through the fluffy snow, taking my time to make sure I didn't trip on buried branches, admiring nature's frosty decorations clinging to all the tree branches.

I practiced my camera settings and feel that I'm improving but I'm my own worst critic and at home I instantly hated all my photos. After I gave them some time to grow on me, I came to like a few, but there is still a lot of learning to do.

An hour and a half of exploring the woods and running around was enough to make the dogs curl up and pass out in their respective seats on the car ride home. I'm always delighted to see my rosy cheeks and twigs in my hair after a hike like today. I feel refreshed and renewed; it was a good day.

Jake curled up in back.

Charlie snoozing in front.

Hibernating

2019-01-27T20:19:00.000-06:00

It's been a long week and it's about to get worse. We've been experiencing some extremely cold temps lately and starting tomorrow we're going to get a blizzard and wind chills in the negative 50 degree range that will last most of this week. We haven't seen temps this low here since February 1996 - that was the month/year that I moved to Wausau... 23 years ago.

It's pure craziness. And that's exactly what our cooped-up lives have been like this week - crazy.

The dogs are going crazy and so am I. Stir crazy, that is.

We're running out of indoor games to play and I'm getting tired of limiting their outdoor time to go potty so I don't end up having to carry them in when their paws freeze and they refuse to move. (Yes, this has happened twice in the past week).

Honestly, I'm not looking forward to this week. It's going to be even harder than last week.

Despite the cold outside, I made the best of it inside today. The sun was shining so bright I felt like I needed sunglasses in the house! I spent most of the day baking dog treats in my kitchen so I could enjoy the south-facing windows and absorb as much sunlight as possible. I even wore shorts because my kitchen was getting so warm from the combination of the sun streaming in, the oven on for over an hour and the dehydrator running all day. It felt like summer inside, but outside was another story.

I play games with the dogs, but as soon as I stop, they give me this look like "that's all you got?" Every time I turn around I'm confronted with sad puppy eyes and defeated postures. Either that, or they're barking at me to play but quickly get tired of whatever I play with them... they just want to be outside and stretch their legs on a long walk or hike.

I completely understand. I want that too. My body is feeling sore from sitting around too much. I long to take a hike and get some exercise too. This winter has not turned out the way I wanted it to.

But I guess that's Mother Nature for you. These kind of days make you appreciate the good ones. Looks like we're in for another week of hibernation.

No Snow

2019-01-13T10:36:00.000-06:00

We never got the snow that we were supposed to get this weekend. Sidewalks and hiking trails are still icy in most spots. While I don't mind the "no shoveling" part of not having snow, this bare icy ground is getting old. I wanted Jake to have a chance to play in the snow this winter... diving into piles of snow and digging out buried tennis balls with a face full of snowflakes.

In the meantime, we're making the best of what we've got. Yesterday's weather consisted of freezing mist. It lent a nice glowing light to the scenery, but it was bitterly cold with the light wind.

We hiked for a bit and tried out my new camera lens, but the chilly dampness kept us from going too far or staying out too long. My hands were frozen by the time we got back to the car... I could barely feel my fingertips.

Thankful for the thermos of hot coffee back at the car, we slowly thawed out on the drive home. Roads were slippery with the freezing mist, so travel was slow.

Back home, we all laid down for a short nap in a warm bed... snuggled together for warmth.

Still hoping for some snow soon.

A Breath of Spring Before the Storm

2019-01-06T16:09:00.000-06:00

For the past few days we've enjoyed temps in the high 30's to low 40's - absolute pleasure for the beginning of January in Wisconsin! It's been like a breath of spring. We've taken advantage of the warmer weather with a long Friday night walk, a sunny Saturday afternoon urban hike with Alan and a solo hike with just me and the dogs this afternoon.

During our urban hike with Alan, the dogs came across some open water near the trail and insisted on taking a dip. I'll never understand why dogs want to go swimming in the winter! But since both dogs have some Labrador Retriever in them, it's impossible to keep them out of water if it's available. And once Charlie was in, Jake had to go in too.

Soaking up the warmth, sunshine and mild breeze has been so invigorating for all of us. I think it's a special gift from Mother Nature when you get a chance to enjoy the outdoors with a break from the cold, dark days of deep winter.

Tonight we're forecast to get 3-6" of wet snow, so for this weekend we took advantage of the current minimal snow cover on the ground and enjoyed some great hiking. By next weekend, we could be using our snowshoes!

I'm also experimenting with my Canon DSLR camera and researching a new lens purchase. My current lens is a normal lens and I'm dying to get a wide angle lens so I can get some better photos. In the meantime (while I'm researching which lens to buy - and how much to spend), I'm learning my camera's settings and getting comfortable using manual and auto settings so that once I have my new lens, I'll be ready to rock and roll!

On our hike today, I was surprised that we had the trail all to ourselves. I was sure with the warmer weather that we'd run into some other hikers or horse-back riders, but we lucked out. The dogs fully enjoyed their off-leash time today.

It was apparent that horses had been using this trail recently due to the sporadic piles of manure. Unfortunately, both dogs decided that these piles were placed there just for them to enjoy and were continuously sneaking bites of this decadence. After a while I gave up trying to shoo them away from their snack... I remember reading somewhere that people and dogs (throughout history) have "reset" their digestive systems by eating poop. Hopefully the doggos were getting something they needed from these treats, and even though they get a monthly de-wormer which should prevent anything icky happening internally, they won't be giving me kisses anytime soon.

