Down and up

I have a delayed surgery hangover, at least that's what it feels like. I keep reminding myself that I know that this process is a roller coaster, and that I want to make the best of each day, no matter how I feel. But, I do have to admit that I've been slogging through this day like a slug in the snow. I'm tired beyond my understanding and my pain has escalated, again.

But, on the bright side, the sun rises noticeably higher in the sky each day. Sunglasses are becoming required gear, even for early morning walks. And, especially for someone who feels like they've been hit on the head with a sledge hammer.

As K galloped and I plodded along a snowy hillside, I spotted the first budding leaf of the year. It's on a Buffalo Berry Bush, and the leaves are born brown, before turning green later in the spring.
Those buds are a sure sign of spring - and a symbol of how tough this plant is. We're certainly going to be hammered by at least one more big snow storm with 3-4' of accumulation that will completely submerge this plant. Yet, it will survive.

And, yet another sign - one of 'our' regular coyotes is in heat! She left clear signs, a melted tunnel of yellowish urine but then spots of blood around it. When I looked in my most comprehensive tracking book, it described what I saw as a sign of estrus. If 'our' coyote breeds now, it will be 63 days before her pups are born. Another sure sign of spring. I'll spare you the photo, but can anyone guess which reader is going to ask to see the photo? I can.

K and I plodded up toward Hug Hill, with my head pounding so much that I considered hiking with my eyes closed. Headaches are a hallmark of cervical disc issues so they're a constant companion of mine. But, this one is still a doozy, despite my medications. I veered into the dark forest to avoid the blinding sun.
Soon, we emerged from that forest. I love the beauty of those transitions...
However, when we reached the brink of the summit, I forgot my headache. The wind had sculpted the snow into waves and peaks. The drifts made me taller than the tree on the summit. Wow.
K was the first to summit since the snow sculpting, as you can tell by her tracks leading to where she stood defiantly on the top.
Then, she started obsessing over something to the west of the peak. The last time that she obsessed like this, we found fresh mountain lion tracks just below the peak. I remembered that and called her to me. Look at her enthusiasm!
We dropped down the west side of the hill, with K on leash, to explore. I couldn't find any sign of what had her so wired. When we hit a trail well below the peak, I let her off-leash. Her body language said that the object of her obsession now sat above us on the slope. I never figured out what it was.
We cut our hike shorter than usual, and I collapsed into a deep sleep a little later in the day. Oh my, I haven't slept like that during the day in a long time. To put a positive spin on it, my mantra is that feeling tired means that I'm healing. So, feeling tired is a good thing. In fact, it's an excellent thing! Please don't burst my bubble...

This afternoon, I'll take both pups for an outing on the trails that I hope is as beautiful as yesterday's sunset hike. We hiked up to a ridge/plateau, and R led the way. He gazed over the meadows below us.
When K arrived up there with us, the setting sun set her fur ablaze with warm chocolate color.
Even the snow itself took on a magical hue.
The chocolate and the black lab bathed in the setting sun rays.
And, the mystical mountains hovered in the clouds just after the sun dropped below them.
As promised, I will soon post a video of K's scent training. Seeing that will show the dramatic differences in the personalities of K and R. When I train K, my rule is that I cannot allow her to ever feel that she failed. As soon as she believes that she has made a mistake, she gets nervous and loses the ability to learn. She randomly and frantically tries behaviors, thinking that she might accidentally choose the right one. So, with K, I take little tiny steps, gradually building up to the final goal, but never taking a giant step that might lead her to melt down.

As you saw with R, my training strategy can be much more aggressive, with me trying out whether he's ready to take giant steps forward, without worrying whether he'll shut down. He wants to earn treats so he strives to make the correct choices. But, he doesn't worry or get scared when he makes the wrong choice. Rather, if he fails to earn a reward for one action, he tries modifying it a little to see if that's what I want. Consequently, I can teach R new behaviors much faster than I can teach K. And, I've used identical techniques with both (except for using a verbal 'yes' with R instead of a clicker) - so it's an intrinsic difference, deep in their psyches, rather than a reaction to anything that has happened to them.

One reader asked to see some video or for me to write more about clicker training. That will definitely be included in future training stories because I clicker train K and plan to do the same with R in the future. But, in the meantime, let me search out a good video of clicker training at its finest. Some trainers can teach a dog a new trick incredibly easily using a clicker (they're much better than I am). Any suggestions from readers?

