The UK has had a long heatwave leading to a drought so rain is a rare thing, which is unusual for the UK. After being out in it for a couple of hours, the novelty wore off though.
We live in the 'burbs but the moors are only a 20 minute drive away. Rex will (barely) tolerate the journey but once we get on the trail there's no stopping him. Sometimes he can be a bit too eager, especially when descending rocky scree tracks and I still bear the scars f when he pulled me into a blackthorn hedge... He's also fascinated by wind turbines so this is a great day out for both of us. I couldn't wish for a better hiking buddy 😍
Took these two out for a local-ish hike this past weekend. I’m fortunate enough to have the AT pass by not too far from home. These guys thoroughly enjoyed the creek in a few places and we had the trail pretty much all to ourselves for the entire hike. Great day to be out there and it makes these two real happy, and tired!! Happy trails everyone!
We brought home our now 9 month old pup in late January and have been so stoked for him to become our hiking buddy! We live in the Canadian Rockies and have taken him on some short hikes in the mountains but have been easing him into it slowly as he's still young and we don't want to overdo it. However, he's already an excellent camper so a couple weeks ago we took him on a long weekend camping adventure to Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan.
Our first full day there it was almost 40 degrees (Celsius), so we packed the pup in the car and did an air-conditioned driving tour to the other block of the park instead of hiking as it was way too hot. The next day it had cooled down to about 28C with a strong breeze so we decided to go for it. We initially planned to only hike a portion of the 15km Timbergulch Trail, but once we got going we were all enjoying it so much that we decided to complete the entire loop (don't worry - I'm an overpacker by nature so even though it started as a shorter hike we had tons of water with us as well as a packed lunch and snacks for the pup).
We were so proud of our dude! The trail was not very technically challenging, the terrain was soft, there was no one else there, and the weather was great, so it ended up being a perfect first long hike for him. We took our time and took lots of breaks, and he was tired at the end but not exhausted (as soon as we got back to the campsite he wanted to go for another walk!). The next day he was in much better shape than both my partner and I (we haven't done a hike this long since before we got him and it shows lol). He is such a happy, active, curious guy who loves seeing and smelling and doing new things and he was so chill and good the whole time. At one point we even encountered a bison lounging not far off the trail and he didn't react at all/didn't even notice it (sidenote: the bison photo was taken on a camera with a crop sensor and a 400mm zoom lens - we weren't actually that close!).
I've wanted a dog for my entire adult life (I'm 42 now) but I waited until the time was right, and somehow I ended up with the literal dog of my dreams. I can't believe I got so lucky, and I can't wait to take him on so many more adventures!
On the way home from our hike this morning. Swipe for evidence that he actually still has ears.
Is very much like hiking with a ghost hunter. It’s just constant ‘What was that?!’, ‘Did you hear that??’, ‘Something just moved over there!’
He’s not actually as observant as he thinks he is. In the third picture you can see a blurry marmot sitting right outside the door of the old cabin, but my dog never did!
Sorry to bother, and I dont know if this is the right post for this community, but here it goes
Spartan is my family's dog — a young Kelpie–German Shepherd mix who's part of our everyday life, not just a pet in the house. He had an accident on Edithvale Road, coming out of the wetlands, and is currently in emergency veterinary care in Victoria. He's stable, but he now needs surgery on his paw to recover properly.
The costs: $4,000 in emergency care so far, plus another ~$8,000 for the surgery he needs. I don't have pet insurance, and I've already used every credit option available to me — I'm a single parent and money's been tight for a while, so there's no cushion for something like this.
If you're able to donate, even a small amount helps enormously. And if you can't, a share does just as much — it only takes a second and it might reach someone who can.
Thank you for reading this far, and for anything you can do for Spartan. 🙏
I would like to preface this by saying I am NOT getting a new dog. We have two AMAZING rescue pups that we love so much, and two is more than enough for us.
But I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about dog breeds and breed traits, and it got me to thinking... What dog breed to most adventure lovers believe is best suited for the outdoor travel lifestyle? Do you think there is a best breed?
My thoughts...
I think it varies depending on your idea of the ideal adventure. Our Anatolian Shepherd mix is a great pup for hanging out at the campsite, relaxing around the fire. She is SUPER happy to just chill and relax. On the other hand, our German Shepherd/Australian Cattle Dog is the best little buddy on my more active adventures. He lives for hiking, swimming, canoeing, etc. I love bringing him along on my backcountry adventures, because he's totally in his element.
Just in case anyone gets triggered, if I'm near any cows Tigger goes on a close lead and we're very careful. And, he's too fat, old and uninterested in sheep.
We just moved out to the North Yorkshire countryside. Lovely rural walks on the doorstep and not too sheepy around here. Stan loves it.
Being out with my dog requires a 2p tent that is not fragile. I currently use a Sea to Summit Telos. What are your favorites?
Sadly old age caught with our beautiful Pip. She conquered many Wainwrights with us. Walking won’t be the same without her.