Jake indulging in "horse snacks"

We took a couple of short breaks during our hike. I sat on a log or a rock and just watched these two hilarious dogs playing in the woods; teasing each other with stolen sticks or prized pieces of wood for a game of chase. I get so much joy from just observing their silly dog behavior.

The rest of our weekend will be spent at home, cleaning the house, watching some t.v. and resting up before we have to shovel snow tomorrow. It was a very good weekend. We hope you got to enjoy some outdoor time with your pups this weekend!

VIDEOS (click links):

Sharing sticks on a hiking break:

Taking a break to eat wood:

Rescue Gang Littermate Reunion

2018-12-30T16:15:00.002-06:00

Jake, Barley, Copper, Ted and Woody

Back in February 2018, a litter of five male puppies were rescued from Texas by Rescue Gang of Milwaukee. They were originally found abandoned in a field with no mother dog in sight. In addition to being underfed, they had giardia and ringworm.

Jake and Barley get a good look at each other

Once they arrived in Wisconsin, they underwent treatment for their illnesses and began putting on weight in their foster family homes. One by one they were adopted out to permanent homes.

Woody, Ted and Jake

Ted getting excited about the reunion!

A couple of the adoptive families had already reunited over the summer. But by late fall, all five adoptive families had reconnected with the help of Rescue Gang and began planning a reunion of the boys for the end of December.

Copper, Ted, Barley and Woody

As the reunion date approached, we emailed each other with updates on our pups and realized that although they varied in weight/size and appearance, they shared many of the same personality traits - sweet, sensitive, cuddly, easy-going, gets along great with other animals, toy destroyers, bed hogs. The anticipation of the reunion grew with each passing week, but finally the day came!

Jake, Woody, Copper, Ted and Barley

On the last Saturday of December, we met at a large dog park near Mequon, Wisconsin called Katherine Kearney Carpenter Park to allow plenty of space for the dogs to run around and play while they got reacquainted with each other.

Most of the adoptive families live within 30 miles of Milwaukee, but Jake and I drove over 3 hours to reunite with the others... which was totally worth it! Plus we're used to long road trips for our hiking, camping and kayaking adventures, so the drive was totally normal to us.

Barley and Ted give brotherly hugs

Jake and I were first to arrive but Barley and his family were there within a few minutes. The two boys went about with their introductions and then Woody and his family joined us.

Barley and Jake chase down their brothers

Ted and his family were next to arrive and last but not least, Copper and his family joined us. After a lot of butt sniffing and play bows, soon all five boys were romping around the park together. They quickly formed their own pack amidst all the other dogs in the park and whether it was true or not, they seemed to know each other.

Ted, Barley and Jake

We spent almost 2 full hours letting the dogs play before the chilly temps forced us to load up and head home. Jake was so exhausted from the reunion that he slept peacefully all the way home.

The boys gang up on Ted in the middle.

From left: Copper, Barley, Ted, Woody and Jake

After sharing photos via email later in the day, it was apparent that they all had a great time playing and were completely tuckered out!

Woody, Ted, Barley and Copper with the sweet smile.
Photo credit: Jason Pinkowski

It's such a rare thing to get all the families of a rescued/adopted litter of puppies together for a reunion and the significance of the situation was not lost on us. We all agreed that we should get the boys together a few times a year and stay in touch.

From left: Copper, Woody, Barley, Ted and Jake
Photo credit: Jason Pinkowski

Even though these puppies get to be brothers for life, the happiest part of the story is that they were rescued by passionate people so they could be adopted into good and loving homes and become part of a family. So in this Chinese zodiak "Year of the Dog," we celebrated the happy fate of these five rescued puppies with their new lives in good homes.

Thank you to all the adoptive families for taking time to make this reunion happen and a big thank you to Rescue Gang of Milwaukee for putting us in touch with each other and bringing these wonderful dogs into our lives! The work you do is important and so appreciated!

VIDEOS BELOW - Click Links:

Littermate Reunion begins with three:

The party starts with these three guys hitting it off:

Trying to get all five of them to sit for a photo:

Playtime at the end of our walk, still excited:

Below are some photos from Rescue Gang's Facebook page from before the guys were adopted:

Ted and Copper

Barley, Copper & Ted

Copper and Jake

Woody and Ted

Lower right: Ted and Jake

Christmas Holiday 2018

2018-12-27T13:04:00.001-06:00

You know that feeling when you plan more than you can possibly get done in a defined period of time? Yeah, that's what our holiday was about this year. Of course, we took our time with house projects instead of rushing through and getting things done quickly.

We enjoyed the scenery of freshly fallen snow clinging to tree branches on Christmas Eve Day before heading out for a hike while paint dried. Upon returning home, we napped and then began food prep for Christmas dinner.

I enjoyed the leisurely pace of our ambitious painting project... taking time to hike with the dogs, watch movies, cook & eat a home-cooked holiday dinner with family, opening presents and enjoying each other's company between sessions of painting and letting paint dry.

Alan made this sign decor for me out of branches in his yard!

That's the kind of pace I like... I don't like these things to feel like "work." I realize we could have gotten so much more done during this week off from actual work, but the time we spent together was fun and easy-going. We didn't get on each other's nerves and we didn't fight about petty things. We worked well together and got a lot done.

