Day: November 13, 2018

Turkey Tracks:  November 13, 2018

Slaty Magic

AC Slater is probably the last puppy I will every own and train.  If there is another dog in my future, it won’t be a puppy because it would not be fair to the puppy with all his/her puppy energy.  But I’m so enjoying working with AC Slater, who is now 7 months old.  It’s been magic to be out in the woods with a joyful companion who wants to work with me in some way.  So I beg patience from my readers as I experience this doggie magic.

AC on paper is a terrier/hound mix.  He’s a mutt.  He may be the smartest dog I’ve ever had, and he’s as sweet as he can be.  But there’s plenty of fiesty in that body too—along with some retriever genes.  He discovered this past week that he loves water and wants so badly to retrieve something in the water.  By summer he’ll be swimming for tossed sticks I’m sure.  Right now the water is getting too cold, and he has not figured out yet that he can swim.  I come home with a wet dog after every walk, which is ok too.

He points.  He runs ahead to spots he’s found on our walks, points them, and waits in some sort of frozen position for Penny and me to catch up.  He will not move off the spot until I comment on it.

Here there is a hole in the ground on a downhill slope, so it slants down the hill.  Is it an animal den of some sort?  I don’t know.  AC thinks it is highly suspicious though.

Culverts are another attraction, and there are lots of them along our pathways.  Most are small, and I worry he’ll try to go inside and get trapped.  But, here’s one he’s learned he can travel through.  Needless to say, it’s a favorite spot, and he has to go back and forth numerous times before we move on.

I live in an ideal place for dogs.  There are so many pathways where we can let dogs who behave run off leash.  Yes, we pick up doggie waste—or many of us do.  But a young dog like AC can run out his kinks every day.  And owners can go into the woods and fields, can get close to nature, and do get in a good walk themselves.

A few weeks past I bought a year pass to the Maine state parks—and walked one of the paths with the doggies.  The woods were spectacularly orange and gold and red.  It was a treat!  This time of year and mid-week, few people are on many of the trails.  (I carry a phone, and the trails are wide and beautiful.)  So, Slaty runs free once we are away from the trail entrance.

Penny does not like AC’s puppy energy, but she loves to snuggle with him when he’s quieter.  He is a huge snuggler who wants to be plastered to or on other bodies.  I am on the left of them both in this picture.

Today we have heavy rain, so I don’t know if there will be a break for a walk.  I will miss it, and so will AC.  Penny will be quite happy to stay in her bed.