Spectacular bluebird day and a training video

A fresh and sparkling white layer covered the forest this morning, under a stunning blue sky early in the morning.Snow blanketed the boulders that K used as her one of her 'look-out' points this morning.
She gazed across a meadow, silhouetted against the endless azure sky.
The clouds started to roll in about a half hour into our hike but the snow still sparkled.
I slipped and tromped my way up to Hug Hill, anticipating a spectacular view. At times, the snow almost covered K completely!
Even her head submerged in the snow at one point, and she looked hysterically snowy when she emerged above the snow.
Despite the 5°F temperature, I sweated and roasted as we laboriously climbed. When we reached the apogee of the hill, misty clouds veiled the snowy mountains. It was beautiful in a surreal way rather than the crystal clear way that I expected.
After we enjoyed a few cold moments on the hill with my sweat freezing on my skin, we practically rolled down the hill all the way home, a happy girl and her dog who'd had a gorgeous day in the mountains.

On another vein, over the past several days, I've spent extra training time with both dogs. With K, I've worked on scent discrimination where she has to choose a certain plastic bottle that contains a particular scent. Eventually, I'll post some details of that training.

With R, I've worked on more basic training where he picks up an object and brings it to my hands. I use positive training techniques, where R earns treats for doing the correct thing (or some facsimile, depending on how far along we are in training a given behavior). His only 'punishment' for making an incorrect choice is that he doesn't get treats. As you watch the video, notice that I never say anything negative, threaten him, or intimidate him. Rather, I try to always be encouraging of good behavior and ignore bad behavior.

People often use 'clickers' for this type of training, where the person clicks at the instant of a correct behavior and then gives a treat. With R, I haven't ever used a clicker. Instead, I use a verbal 'yes' at the instant of a correct new behavior. As I watched the video, I realized that I'm not good at this technique. I end up using too many words and not enough 'yes' exclamations.

I've clicker trained K, and I think that I'm going to start clicker training with R in the near future.

Here's a synopsis of 3 days of training. It progressed far faster than I ever dreamed, mainly because R is not afraid to make mistakes. He 'goes for it', trying a new strategy whenever a previous one doesn't earn him treats. His demeanor is perfect for this type of training.



I realize that it's a long video but it shows both the ups and downs of the three days of training. It also shows R bouncing back after being terribly afraid of one of the objects that I asked him to pick up. So, if you have time, you might enjoy seeing the training in action.

Frosty Sunday

A frosty day dawned, making me forget all the tiny signs of spring from the past week - the migrating Loggerhead Shrike, the drumming woodpeckers, and a warm day. They felt like ancient history.
This morning, my chocolate sweetie porpoised through deep snow, made almost bottomless for her over this weekend.
Using a wildlife camera, I discovered one of the 'secret passages' used by coyotes to move to and fro our clearing. He chose to move through deep powder!
Winter rules here in the mountains. But, we're a tough and crazy bunch who embrace it!

Listen to your dog

Yesterday's bobcat video included a brief section when the bobcat rubbed his/her face on the scent post boulder (at about the 37 second point in the video). I'd never seen a bobcat do this before, and I have a number of photos of cats at this scent post. Well, guess what!!!! I learned today that female bobcats do exactly this behavior when they are on the verge of estrus or are actually in estrus. By rubbing their faces on scent post rocks, they advertise their status to males. So, my video captured a mating ritual in a totally natural environment. I hope to be able to document more of it, as other bobcats check her scent in the coming weeks. Moreover, maybe, just maybe, she'll bring kittens to the scent post later. But, that momentous occasion is months away. Gestation averages 63 days (identical to dogs and coyotes, to my surprise), and then the kittens usually don't start following mom on her daily jaunts for 2-3 months. So, the soonest that we could see kittens there is summer.

Here's one of my favorite photos ever taken at this scent post.
This morning, K and I started our daily hike through a dark forest with snow fluttering down onto us. I started with a thud to my step, feeling like the snow was crazy glue slowing me down. I was feeling a little sad and empty. These surgery recoveries are so hard that it's impossible not to have blue days. K had a spring in her step that made me smile despite my underlying mood.
We headed straight up to Hug Hill, and K beat me to the summit. Can you pick her out as she watched my plodding progress?
We looked around a little but the clouds curtained the mountains so a slate gray sky and some frost covered pine trees was the backdrop for a photo of K.
Then, I hiked down the west side of the hill and suddenly realized that the jingle of K's bell wasn't behind me. I looked back up, and she sat resolutely at the top.
In my memory, she's only ever done this once before, on a dark day soon after S died. On that day, she sat until I returned for a hug. On that day back in early summer, I listened to her. She knew what I needed better than I did.

Today, I hiked back up the hill to her. We sat together, hugged, giggled, and enjoyed the moment. Then, I set the self-timer on the camera and took some photos. They're all very silly but this one is my favorite.
Back when I had lumbar fusion surgery, I taught K the trick of gently 'climbing' up the front of my body, using my knees, jacket, and finally shoulders as her paw holds. Today, to protect my neck, her final paw holds were my hands held by my shoulders (and I had my neck brace on to protect me). Once she'd climbed up, she showered me in kisses. I almost collapsed in giggles. My girl knows how to make me laugh!