I'm sure the dogs have a different opinion of how this week went. They have no clue why we're moving all the furniture around and painting walls/trim/ceilings. This does not seem like a huge priority to them. I'm sure they'd rather be getting all-day belly rubs, walks around the neighborhood, road trips to quiet woodland trails and a bottomless bowl of food. But trust me, they had a good holiday too.

He looks so sweet sleeping amidst the blaring radio playing music for us.

Jake found a random piece of furniture to nap on while we were painting the other room.

These well-loved (spoiled) dogs have more toys than necessary, high quality (expensive) dog treats and food, two grandma's that feed them treats all the time and two parents that love them like children.

VIDEO ~ Playing Along the River's Edge (click link):

These lucky dogs are rarely left home alone. They get to join us on almost every adventure we go on. When we're at work, they get to stay home with grandma who lets them out in the backyard to chase squirrels anytime they want. They have a variety of dog beds to curl up on and nap. They have multiple window-seats where they can check out the neighborhood activity (including said squirrels).

And even though we didn't take off on a road trip to some woodland cabin for starlit campfires, snuggles by a fireplace and miles of hiking and snowshoe trails, we made some great memories this year spending time with those we love and care about. That's the most important thing I could ever wish for.

I'm looking forward to finishing up the painting in the next day or two and getting all the furniture moved back into place. I get a little OCD about things being out of place so this has been a challenging week for me, but my apartment is freshly painted and clean! What an awesome way to start a new year.

VIDEO ~ Charlie Watches Daddy Come Home (click link):

Guest Blog: 4 Tips for RVers who are Planning a Hiking Trip with Dogs

2018-12-21T10:33:00.000-06:00

We are excited to partner with Outdoorsy for this guest blog post! During the cold winter months of the year, I'm constantly daydreaming about green hiking trails and camping under the stars. I had never really considered RV camping before but after learning more about this option on Outdoorsy's website, it's opened up a world of possibilities to think about. Read below for tips on hiking with your dog on your next RV trip and make sure to check out their website for more information.

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4Tips for RVers who are Planning a Hiking Trip with Dogs

RVs and hiking go hand-in-hand. And what better way to make your RV and hiking trip even better than to bring your dogs along? When you’re a dog lover, leaving your dog at home while you explore the great outdoors just doesn’t feel right. Thanks to the comforts of RVs, your four-legged friend can enjoy their trip as much as if they were home. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when traveling with a pup.

Stay at a dog-friendly campground

Pet policies exist almost everywhere in the country and campgrounds are no different. In fact, there are some pretty strict rules when it comes to pets. A number of national parks don’t allow pets at all while others require that the pup stays on a leash whenever outside. Wherever you’re going, research the rules beforehand. If you don’t see anything online about a certain campground, give them a call and double check. The last thing you want is to get to your dream destination only to find that you won’t be allowed to stay because of your dog.

Buckle Fido up!

Seatbelts aren’t just for humans after all. We’ve all been tempted to let our furry friend sit on our laps while we drive but this isn’t in the best interest for you or your dog. Sitting with Fido on your lap can lead to some serious distracted driving and cause an accident. Keep both you and your dog safe by putting him in a seatbelt harness or crate while driving. If you do opt for a crate, ensure that it is secured down so that is it not sliding around while you drive. Whichever way you decide, just make sure that he is in the same vehicle as you. Not left alone in the camper that you’re pulling. The great thing about a motorhome style RV is there are more options to keep your dog safe while on the road.

Incorporate exercise

If you’re planning on going hiking with your pup, this shouldn’t be too difficult since you’ll be taking them with. Sitting in the car for hours is torture for the animals. If your RV is big enough to play fetch, great! If not, find some dog-friendly parks along the way. Not only will he enjoy running around but he’ll love meeting new friends. If you do take them hiking with you, double check that you have extra water for them, especially if it’s warm out. They need it just as much as you.

Pack for your pup

Lastly, don’t forget to pack for your pup. You want to make sure your dog has all the tools necessary in order to have a great vacation too. You’ll want to bring his leash, collar, toys, bedding, food/food bowls, cleaning supplies for accidents, the medication he might need, and proof of vaccines (just in case). It’s also helpful to bring things like a blanket they are familiar with to help them feel like they’re at home. This is especially useful if you run into some bad weather.

Dogs make great companions both in life and on RV trips. They love to see the world and experience everything with you as much as possible. If you follow these tips, you can be sure that you and your pup will have the best trip possible. And who knows? Maybe he’ll become your permanent travel buddy.

Inspiring Health & Wellness

2018-12-09T13:44:00.000-06:00

At this time of year I spend a lot of time reflecting on all that has happened in the past year. Life got a little busy this year with adopting a new dog, nurturing a growing relationship with Alan, and spending time and money on house projects. All of that has left me feeling like I've neglected getting outside and exploring nature this year. The lack of hiking and walking has left me with a few extra pounds that I didn't have last year, so my health and wellness has suffered a bit with all this busy-ness too.

Not letting hunting season stop us from hiking... sporting our blaze orange!

A few weeks back, I mentioned how I just started up again with our weeknight walks around the neighborhood. I had stopped doing these when we adopted Jake because it became too physically difficult for me to control both dogs by myself. Instead of doing the logical thing - walking them separately, I just stopped walking altogether.

