A Birthday

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions, web links, and general information about dog food issues. The good news is that R has held down a couple of home-cooked bland meals. We think that the gastric upset part of this ordeal is over. But, as we know from the last round, the next big hurdle will be finding out what damage has been done to his blood cells. We can only watch and wait now.

R is mellow and happy (and he loves the new puppy toys around the house).

Today, I want to honor K, because it is her birthday. Nine years ago today, on the east coast in the middle of a hurricane, a tiny chocolate lab pup was born. I had no idea that a soul had entered this world who would change my life.

She was both goofy and serious. She was a devoted best friend. She was, quite simply, an amazing soul who I was so lucky to love.

I hope, with all my heart, that she is running free with no pain and no cancer. I hope that she knows that she changed me forever. I'll always love her.

I can feel K guiding me as I teach my new puppy about the huge world. K taught me so much... and now little Shyla is benefiting from K's teachings.

We are going for a hike in K's memory (an easy hike so that R can join us), celebrating life just as K always did.

Dog food?

I hope that you are having a fun Saturday.

 Ours started at sunrise, partly because R wasn't feeling well.

R has had an upset tummy all night and day. This is how the whole health scare "episode" started. At the beginning, we suspected his dog food contained a toxin that had made him sick. However, the board-certified pathologist on his case said that "no known dog food contaminant" could have damaged his blood cells in the way that he observed. So, we didn't report the dog food or even throw all of it away.

Then, by mistake, R ate some of that same dog food yesterday. And, he is sick again - I now feel pretty confident that there's something wrong with the food (of course, it could be a coincidence but I'm dubious). I've called the store where we bought it (no help) and have tried to report it to Natural Balance (not open on weekends). So, we are just watching R and hoping that the relatively small quantity of it that he ate didn't do too much harm. We are in contact with our vet so we will know if he needs to be seen this weekend.

What has gone so awry with the dog food industry that dogs are getting sick and even dying from eating commercial dog food? It makes me angry and upset. I just hope that R is okay.

Many of you know that we used to make K's dog food from scratch. It was labor-intensive but absolutely necessary due to health issues. I'm starting to wonder if we should do it for all of our dogs.

A Lion, Sunrises, and R

I love when I sneak a peek at the photos on a trail camera, and a mountain lion is looking back at me.

I especially love it when the mountain lion isn't wearing a radio collar or ear tags. There's been a never-ending study in our area that has been radio-collaring all the lions. This summer, it seems that a few "rogue" lions have been wandering our neck of the woods. This one looks like he just ate a good meal - notice how his stomach is distended.

They are incredibly curious creatures. This lion walked a little past my camera and then sneaked up for a closer look and sniff from the side. You can barely make out his ear (bright white) in the far left of the photo.

This summer, one camera in particular has captured a lot of lion photos. The reason may be that the deer hang out in this same spot. A small herd triggered my camera to take more than 200 photos after the lion came through. This doe was munching on something, as you can tell from her funny expression.

On other subjects, life has become much busier since Shyla's arrival. I need to fit training and puppy-socializing into my schedule - which involves extra trips to town and other places. Consequently, we are suddenly seeing lots of sunrises, so we can get in a hike before the busy days are underway. Shyla looks gorgeous in the rising sunlight among the golden aspen leaves.

A bull elk has been bugling each dawn - a beautiful sound associated with the elk rut. Shyla is fascinated by the sound. She's looking toward it in the next photo.

When the sun is fully up, she can run. Oh my, she can run like the wind!

She's so fast that I often find my shutter speed to be too slow for her! I'm learning about the zip of a puppy!

R will be having another blood test soon to find out if his blood cells have recovered and whether we can fully relax about his hemangiosarcoma scare. My "scientific test" has always been to look into the eyes of my dogs - and I can often see nuances that tell the story of what is going on inside them. R's eyes have recently regained their sparkle and gleam. I hope that my "scientific test" is supported by his blood test.

He's been going on some short mountain bike rides with me, and I'm seeing our speedy Labrador returning! And, I love seeing him among the golden aspens.