You can also see the 'grizzly bear' can of pepper spray that I always carry on my hip in the photo. Many commentors ask if I'm afraid of the animals in our forest. I have a healthy respect for them, and the can of pepper spray plus K are my defenses.

After our silly interlude on Hug Hill, my mood had lifted. This time, K followed when I descended the west side of the hill. I'd promised myself that I'd follow 'real' trails today but an unexplored animal trail caught my curiosity. It was wide and trampled. Obviously, many large paws or hooves had created it - but last night's snow covered all details. We reached a narrow opening that the animals had slipped through. Sure enough, they'd left fur samples on the trees lining the trail. I'm guessing that it was the long black neck fur of elk but I couldn't be sure.
Then, as K explored slightly ahead of me, I noticed a bare patch on a dead pine tree.
The patch had a pattern of furrows that looked like abstract art.
I've read that invading beetles leave these furrows as they bore their way through the cambium when the tree is still alive and has bark guarding its inner nutrients. Although it's sad that the beetles killed the tree, the labyrinth of furrows was as beautiful as human-created art.
Next, our animal trail took us up to a ridge that we visited the other day. A sprawling and isolated meadow spread out below us. K stared fixedly down into the meadow.
Can you see the reflection of the scene in her eye? Click on the photo to see a close-up of the mirrored meadow on the sheen of her eye.
K's keen but silent interest focused on the elk who grazed below us. They've been eating, sleeping, and relaxing in this meadow for close to a week.
We stood among massive boulders, almost invisible to them and downwind of them. I had the impression that the elk didn't notice us. Most lay still, resting in the daytime warmth.
But then, the peaceful scene was transformed. A dog, who lives in a house a fair distance away, began barking furiously. First, one elk lifted his front end and then heaved his weight fully onto all four hooves. Using this laborious-looking motion, the elk stood one-by-one, until nearly the entire herd was on its feet. They stared intensely toward the barking dog.
I decided that K and I should 'disappear' behind the wall of boulders between us and the elk just in case we were less invisible than I thought. Using jumble of huge boulders to create a secret passage out of sight of the cloven-hoofed herd, we sneaked away to avoid adding one more stress for the elk.

We headed home via trails but K had worked her magic on my spirit. After I listened to her, stopping to play on Hug Hill, my mood brightened and I enjoyed wandering in the woods, learning more every day about the workings of nature. In the photo below, K is reminding me not to take life too seriously - have fun instead!
K encouraged me to wriggle on my back in the snow but I decided that my spine wasn't ready for that activity! However, the good news is that my leg pain is decreasing daily with no driving or other new low back stresses. I'm accepting that I need to minimize my time behind the wheel for now. That's disappointing but I can be happy even if my world is usually limited to walking distance around my house. After all, I have an intriguing and amazing natural world buzzing all around me - and I get the honor of exploring it!

Just as an aside, it's taking longer than expected to weave together my training videos so they'll be coming in the next few days.

Audacious K and cats

A light layer of fresh powder covered our world this morning, making old crusty snow look like new bottomless powder.
K and I headed toward a steep descent into a canyon at the start of our hike. Only a few mountains shined through the snow clouds.
We followed a rocky slope down toward a trail on the canyon wall. K loves posing on boulders and her statuesque poses left me no choice but to photograph her with the mountains behind her.
Once we found the trail, we wound along the wall of the canyon at an almost a constant elevation. This trail is replete with mountain lion and bobcat signs all year long plus bear signs once they awaken. Usually, the mountain lion scent posts sit under pine trees with dense canopies so that the scent post never gets covered with a heavy layer of snow.

I've identified the most ostentatious scent post so that I can put a wildlife camera next to it in the future. This scent post also appears to be used more frequently than the others. Multiple deep divots pock this spot, where mountain lions have kicked back the dirt with their hind paws. As we approached the scent post this morning, K surged ahead, and to my utter surprise, she decided to add her opinion to the scent post. Yes, the photo below shows K taking a 'natural break' (cyclist terminology) directly on the scent post. Audacious, don't you think, especially for a cautious canine like K?
After an uneventful hike through the fresh snow, spotting almost no new tracks aside from a few rabbits and squirrels, we climbed back up the canyon wall, using a trail this time. Pine saplings overhang the narrow trail, and covered K's face with snow. Behind her, you can also see that the snow clouds had lowered down over the mountains.
On our way home, I picked up the memory card from the wildlife camera next to Bobcat Boulder. Believe it or not, the bobcat had visited two nights ago, within about 12 hours of the camera installation. The IR camera captured some video, which I combined with an older very short video clip taken at the same spot.