That loss of exercise combined with a very hot and humid summer left me a few pounds heavier by this fall. I was surprised to see the scales tipping at close to 145 lbs. - almost 10 lbs gained in a year and a half.

I know that doesn't sound like much to some, but on my small 5'4" frame, it adds up. Maybe not visually so much, but physically I felt unhealthy. My knees started hurting again, my posture was terrible, my back/neck/shoulders were killing me.

And then the real kicker... I had to buy bigger pants. That was the last straw.

I swore after I lost all that weight back in 2015 that I would NEVER buy bigger pants again. So I made a commitment to myself that I would get back on a weeknight walking schedule with the dogs. Now I get even more exercise than before because I have to walk the dogs separately, which guarantees at least an hour and a half of walking each night.

It's been a month since we've been back on this schedule and I've already lost 3 lbs! I'm feeling so much better... my posture has improved, I'm motivated to lift weights and do crunches in my living room again and I have much more energy.

We don't let a little snow stop us from hiking!

I had forgotten how good exercise feels. And now that it's become a habit again, it's easier to stay on track. The LightHound harness is helping me stick with the walking program now that the evenings are dark. And a good pair of fleece-lined pants are keeping my legs warm enough to stay out for longer periods of time. Having the right outdoor hiking gear is important in making your outings enjoyable so you keep on track with a routine.

Sugar-dusted trails sparkle in the sunlight.

I started this blog to document my outdoor adventures with my dogs, inspire and motivate people to get outdoors with their dogs and to provide information and tips on dog-friendly outings. So even though I got off-track on my fitness and outdoor routine this year, I hope I'm still inspiring some of you to discover nature - in all seasons - and get some exercise with your dog. You need the fresh air and exercise as much as they do, so use them as your support group and get out there!

My little kitchen/office assistant.

Stay tuned for our winter outdoor adventures now that we're heading into the next season - we have a lot of fun things planned! We're making sure that the colder weather doesn't keep us from enjoying nature and getting exercise.

No more excuses!

Jake begging for crumbs under the kitchen table, watching me eat.

Review: Noxgear LightHound Harness

2018-11-25T15:29:00.003-06:00

I ordered the Noxgear LightHound Harness weeks ago and we've been anxiously awaiting its arrival. Unfortunately they were back-ordered for a while and then the recent fires in California delayed the resupply. But we finally got it delivered the Friday after Thanksgiving and had a chance to test it out last night!

NOTE: This review is purely one dog-lover's review/opinion for other dog-lover's informational purposes. I have no affiliation with Noxgear and did not receive anything in exchange for my review. Product was purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own. I urge you to research any purchase on your own to determine if it's something you want to buy. I hope this review helps you make that decision. (Jake is wearing size Large in the following photos/videos).

The box it came in was so small, I was worried that I'd received the wrong item, but sure enough it was the LightHound harness. I took it out of the box and adjusted the straps to fit on the dogs to see if I'd ordered the correct size - everything fit perfectly and the harness was so easy to figure out that I barely even looked at the instructions.

Once the straps were adjusted to fit both dogs, we tested the different lighting options. There are several solid colors to choose from and also a few "preset" light sequences, including a blinking one called "disco dog!"

Last night, when I walked the dogs, there was a light rain so it was the perfect opportunity to test out the harnesses "rainproof" ability. Jake doesn't like walking in the rain very much, so we had a very short walk around our neighborhood and then I switched out the harness so Charlie could take a test run. (*Note: This harness is not waterproof, only rainproof, so make sure not to let your dog go swimming in it!)

Charlie loves to walk, no matter the weather, so we were out for over 40 minutes. I let Charlie choose which direction she wanted to go and she immediately headed toward downtown Wausau on one of the more well-lit streets. She got a lot of attention from passers-by that wanted to check out her blinky harness and give her some love. On our way back home, Charlie wandered through some darker streets where we had a chance to test the extent of the visibility of the harness.

While I liked the blinking "disco dog" mode for visibility of the dogs, it was a bit distracting to my eyes and made it hard for me to concentrate on the sidewalk. I think once we get a layer of snow on the sidewalks, I'll be using one of the solid blue or white light settings to help us navigate any icy spots during night walks.

Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase.These were my objectives for buying this harness:

1. Make sure the dogs are visible during night walks so we don't get hit by cars while crossing roads.
2. Light up the sidewalk so I can see where we're going on icy winter walks.
3. Something rechargeable so I'm not constantly replacing batteries.

Icy sidewalks (and the fear of falling) is my number one excuse to not walk in the winter. And since I just started getting back into a walking routine with the dogs (taking one dog at a time so I can physically handle them), I don't want the impending snow/ice to hold me back from continuing to get exercise this season. All of my issues with winter walking will be handled quite well by this harness. I'm positive this harness will help us stay active all season!

VIDEO #1 ~ demonstration of LightHound Harness (click link):

VIDEO #2 ~ demonstration of light mode and fit (click link):

**This product was purchased with my own money and I did not receive anything in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I would never promote something I didn't believe in.**

Visits & Reunion

2018-11-15T20:56:00.000-06:00

Backseat beggar at Culver's... watching me eat lunch and waiting for his share.

Jake and I headed south on a road trip - just the two of us - last weekend. Our first destination was to my stepmom's house in Platteville to meet her new puppy, River. This would be Jake's first time visiting my family's homestead on 40 acres of rolling hillsides in the Driftless Region of the state and I was curious to see how he would do off-leash on this country property without Charlie leading the way.

