When I thought it was time for me to take Koda to assist her over the rainbow bridge, I decided she had to have a fun last day. So I gave her a stuffed kong and decided to take her on a short hike. We hadn’t been hiking for the last couple of years because her legs were in bad shape. But, hey, she had somehow just jumped in the truck for a car ride a week or so before (still don’t know how she did it), so I figured she could handle a flat hike in the woods.
I knew, from previously hiking it (it had been a long time since we had done what I deemed the hike from hell), that the Dickens trail would be a good one for her. Short and flat, and it had a nice stream, and she loved jumping in the water on our hikes, although I didn’t expect (or even want) her to do it on this hike.
When we started the hike it was just like old times and it was hard to believe she was lame. But she was losing both her eyesight and hearing, so I kept her on leash. I got a photo of her with the water in the background (a big stream) and it was a great last memory. And, btw, she was with me for another month. It’s very hard to make a decision to let a beloved pet go.
Since Buddy is young and I’m taking him on shorter hikes, I decided to hit the Dickens trail. You eventually bump up to the Audubon lands with a sign that says no dogs allowed. But it actually was a tad longer than I thought.
The hike was pleasant, uneventful, really, but I tried to recreate a shot of Buddy near the stream similar to the same pose I got of Koda. And he wasn’t having any of it. He is his own dog. I got the message loud and clear. And a great dog he is.
By the way, Buddy is fascinated with streams, especially ones where the water is really rushing or trickling, depending on the size. I can’t wait to take him to see a waterfall! And, when he’s bigger and it’s warmer, it will be fun to see if he’ll like swimming.