I believe that we're now in bobcat breeding season. In this season, the use of scent posts and vocalizations becomes more intense. If 'our' bobcat is a male, he'll check and urinate/defecate on his scent posts regularly to keep out other males. Moreover, he'll frequently check whether females who live on adjacent territories have made incursions into his territory, advertising their availability for mating. If 'our' bobcat is a female, she'll behave similarly, except that she'll try to drive away any female invaders by keeping her posts freshly scented. Moreover, she'll check for available males who have left her messages at the scent posts.

In general, unlike mountain lions, a bobcat maintains sole possession of his/her territory. That privacy means that they have to travel away from their home field to find a mate. In contrast, male mountain lions tolerate females (but definitely not males) living in territories within or overlapping theirs, making the search for a mate a tiny bit easier.

In either case, I'm guessing that my 'scent post' cameras will be seeing frequent action in the coming weeks.

I just discovered inspiring bobcat photos at my friend Meriwether's blog and a video at SMRP's blog. A young-looking and lanky bobcat explored around their barn in the middle of the day! The bobcats are trying to infuse us all with their spirit!

Tomorrow, I hope to post a dog training video. I've recently taught R the rudiments of "take it" (i.e., pick up an object), "hold", and then "out" (i.e., deliver it to my hand). It's fun to watch him throw his frenetic energy into figuring out what I want him to do in new game.

With K, I've been playing scent discrimination games, where she has to pick the pill bottle containing the scent that I've trained her to find. I hope to show videos of K's training in later days.

Training both of them is super fun, primarily because I use shaping and positive rewards to teach them new tricks. It makes me forget my worries and look at the world from the point of view of the dog whom I'm trying to train. I like that viewpoint!

Mellow hike with the elk herd

I 'took it easy' today, although I'll openly admit that resting isn't a talent of mine. K and I started a walk when the sun still hovered low in the sky. She led me up a snowy hill, with the golden sun highlighting her chocolate fur.
Almost immediately, however, I had to call her back. She vibrated with high intensity energy over something that I couldn't see or smell. As you can see from the photo below, she feels great, enthusiastically sprinting to me, despite a minor eye infection. R is also feeling great, and exercised during the 'boys only' outing this morning.
After I called K, I leashed her and noticed the brilliant sun peeking onto this north-facing slope. I don't think that I've seen the sun from this slope since last fall!
I asked her to 'show me' what was so exciting uphill of us. She led me straight to a snowpile that looked boring. But, then, she started digging, uncovering mountain lion scat and urine. The stench immediately almost gagged me after K dug it up. I think that it was an old scent post, preserved by snow. No fresh tracks marked the new snow around it so it wasn't brand new.
So, as usual, K and I were wandering, well off the course that I'd planned for us. No problem - we just kept exploring. We found a live but thin pine tree with half of its trunk denuded of bark and parts bitten roughly. When I looked closely, long black hairs stuck to the tree. I'm guessing that the bears debarked this tree last summer based on the fur.
I wonder if this jet black bear left the fur. Our wildlife camera captured this photo last summer.
As we hiked on, we reached a ridge, and followed its rocks around the rim of a meadow. K stared down into the meadow. Notice the dots on the meadow floor - the elk herd!
Zooming in on the animals showed that they definitely were elk but didn't show the whole sprawling herd that must have numbered a hundred or more.
We continued to pick our way along the ridge, trying not to alarm the elk. They seemed to realize that we were above them but didn't act worried. K was entranced by the herd but remained silent.Eventually, we had no choice but to plunge down the other side of the ridge to avoid creating a thundering herd of fleeing elk. We tried this route last week and ended up in waist-deep snow. I think that I chose the absolute worst route last week. So, today, I carefully searched for some animal tracks, with the notion that the forest-savvy animals would use the easiest routes. The only tracks that I could find looked like they were left by a large animal who'd passed through a while ago.
Our animal guide led us down the slope by a super relaxed route, with only a few areas of snow deeper than 6" or other obstacles. Before I knew it, we intersected the trail I'd been aiming for.
It was yet another hike where K and I didn't even vaguely follow my initial plan. First, we followed her nose, and then I improvised from that point. As I hiked, I pondered whether K is becoming a 'lion hound' based on how many of their signs she's been finding. Upon thinking about it, however, I concluded that she'd probably been showing me these signs for years but I was clueless. Now, I recognize what she shows me.

After my 'easy' day, I'm in less pain than last night but still not back to where I was before driving. I realized a potential reason why driving caused my low back and leg so much pain. Because I can't turn my head very far, I was twisting my lower back whenever I needed to look left and right. Twisting is extraordinarily hard on discs so it probably aggravated my herniated lumbar disc. In any case, at least I understand *why* driving set off such pain. Now, I just have to figure out how to deal with it!