VIDEO~River and Jake learning to play together (Click Link):

River is an almost 6-month-old black lab and currently un-neutered (although his surgery is scheduled soon!). Jake and River hit it off immediately and became quick friends, although Jake would soon run out of patience with River's constant humping. That was one aspect I hadn't realized would be an issue, but Jake was a very good boy and corrected River's behavior appropriately, giving him a growl and little snap when he'd had enough.

VIDEO~Inappropriate puppy behavior (click link):

It was interesting watching Jake handling a younger (and more annoying) puppy... almost like a taste of his own medicine considering how he plays with Charlie and pushes his luck with her. River also had not learned "bite inhibition" yet and still had some sharp baby teeth... Jake did a good job teaching River what was acceptable and what was not.

They played with toys well together and chased each other around the yard, always doing a good job staying close to the house and not wandering off in search of adventures on their own. I was very pleased with how well Jake stayed in the yard.

After dinner on Saturday night, Jake seemed restless and was pacing around a bit. I kept thinking he had to go potty, but then realized he was waiting to go home! This was his first "overnight" trip somewhere and he didn't know that we were staying. I used the same words I used on Charlie when she went through the same situation as a puppy... "we're staying here" "let's go nu-night" "lay down on your bed" etc. He quickly caught on and immediately slumped into his bed and passed out - he was exhausted! I think he was relieved that he could stay and just lay down and rest. River had tired him out completely.

Sleepy Jake

The next morning, we packed up the car and headed over to my sister's house in Deerfield where Jake would get to meet her dog, Bella. In addition to this next new visit, Jake's original foster parents were going to stop by and visit with him too!

Jake did great meeting Bella and they quickly warmed up to each other, romping around and playing with toys. My nieces also got to meet Jake for the first time.

Jake chilling out with my niece while she reads him a story.

VIDEO~Jake and Bella playing (click link):

When Jake's foster parents arrived, his little wiggle-butt started wagging from side to side and he got pretty excited. I don't know if he remembered them or not, but he enjoys meeting people so much! Everyone got a chance to catch up and watch Jake being silly and playful with the kids.

Sunday was a long day of driving and visiting, so Jake was more than happy to curl up in a sunspot in the backseat of the car and sleep all the way home.

His reunion with Charlie when we got home was very sweet too... you could tell they missed each other and Jake seemed relieved and happy to be back home with his pack.

Sidenote: Charlie spent the weekend with her daddy... watching football, eating treats and sleeping. According to Alan, Charlie played with her toy for about 5 minutes and then slept the rest of the time. I think it was a nice break for her to catch up on her rest and spend some quality time alternating her naps between her dog bed and Alan's lap. What a sweetheart!

If you're planning a road trip with your dog, here are some tips to help make the journey successful:

Secure your dog in the car. Most people find it helpful to keep the pets secured in the backseat where they won't distract the driver. Use a crate, a harness and seatbeat combo or some other barrier to keep the dogs in the back. There are several products available these days. Luckily for me, Jake prefers the backseat so I didn't need to use anything specific for him... just made him a comfortable spot to sleep.
Bring comforts of home... pack their dog bed, bowls, blankets, treats, food, toys, etc. These things help a dog settle down once you arrive at your destination, giving them the security of something familiar.
Take a lot of breaks for walks and potty breaks. Dogs are like kids... it's hard to sit still for long periods of time. Let them stretch their legs and get some fresh air.

Safe travels everyone!

Separation Anxiety

2018-11-08T06:21:00.002-06:00

Charlie and Jake have grown very close since he's joined our family a little over 6 months ago. I'm constantly observing their behavior and play-style to make sure everyone is getting along and also because it's just plain entertaining.

Overall I feel that Charlie enjoys having a playmate but Jake tires her out with his constant demands. He prefers playing with Charlie over me or Alan... he doesn't quite understand how to play with humans and I think he's worried he'll get too rough. He's a very sensitive dog and is always trying to please.

Charlie's gotten skilled at letting Jake know when she's had enough playtime and she has plenty of room to go rest somewhere away from him.

Also, I've been taking them for separate walks at night so they each get one-on-one time with me and time apart from each other. Charlie really enjoys this personal time, but Jake cries like a baby when Charlie and I leave him behind with his grandma.

He's slowly getting better about being separated from Charlie for short periods of time and I think this is important so he doesn't become too dependent on her. I want him to feel comfortable in any situation and not rely on her for all his emotional support. It's important for him to be confident when he's left alone or separated from Charlie so he doesn't develop separation anxiety.

Which is why I'm taking him with me for a road trip this weekend - just the two of us! We'll be heading down to Platteville to visit my stepmom and her new puppy. I'm also planning a short visit with my sister near Madison and hopefully Jake's foster mom will be able to stop by for a visit with him.

Charlie will be spending the weekend with Alan, getting one-on-one time with her daddy. I'm sure she'll enjoy the easy restful weekend watching football and eating treats.

This will be the first time that Jake and Charlie will be separated for this long, but I'm sure they'll both do great! Jake will be so distracted playing with a new puppy, stopping for some fun hikes during the road trip and meeting new people, plus it will build his confidence being out on his own and be a good bonding time for the two of us. I'm really looking forward to a fun weekend!