The one thing that I've noticed is that he suddenly gained a few gray hairs on his muzzle during this episode. No big deal, as long as he's getting healthy again. He definitely believes that the only good part of this whole episode is that he is now too skinny so he's getting extra portions and extra meals - a Labrador's dream.

Have a great weekend!

A new era

A wise friend once pointed out that my bonds with my dogs have always been built through our shared adventures. Many of you know that hiking in the high mountains is my favorite kind of adventure. When Shyla arrived in late August, I wasn't sure if there would be enough snow-free time to take her up high above the trees this season or not. We lucked out - it hasn't snowed substantially yet.

Before any big hikes, Shyla needed to get a little stronger and to get tougher paw pads when she arrived. Those physical changes happened very fast with our active lifestyle and her puppy metabolism. She also needed to get comfortable enough with me and with our world to venture high in the mountains. That was a slower process but our trainer and I thought that she was ready to try it. Yesterday, I began the hike with the attitude that we might need to turn around very early if Shyla wasn't happy.

It rapidly became clear that Shyla was in her element.

As always, we passed more people (maybe 15) in the first mile of the hike than any other time. I'd ask Shyla to hop up on a rock next to the narrow trail, and I'd reward her for confident and calm behavior. Every person except for one followed my requests not to pet her. The one dissenter insisted that "all dogs loved him"... and then Shyla ducked away from him as he tried to touch her. I did, however, follow my trainer's advice. I clicked as his hand descended toward her head, and then gave her a treat. The idea is to make a person reaching out to pet her into a happy event by rewarding her for a hand coming toward her every time.

Shyla forgot about it in an instant. She was in her element and nothing was going to throw off her stride. We climbed fast and soon were above treeline.

We were heading for a pass that was above Shyla's tail in the next photo, and then we planned to go further to a lake that is fed by the snowfields that you can see directly above Shyla's head in the next photo.

When we arrived at the pass, Shyla was mesmerized. Her head swiveled from side-to-side, with just too much to absorb all at once. I bet that the scents on top of the Continental Divide are incredible.

After a little while, she began to relax and her face turned very happy!

She went for a swim and seemed to discover that snow-fed lakes are cold! It was a short dip because I stopped her so she wouldn't get too cold. We hope to take her to a warmer lake with her brother soon. She didn't appear to have tons of swimming experience but chasing R into a shallow lake will be just the ticket!

Then, to commemorate our first big hike, I tried to use the self-timer on my camera to take a photo of the two of us. This series shows you what a puppy spirit Shyla has!

Kisses, kisses...

Then, a big hug in an attempt to calm her. It didn't work! It gave her another fit of kissing.

Finally, a serious one. But, Shyla had made me laugh uncontrollably so I don't look so serious!

After our funny photo series, we started down toward the trailhead... and Shyla perched on a rock to look to the west before we lost the view. The mountain peaks and lakes seemed to stretch out endlessly. The wind picked up and Shyla's ears flapped like wings. Yes, girl, these mountains are your home. After all, you are the "daughter of the mountains".

As we descended, Shyla kept looking back up at the Divide. I think that she loved it up there as much as I do!

Just before we arrived at the trailhead, the sun was barely peeking over the mountains, and Shyla glowed in its rays. A wonderful day... a start to a new era in my life.

When we arrived at the car, Shyla lay in the backseat, wearing her seatbelt, and fell asleep as rapidly and deeply as only a puppy can do. She snored softly.

A Paul Simon song ("The Boxer") came on the radio. It felt so nostalgic - the past and the future intertwined. My K had joyfully done the same hike so many times with me, and now Shyla was capturing my heart as she embraced the mountains that I love so much. Somehow, the lyrics seemed to fit my mixed up feelings.

Now the years are rolling by me, they are rockin' even me
I am older than I once was, and younger than I'll be, that's not unusual 
No it isn't strange, after changes upon changes, we are more or less the same 
After changes we are more or less the same...
Li la li...

Wordless Wednesday: Our first alpine adventure

The past and the future

Many dog-lovers have traveled the road that I'm on now. I lost my heart dog, K, and I am trying to regain my footing. K and I had a very special bond - she was truly my best friend. When I learned that she had osteosarcoma, I literally collapsed, and I couldn't visualize how I'd go on living after she was gone. Somehow I have gone on, although it feels as if I've been in a trance-like state.

