TrishandAlex
New member
Copied from http://trishgrid.blogspot.com
Accompanying pictures can be found there.
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Mt. Tecumseh Trail from ski parking lot, 5 miles roundtrip.
Guess I won't be solo hiking for a while; Max, our border terrier, is old enough to accompany me on 4Ks.
Border terriers were bred to keep up with horses during fox hunts; they are energetic and hardy little dogs, and they require a lot of exercise. When I asked the breeder and our vet about the minimum age for safe 4K hiking, both told me Max would probably be ready at six months. As long as we walk and don't run, and as long as I pay attention to his rather obvious cues, hiking will be good for him.
Here he is, ready to roll...
Max was a happy little pup as we set off along the trail. His tail was high and wagging, his ears were perked up, he walked with a bounce in his step...and then we came to....a water crossing.
Water crossings scare the bejeesus out of Max. All four paws dig into the ground in the classic nuh-uh-I'm-not-budging pose and that's the end of that. In the woods around my house, I pick him up and carry him over any water we come across. For 4Ks, however, all steps must be walked on one's own two feet (or four paws), so carrying is an illegal tactic.
Since I'd no intention of dragging my dog across the snowbridge, I came up with a solution that worked for both of us; out came the doggie treats. Max saw the little bones, immediately lost all fear of the water, and followed the moving treats across the stream and up the bank.
Besides the crossings, the hike to the View went smoothly and quickly. Max walked at my normal hiking pace and showed no signs of stress or fatigue. His happiness increased when we took a break to watch the skiers fly down the hill. Max was very, very interested in those skiers and ruffed at me for not allowing him to give chase.
Next came the never-ending slog part, one mile of repetitive this:
I thought Max would tire at some point along this section, but he never did. Once, he stopped right in front of me and looked up as though expecting something. At first, I thought he was ready to go home, but then I realized it was lunchtime. We took a break, I poured his food into a little bowl, and he ate. When his food was finished, he perked up his ears and continued up the trail.
We conquered the slog and got past the intersection with the Sosman Trail. Views opened to our left...
Max gave me a curious look whenever I used the camera...
Not too much longer....and we made it!
Max ate some treats and drank some water while I took in the views.
We greeted some members of a Boy Scout troop who arrived on the summit while we were resting, then we took our leave and headed down.
Max's tail never stopped wagging, and at home he acted his usual self. Can't wait to take him with us on some backpacking trips this summer.
Accompanying pictures can be found there.
*****************************************
Mt. Tecumseh Trail from ski parking lot, 5 miles roundtrip.
Guess I won't be solo hiking for a while; Max, our border terrier, is old enough to accompany me on 4Ks.
Border terriers were bred to keep up with horses during fox hunts; they are energetic and hardy little dogs, and they require a lot of exercise. When I asked the breeder and our vet about the minimum age for safe 4K hiking, both told me Max would probably be ready at six months. As long as we walk and don't run, and as long as I pay attention to his rather obvious cues, hiking will be good for him.
Here he is, ready to roll...
Max was a happy little pup as we set off along the trail. His tail was high and wagging, his ears were perked up, he walked with a bounce in his step...and then we came to....a water crossing.
Water crossings scare the bejeesus out of Max. All four paws dig into the ground in the classic nuh-uh-I'm-not-budging pose and that's the end of that. In the woods around my house, I pick him up and carry him over any water we come across. For 4Ks, however, all steps must be walked on one's own two feet (or four paws), so carrying is an illegal tactic.
Since I'd no intention of dragging my dog across the snowbridge, I came up with a solution that worked for both of us; out came the doggie treats. Max saw the little bones, immediately lost all fear of the water, and followed the moving treats across the stream and up the bank.
Besides the crossings, the hike to the View went smoothly and quickly. Max walked at my normal hiking pace and showed no signs of stress or fatigue. His happiness increased when we took a break to watch the skiers fly down the hill. Max was very, very interested in those skiers and ruffed at me for not allowing him to give chase.
Next came the never-ending slog part, one mile of repetitive this:
I thought Max would tire at some point along this section, but he never did. Once, he stopped right in front of me and looked up as though expecting something. At first, I thought he was ready to go home, but then I realized it was lunchtime. We took a break, I poured his food into a little bowl, and he ate. When his food was finished, he perked up his ears and continued up the trail.
We conquered the slog and got past the intersection with the Sosman Trail. Views opened to our left...
Max gave me a curious look whenever I used the camera...
Not too much longer....and we made it!
Max ate some treats and drank some water while I took in the views.
We greeted some members of a Boy Scout troop who arrived on the summit while we were resting, then we took our leave and headed down.
Max's tail never stopped wagging, and at home he acted his usual self. Can't wait to take him with us on some backpacking trips this summer.