Safe Hiking During Hunting Season

2018-11-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again when I have to limit which trails and parks we visit due to the busy hunting season.

VIDEO~Dogs wearing Blaze Orange last weekend (click link):

VIDEO~Dogs without blaze orange from previous week's hike (click link):

Obviously there are different hunting seasons throughout the year, but in Wisconsin, the big one is for deer and turkey hunting. Both have different restrictions and seasons, so it's important to check with local resources to find out where and when hunts are occurring.

I always visit our local DNR website to find out what types of hunts are going on and where. I also did a search of area parks and know that there are two parks in my county that don't allow hunting at any time of the year. Since Charlie is noise-reactive, I choose to stick to those parks when any gun hunting is going on, although we can't always avoid all gunshot noises since some noises carry over great distances and waterfowl can be hunted on the lakes and rivers surrounding those parks.

In any case, over the years we have become comfortable with one particular park that has everything we're looking for - secluded areas where the dogs can run off-leash, no hunting inside the park, and lots of acres to explore. It's a bit longer of a drive to get there, but always worthwhile once we arrive.

It can be beyond frustrating to hike with a noise-reactive dog during hunting seasons, as I've experienced before, but with the proper planning and preparation, you can have a great time! Don't let hunting season keep you indoors; there are almost always options to get outside.

Here are some tips to keep you safe while having fun (especially with a reactive dog):

Wear bright colors, or preferably blaze orange, when you are hiking during hunting season. Even if hunting is not allowed where you are hiking, it's best to be seen just in case. There are a variety of things dogs can wear to help them be seen in the woods... from expensive hiking vests to something homemade. My dogs always wear a Ruffwear harness when hiking - these can be pricey but they're so well-made that you'll only have to buy it once. Even though these are colorful, I also have the dogs wear a blaze orange neck warmer that I bought at the local hardware store for about $5.00. If you can't find a neck warmer that will go around your dog's neck, you could buy a knit cap and cut the top off it so it'll fit around their neck for a rather inexpensive way to make sure your dog is not mistaken for a deer.

Realize that you may have to cut your hike short if your dog hears something that causes them to react. It's no fun for anyone to force them to stay on the trail if they're too scared. Always try to make outdoor activities fun so your dog will want to go along. There have been times when Charlie and I were out in the middle of nowhere when she had an episode and we had a long and grueling hike to get back to the car; it happens. Just try to end each hike on a happy note (lots of treats and praise) so your dog doesn't get too fearful to get back out there. We have had situations where I've been forced to abandon going on certain trails because Charlie had one bad experience and every time we went back she became fearful... just from the previous memories. It's okay to put some trails "on hold" until your dog is ready to go back... and when they do, make sure you have lots of GOOD treats to make it fun again.

Keep your dog ON-LEASH when hiking in hunting zones. Even if they are visible, they could disrupt wildlife and hunters causing a bad experience for everyone. It's just plain polite to keep your dog on-leash if there is a chance they'll run into other hikers, hunters or wildlife. I make sure that the trails where Charlie and Jake are off-leash are secluded non-hunting zones and we're not bothering anyone else (we have secret side-trails we use to get off the main trails). Since Jake's recall isn't that great yet, I sometimes keep him on-leash and let Charlie off-leash if I can't handle both of them myself.

If you have a reactive dog, know the trail and what to expect ahead of time, even if this means going there by yourself to scout it first. Just because something looks good on a map or website doesn't always mean it'll work for you and your dogs. This is a worthwhile time investment to ensure you all have a good experience.

VIDEO~The "unglamorous" side of hiking with dogs (click link):

What other tips or tricks do you have for good hiking experiences with your dogs? Have you ever had an issue hiking during hunting seasons?

#optoutside

Finding Time for Everything

2018-11-04T14:20:00.002-06:00

The past couple of weeks have been a blur... and all of a sudden October is over and November is here! How did that happen so fast?

Our weekends have been filled with chores like getting the house/garden/yard projects done before it starts snowing while trying to fit in time to exercise the dogs along with some "down time" to relax before we head back to work on Mondays.

This past week was Halloween, so I had some busy nights making treats for a work potluck and getting ready for trick-or-treaters. Halloween was a night that I couldn't walk the dogs because there were a lot of people out in our neighborhood and Charlie would have been too reactive, so we set up a good place for them to watch on the porch and put them in the house when things got to be too much for them.

Evenings are so short now that it's getting dark earlier and I've been spending more time walking the dogs after dinner than previously since we're not getting out to parks or hiking trails anymore. The evening dog walks have become very time-consuming but also very necessary - for both me and the dogs (more on that in a future post).

In all honesty, the dogs haven't been getting regular walks at all over the summer. If I'm not taking them somewhere where they can run off-leash, we pretty much stay in the backyard to play. With Jake gaining a pound a week since I adopted him, they've become too much for me to physically handle on leashed city walks. If Charlie gets reactive while we're out, Jake follows her lead and having TWO reactive dogs on leash is just too difficult for me to control.

My cuties in the background behind me.

For a while, I stopped walking altogether. I felt guilty if I went for a walk by myself to get some exercise, I couldn't take them both along and I figured it would take too long to walk them separately. But when I realized how much weight I've gained over the summer from inactivity and how sore my body was from sitting at my desk job all day, I decided it was worth the almost 2-hour time commitment to walk them separately so we could all get some fresh air and exercise on weeknights.