Almost a year ago, K had a birthday. In retrospect, it seems as if I had an inkling that it would be her last even though she wasn't old. She and I had multiple celebration adventures. We hiked, we played fetch, and she played with R in mountain lakes. I treasured every instant of them, and K did as well.

I knew that I'd eventually invite a new dog into my life after K passed. I thought that it would "help my heart to heal". Indeed, six and a half weeks after K died, Shyla arrived. She is sensitive, smart, and incredibly loving. Her spirit and resilience are incredible.  I already know that Shyla is going to be a special part of my life for a long time. I also believe that the hard socialization work that we're doing now is helping to build a deep bond between us.

Shyla is a chocolate Lab and so was K. I've always adored Chocolate Labs. When I first saw one as a young adult, I declared that he was the most beautiful dog that I'd ever seen. Ever since then, when it's been my choice, I've always chosen a Chocolate Lab. Fortunately, each dog has such a unique personality that the physical similarities among my dogs are no big deal for me.

By the time K was about 2 years old, she and I were seasoned partners in life. We moved in sync and could anticipate each other's actions and moods. In contrast, because Shyla is a young dog and new to me, we are still getting to know each other. Shyla is a naive puppy, through-and-through. I have to supervise her carefully, and she surprises me every single day with some off-the-wall behavior that I didn't expect. I took this photo when an unexpected case of the zoomies possessed Shyla, and my shutter speed wasn't fast enough! I love the blurred and crazy effect - just as "zoomies" should be!

I've laughed every single day since Shyla arrived, and I smile when I look in her eyes. I spontaneously tell her that I love her when she looks to me for reassurance as we navigate the big new world that can be scary for her. I'm ecstatic that she and I have so many adventures to look forward to.

But, I have to admit that I don't think that my heart will "heal" from losing K anytime soon, even though Shyla is wonderful beyond words. So, I'm in a funny in-between state of reveling in getting to know my new puppy's spirit and remembering my best friend K. At least once a day, a memory of K hits me so hard that I stop in my tracks and tears fill my eyes.

Today, I remembered how K loved to put her head on my shoulder and then let out a long and contented sigh. I'd always answer her with a contented sigh of my own. We both knew how lucky we were. A bond like ours leaves paw prints on a person's heart forever.

Yet, at the same time, my heart is falling for Shyla. What a goofy combination of emotions - grief and optimistic happiness - to have mixed up inside me.

I think that R is falling for his new sister too. They like to snuggle up together for naps, and I watch with deep tenderness.

Thanks for reading this post... I wanted to write it all down so that I could read it in the future when I am further along in this journey. I also thought that my thoughts about this transition time might help someone else who is recovering from a loss as deep as mine.

Autumn: dog stories and wildlife photos

The days are getting shorter and colder. The snow is flying up high. The towering peak on our horizon is now a glimmering white ghost. I always get a little sad at this time of year. The melancholy is more intense this year because our summer was dominated by the loss of K.

The biggest advantage to the changing seasons is that I get to see my pups in the sunrise light more often. I have to admit that, in any light, photographing a chocolate lab is easier than a black lab. Thus, Shyla is rapidly learning to be my cover girl!

I am finding that one of the hardest things about socializing Shyla is directing other people's behavior toward her. Some people just will NOT be deterred from meeting her but I have to stand strong so that fear of new people doesn't become an ingrained habit. Right now, I let Shyla meet adults who have dogs with them. That usually goes very well, with few fear signs from Shyla. She needs to have lots of those good experiences before we move onto other kinds of people.

I've learned to say "no" to most other people who want to pet her in public. In cases where people simply won't listen to me, my trainer has taught me some strategies. I've trained Shyla to know a "find it!" cue, which means that I am dropping treats on the ground, and she should look for them. This activity can distract her while I try to convince the person that Shyla isn't ready for head-on meetings yet. Later, when Shyla is more comfortable with people, we'll use a "target" cue, where I'll ask the person to put out their hand, and Shyla will poke it with her nose. I'll give her a reward, and then I'll ask her to do it again. It's another way of distracting Shyla from the probing eyes of new people. It's the eyes on her that seem to scare Shyla, which makes sense since direct eye contact is very impolite among dogs.

