Camping in the canyon

Hey folks. It's been a couple marvelous days out amongst the beauty of nature. Without a doubt, Buddy was having the time of his life, that is, when I wasn't pushing him to go on down areas of the highway that he wasn't comfortable with. We've got lots of photos and videos to share. So check 'em out and enjoy.

 

In our first few hours in the wild, Buddy got in   

 touch with his inner carnivore. I believe this was 

 a rabbit and since he'd already eaten a lot of it,  

 there didn't seem to be any point in scolding him.

 

 

 

    A little fun on the banks of the Naches River 

 

 

Hangin' out at camp
 

At home in the wild
 

Wonder Dog
 

 

 

 

   

  This is the area we camped at: Tim's Pond.     

 

 

Buddy having a bit of trouble finding his footing.

 

 



 

          

Camping

Buddy and I will be camping out near Tim's pond for the next couple of days. I'll be sure to post updates when we return, along with videos of the trip.

So far...

Hey everyone,

There's not a lot to share at the moment. Buddy and I did about fifteen miles yesterday before going back to my place to take a rest. Amazingly, when he got back to his home, he still had the energy to spin circles around Camie for an hour. He doesn't seem nearly as distressed when I leave him for the night, and when I come in the morning, he's right there at the gate, ready to go.

He totally crashed after we finished our walk yesterday.

I let him off his leash on the Greenway for the first time this morning, and apart from getting a little distracted by a female, he stayed around and always returned when I called. So, I thought I'd add this short video of our training exercises so you can check out what we've been doing.

 

All in all, things are going well. His eye seems to be on the mend, so perhaps it's true that good things come in small packages. And yes, there has been enough in the tube for more than 2 doses. He actually appears to enjoy getting the ear cleanings now (quite a different story from the first attempt), and his appetite is improving.

One week down

Well, we've completed a week together, and things appear to be going pretty well. Buddy and I walked a few miles this morning, but then spent the afternoon lounging at home, watching Star Trek. Buddy was happy to shred the bone from the steak I had. I've never seen a dog consume a T bone quite so fast. I don't think it took him more than five minutes.

Anyway, his eye is looking a little better today and he's not fighting me anymore when it comes to applying the ointment to his ear. I'm hoping he'll be at his peak this week as I'd like to do a proper hike and test him in a tent overnight.

Vets aren't cheap

Buddy had a check up today. Ostensibly, he has a spot of conjunctivitis in his right eye, probably from a cat scratch, and a slight infection in the left ear. So, we got some outrageously expensive ointments (38.50$ for 3 grams)  which will hopefully solve the problem, that is if there's enough for more than a couple doses.

The vet was quite impressed by his demeanor and said that he ought to make a fine companion for the upcoming trek. We'll have to keep on top of the yeast build up in his ears to prevent any further problems there, but that's a simple solution with a bit of vinegar.

We only walked around five miles today, but I'd say that Buddy had earned a little rest. We spent the afternoon and evening at my folks, and the pooch was treated to a beef hip bone which he appeared to enjoy immensely as he watched me BBQ.

Learning to trust

Today Buddy hit a big mile marker in his training when he remained laying in a docile state for ten minutes while I was in a store. Unbenounced to him, I was able to watch him through the window the whole time. He didn't get anxious or bark at people coming in. So I guess we're learning to trust each other more.

On a slightly sad note, this morning I found that his left eye was producing quite a lot of puss signifying that some infection has set in. It may have been from a scratch or perhaps contracted from another dog. In any case, by the end of the day it seemed to be pretty much the same. So, if it's still oozing tomorrow, we'll run by the vet to get some drops. Hopefully, that'll clear up any problem.

These kinds of things will probably happen many times if Buddy accompanies me across the country. With any luck, he'll be able to handle the stresses and havoc that long distances wreak on the body. So far, he's doing remarkably well.

Here are a couple videos from walking today. Funny little quirk... since Wednesday, every time we pass a picnic table, he wants to climb on top of it. So, we're using that as his comfort zone.

Notice that the leash is usually quite slack, whereas two days ago, it would have been tight enough to play a note. The more we walk together, the more in pace with my step he walks. I'm sure there's a spiritual parallel in there somewhere but I'll leave that one alone.

Howling at the train

We started off the day in the usual way, a cup of coffee and the morning news. Interestingly, Buddy has a peculiar thing for trains. I've noticed two mornings in a row that when the 8 o'clock comes through and blows its whistle, he always responds with a long, resonating howl. It's quite a thing to behold.

Anyway, I took him south on the Greenway today, and we stopped in the arboretum for a couple hours to play ball. There's also a dog park there where Buddy was able to make a few friends and run free, though the husky he was playing with certainly gave him a run for his money.