That's the thing though. If you want to be healthy and have healthy dogs you have to commit to the necessary time it takes to make that happen. I'll admit it takes some pre-planning to make sure you have time for everything that needs to be accomplished in a regular week, but you can do it!

This is what a typical week looks like for me:

Monday thru Friday I wake at 5am, shower, feed the dogs, get ready for work and do light chores like dishes, putting away laundry, vacuum one room a day. I make old-fashioned oatmeal with blueberries every morning and always make a little extra to share with the dogs. I also drink almost a pot of coffee throughout the morning, but stop by noon so it doesn't interfere with my sleep.
I take about 15 minutes to lift some handweights or do sit-ups each morning (alternating different target areas for different days).
Then I'm off to work from 8am-5pm. I come home at lunch to play with the dogs and eat a healthy lunch (usually salad, which I also share with the dogs so they can get some veggies too).
After work, I feed the dogs, change my clothes and then take Jake for a 45-minute walk and when I return, Charlie gets her 45-minute walk. Charlie always goes second since the neighborhoods have quieted down by then and there are less people/dogs out to trigger her reactivity issues.
When I return, I maybe watch t.v. for a little bit or read a book in bed. Then I'm in bed asleep by 9pm. I'm the kind of person who needs 8 hours of sleep each night or I'm a complete wreck the next day!

You'll notice that I don't eat dinner. Because I sit at my desk all day, I'm prone to snacking a lot. I try to keep my snacks healthy - fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc. So by the time I get home, I'm not really hungry for a heavy meal. If I feel too hungry, I have a glass of chocolate milk or a cup of tea and that usually takes care of any hunger pains. I actually sleep much better when I don't eat dinner.

"Date night" with the dogs... eating popcorn and watching them play.

A couple nights a week, I either stay over at Alan's house or he stays at mine, which always changes the schedule a little bit. I'll sometimes eat dinner on those nights since I'm not walking the dogs, and we play and wrestle with the dogs inside to get them exercised. Our "date nights" consist of trying to watch a movie or t.v. show, but almost always we end up watching the dogs play instead... they are WAY more entertaining! I also get the dogs some new toys once in a while so they have something fun to do if we're not going to be walking or hiking. Any kind of enrichment activity like this is a good substitute for occasional days off from the routine.

Weekends are a time to do errands, meal prep, bigger chores around the house and typically a trip to a hiking trail or a park to run off-leash.

I find that sticking to a routine like this helps me stay on-track health-wise and gives the dogs something concrete to look forward to. Obviously things come up and not every day can be this tightly scheduled, but overall, this works for us.

If you're struggling to find time for healthful activities like walking, hiking or eating right, I urge you to take a look at your week in advance and find the pockets of time that are available. I'm notorious for making excuses not to do the weight-lifting and strength exercises in the morning... I would rather read a book with my cup of coffee... but it's really quite reasonable to take 10 minutes to do something each morning and it's amazing how good you'll feel after doing it for a week or two.

Also, when I find that I'm comparing myself to everyone else on social media who seem to have time for everything, including posting fabulous pictures of themselves with their dogs in stunning locations, I take a deep breath, close the apps on my phone and snuggle with the dogs in bed and remind myself of all the things I have to be grateful for.

Time spent with those I love is always more important than competing with virtual strangers for the best Instagram feed. And seriously, if you are a regular person like me, there is NOT enough time in the day to do it all!

VIDEO~New Toys! (click link):

VIDEO~Almost Sharing (click link):

So send your love, gratitude and inspiration into the world to help others and then step away and appreciate the ones you love that are right next to you. And remember that you are providing a warm, safe, loving home to your fur-baby and whatever little things you can do to brighten their lives is enough. You are enough.

Happy Halloween!

#dogmomlife

Birthday Weekend Hike

2018-10-21T18:30:00.000-05:00

Despite the 35 degree temps and blustery winds this morning, I was determined to get outside with the dogs for a hike today!

Alan and I have been working on house projects for the last few weeks, getting ready for winter, so the dogs have been getting a bit of cabin fever waiting for some good weather to hike. I owed them something fun since it's their birthday month and the "nice" weather will be gone soon.

With the sun shining on our faces, we headed out to one of our favorite parks for some off-leash time. The dogs had a blast! We saw hawks, several deer and an eagle! The dogs even had a fun time chasing a deer that happened to cross our trail... although it was rather short-lived since both dogs were already pretty tired out by then. They both trotted slowly back to me after only a minute or two of chase.

VIDEO~Jake watches an eagle take flight (click link):

When an eagle took flight from a nearby branch as we approached the water's edge, Jake watched in awe as it flew across to another island. I love watching him experience things for the first time... Charlie has already seen tons of eagles in her 8 years, but to Jake, this was the first one.

VIDEO~Exploring the trail (click link):

A thin layer of ice had begun to form on the ponds and along the shallows. Jake crunched through and then started eating the pieces that floated away. Too cute! It reminded me of his first hike... just 6 months ago, when there was still a thin layer of winter ice on the water at this same park. Crazy how the summer went by so fast. Soon enough it'll be winter again and Jake will get to go snow-shoeing for the first time.