With the changing of the seasons, my trail cameras are seeing some traffic. Bears are known to go through a phase of vigorous tree marking before they go to their dens. It's likely that pregnant sows are choosing dens now and marking trees as they survey the real estate. I captured this very healthy looking bear marking a tree one evening.

Almost a day later, another bear sniffed the same tree... probably sampling the scent from the recent tree-marking.

Then, the bear turned around and gave the tree a thorough marking.

I am hoping so fervently that one of these bears chooses the den where I have a trail camera installed, pointed at the entrance. I check it very rarely, and I absolutely never go near it at this time of year. So, we'll have to wait until January to find out if any of these bears chose it! Each year, 7-8 bears check out the den. They go in it and are invisible inside the den for a few minutes. For the past two falls, none of them have chosen it but a family with 2 yearling cubs used it before that.

I've also continued to follow what I believe to be a female bobcat who has a kitten in the area. I have surmised that she has a kitten hidden based on the fact that she has been carrying her prey a long way after she kills it. I think that she's taking it to the kitten but I haven't seen the kitten yet. She also keeps marking the base of bear trees. I've seen some of this behavior from bobcats each year but never as frequently as this year.

Last, but not least, hunting season is getting underway. It's only archery season now so the dogs and I are not bedecked in hunter orange yet. Fortunately, the one neighbor who used to allow hunters access to our trail network sold his land, and the new owners are controlling access carefully. All of us regular users of the trails are hoping that this means that we have a less stressful autumn. There's something about coming across a person with a bow or a rifle while you're walking your dog within a short distance of your house that can freak you out! I once found a hunter within 100 yards of our house, hiding behind a bush. He said that he didn't know that our house was nearby. Most hunters are far more responsible than that one, erring on the side of the safety of trail users... but I am still wary, being careful to keep all of us safe, during hunting season.

There are deer around, and they've lost the velvet from their antlers.

And there are elk around. Moreover, if a deer or elk hunter happens across a bear, he or she can kill the bear. So, I keep a vow of silence about where these animals are! A good hunter can probably figure it out.

It's also elk rutting season so I'm hoping that we hear a bugle or two floating through our forest. That is the quintessential autumn sound in the Rockies.

A Trick

 And, Black and White Sunday.... From K's birthday bash last year.

The Future is Bright

The biggest news is that R's blood test showed no signs of a heart hemangiosarcoma tumor. So, we're finished "hunting" for cancer for now. We'll wait a few weeks and hope that his blood spontaneously returns to normal. We feel optimistic that R will be fine.

This morning, Shyla and I were out on the trails before sunrise. It was dusky in the low meadow but then the eastern horizon brightened. Soon, the sun peeked over the eastern hills and bathed us in red light after we'd climbed up to a high point.  Although Shyla is a dark chocolate Lab, her fur turns red in the sunrise light just like K's did.

Shyla is already amazingly good at keeping her eyes on me when we're on the trails. This was just after sunrise.

I called her, and she accelerated toward me, wide-eyed and happy.

She adores clambering on the boulders that are strewn all over our mountains. She gracefully leaped onto one this morning and then looked at me quizzically.

After our morning outing, we went to town for training class and some socialization. This girl is incredible. It's as if she landed on Mars a few weeks ago, and she's already adapting. During training class, she decided that it was time to shower other dog handlers with kisses during playtime. They all knew that Shyla was shy so they were so nice to her! The key thing seems to be that *Shyla* chooses to approach them and not vice-versa. If a person walks straight toward Shyla or looks straight at her, it's scary. But, if she wiggles her way until she's next to a person, it's not at all scary. In fact, it's fun for Shyla.

And, our little girl was the ringleader for playing among the dogs. At one point, the other three dogs in class were all chasing her in circles around the facility as she had a "zoomy fit". Everyone was laughing.

Yes, I am smitten. The future is bright.

And, it looks like Shyla agrees!