I was so happy to find that when I let up on the leash later in the day, Buddy was staying completely in step. We must have gone a good three miles without him tugging or pulling me one bit. In passing, several people commented on what a well-behaved dog he was. This thing with the leash was a huge victory, since my right hand was starting to get a big blister. However, I'd determined not to use any sort of pain inflicting collar as it seemed counter productive to building a rapport, regardless of what some experts might say.

A zen moment on a picnic table

 

Training at Franklin Park

 

 

 

Buddy's doing so well. He's already mastered the table and is quite disciplined here considering that there were two other dogs walking right behind me. 

Discipline

Day 2

 

Arriving a little earlier this morning, I found Buddy waiting at the gate. He looked ready to hit the road, so after hanging out a little while in the carriage house, we got his new blanket and headed out. I was happy to see Camie, one of Dawn's canine friends, in the yard--she and Buddy didn't hit it off too well in the beginning--and though Buddy was there, she didn't seem perturbed by his presence.

 

Anyway, we first stopped off for a cup of coffee since I still hadn't completely woken up. It's funny, everywhere we go people say, "That's one good-looking dog." Hopefully, he won't let it go to his head. I wanted to see how Buddy would react to a lot of different stimuli, so we got back on the road and walked a few miles to a PetCo (not sure if he'd been there before). Man, he was all over that place, sniffing everything he possibly could. He sampled some treats and found one kind (garlic and onion) that he particularly liked.

 

After that I got some breakfast and Buddy basked in the sun. He's displayed remarkable control when I tell him to submit and stay. Now that he doesn't seem quite so under the weather, I keep him on a tight leash. I've noticed that if he has his way, he'll drag me in every direction--that wouldn't do at all on a trek across the country. Consequently, for the next few days, I won't be giving him any extra slack. The plan is to get him accustomed to walking right by my side, tuned to my steps and responsive to my every prompt. He's already stopped pulling, and obeys immediately when I say "stop," "sit" and "let's go" at zebra crossings.

 

Back at my house, he crashed on the floor almost immediately. We spent a couple hours there recharging the batteries; then, headed off to pick up my last month's pay cheque. It's neat to see how personable he is. Everywhere we go he's looking to make a friend.

 

Taking five at Sonic

Restin' the paws

 

An introduction to walking



Day 1

Catching his breath

Buddy and I did about 10 miles today. After introducing him to my local Barista, I took him down to the Greenway trail. You could tell after a few miles that he was feeling a bit uncertain about the duration of the trip. When it started snowing, he began to look back repeatedly as if to say, "That's enough for one day. Let's head back." Sorry Buddy. No such luck. We've got to get you in shape for the long haul.

We arrived in Selah to meet my little nephew who adores dogs. Buddy was either especially well behaved, or just too exhausted to make a fuss. He spent most of the visit just resting on the floor.

Back on the Greenway, we worked on his response to verbal command. Buddy sits on cue which is a great start. Now the challenge will be getting him to walk properly by my side. Being a pup, he's all wound up. Every bird and squirrel sends him into an elated frenzy. But I intend to temper that energy so that he will exercise more restraint.
When we arrived back at Dawn's home in the evening, I got him situated in the carriage house and he laid down as if to sleep. But as I got up to leave, there were a few whines of protest. So he's obviously still feeling a little sad and maybe a bit lonely.

Taking a rest while Elias has some breakfast.

I think he'll be alright, since he's pretty tired. All in all, it was a cold, but pretty good day. Buddy's full of potential. I look forward to seeing how he'll do tomorrow.

 



 

Initial meetings

Mom and I took a drive out to Ellensburg today where we met a delightful half Doberman, half lab named Buddy. Playful as a puppy, and with the potential to be a real good friend, he's quite an amazing dog. Since his current owners will be moving, and cannot take him along we've decided to bring him out to Yakima for a couple weeks--sort of a test run, if you will--to see how he adjusts and whether he'll make a good traveling companion for the next leg of the upcoming hike.

Once we arrived in town, Mom took off and Buddy and I spent a little over an hour walking around Yakima. Though he likes to tug and gets sidetracked from time-to-time, I can tell that he won't be difficult to train. He's certainly a curious fellow, and was fully amiable to all those we came across.

He's currently boarding at a friend's place. She has a carriage barn in her backyard that should provide for a comfortable sleep. I know that Buddy was feeling a bit insecure when I left this evening. He doubtlessly felt the stress of separation from family and familiar surroundings; however, I hope that the time we spend training tomorrow will build the foundation of trust and allow him to get comfortable in this new place.