VIDEO~Sharing a stick (click link):

Tired pups loaded into the car for a sleepy drive home. Jake laid in the backseat in a sun spot and Charlie was in front with her head resting on my lap. I cranked the heat and cracked open a few windows so we could have fresh air while staying warm... something my dad used to do on road trips when we were kids. I always think of him when I do this. He said the fresh air helped keep him awake on long drives. I do it just because fresh air is awesome and I'm sure the dogs like it too.

Afternoon was spent doing chores while the dogs snoozed in sun spots. It was a good weekend with a lot accomplished, but hiking is always my favorite part.

Jake's 1st Birthday!

2018-10-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

The weather is unusually cold and rainy for this time of October. Typically we'd be enjoying days with temps in the low 50's and the autumn leaf color would be at peak. But this morning it was a chilly 38 degrees with howling winds and snow flurries and most of our leaves have blown off already from the stormy rains and winds of the past week or two. Instead of a fun hiking excursion like I had planned, we stuck to the backyard and playing at Alan's house today since the windchill was pretty cold. We took advantage of the occasional bouts of sunshine peeking out from clouds to play outside in the yard and took a long scenic drive as well.

JAKE ~ 6 months old (adoption day!)

JAKE ~ 1 year old!

Jake has been with our family for just a little over 6 months now... and today is his first birthday! It's hard to imagine that around this time last year he was born as a stray in Texas... and now he's a pampered pup in Wisconsin! Strange how life works sometimes.

Jake continues to grow but his weight-gain has slowed a bit in the last few weeks and I'm hoping he'll plateau soon. I took him to the vet this morning to get weighed and get a refill of his Bravecto tick meds. His official weight today is 54.5 lbs, which means he's gained about 24 lbs in 6 months. My big boy!!!

We went to the pet store after the vet's office and let Jake pick out some treats. He always seems mostly interested in the smoked bone display but since I'm not a big fan of those treats, we always bypass it. But today I let him have one... and Charlie got one too. I think he's pretty happy with his treat selection.

VIDEO (Jake's Birthday Bone):

Jake is pretty adorable when he gets a special treat like a bully stick, beef trachea or duck foot. He always gives me this look of surprise when he first takes the treat in his mouth, like he can't believe what a lucky boy he is! Then he runs into the living room and tosses the treat up in the air a few times. He then races downstairs to show Grandma his treat and toss it up in the air a few times for her to see too. Then he comes racing back upstairs into the living room to roll around with it a few minutes before he finally starts actually eating it. Usually by this time, Charlie has either eaten her treat completely or is almost finished. Then as Jake takes his sweet time enjoying his treat, Charlie gives me the "stink eye" like I gave him a bigger treat or more treats than her and that is why he still has some and hers is gone.

Jake is a cuddle-bug. I've never had such a cuddly dog... and I absolutely love it! Jake always wants to be near me and at night he glues himself next to me in bed. He gives kisses by putting his snout right up to your mouth or nose. He has an affinity for sniffing things very hard! He'll put his nose right on something and inhale deeply. Sometimes I wonder what exactly he's smelling or why some things are so darn interesting! Just the other morning, he was lying on the bathroom floor while I got ready for work and he stuck his nose right into the crack between two tiles and inhaled so deeply and for so long! I just laughed at my big goofball. Not sure what he was sniffing, but whatever it was, it had his undivided attention.

VIDEO (Jake was pretty excited about the snow!):

We still haven't put a lot of work into "training" Jake on commands. He understands the basics (and honestly I think he knows more than he lets on), but sometimes he just gives us this blank stare with the cutest face. It's hard to resist those eyes. He could also just be stubborn. Who knows. I'm not ready to push him to learn. I accept him for who he is and understand that he's a different dog than Charlie. Where Charlie is all about toys and playing and games to keep her mind active, Jake is more about giving and receiving love. Having these two dogs is the perfect balance of everything you could want in pets - one very play-driven and one very loving.

Jake starts doggie daycamp next week. Just one day a week to get him socialized with other dogs and give him a full day of playtime. I think Charlie will also enjoy this "day off" to just nap and relax without having Jake trying to instigate wrestling and playtime. We'll take it week by week and see how he does. Two of my friends have their dogs at this daycare so I think it'll be a good opportunity for Jake to get to know them so we can have playdates together in the future.

Jake and Peanut in the backseat, Charlie of course is in front.

Both dogs have been spoiled with a lot of new toys and treats lately. Alan buys them stuff for when we're at his house and I have multiple bins of toys at my place now. We rotate the toys to make sure they always have something "new" to play with. Jake has a short attention span when it comes to toys and his favorite activity is taking each toy out of the bin (one by one), playing with it for 30 seconds and then getting a new toy. After I pick up all the toys and put them away, he starts over. My house looks like a disaster all the time because it's impossible to keep the toys picked up. But I love that "lived in" look of a house with a dog.

Today is a special day but it is also a day just like all the other days. These dogs are the center of my world and they know so much love. We don't save it up for special days; every day is special.

Happy Birthday Jake!

Here are a few photos from Jake's foster family when they first got him back in February (he was found with his other littermates in a field in Texas, abandoned and starving at almost 4 months old, all of them had giardia and ringworm - Jake bears the scars on his left side from ringworm where his fur won't grow back):

Jake (right) with one of his littermates during their rescue.

Jake at his foster family... slowly getting well and putting on weight.

Jake with his foster family.

Jake learning how to do stairs at his foster family.