A Doggie Valentine's Day

What is more fun than showing your dog how much you love him on Valentine's Day?  Pongo urged me out the door early in the morning.  We went to the "woods" near our house which consists of a few short dirt trails through a forested area on the edge of a park.  I am using this more and more as his walk on the weekends to reduce the amount of walking we do on hard cement.  Pongo loves smelling the plethora of layered odors among the ferns, soil and bark along the paths. 

We were home for only about an hour when I got ready to run some errands at the store.  Pongo followed me with his eyes, tilting his head, "Do I get to go?" How can I resist that look?  "Wanna go for a ride?" Pongo got up from the floor and headed for the door.

"You're going to make him sit in the car at Walmart?" my husband asked. 

"We'll go to the dog park first."  It's winter.  I don't have to worry about heat.  Pongo likes to run errands with me because he likes to BE with me.  He doesn't mind waiting in the car if he has already done all his business and gotten a little exercise.  Pongo used run errands with me a lot, but since I got married, I leave him home more often because I'm not leaving him alone. There's always someone else for him to hang out with.

The Bonney Lake Dog Park is not big, but what I love about it is that it has a wooded area with a few trails.  When we first moved to Bonney Lake, it didn't have a lot of dog traffic.  Pongo and I often went and there was no one there, so we stopped going - it made me feel it was a huge disappointment to him.   Bonney Lake dog people are not early birds.  On weekends, people don't show up until mid-morning at best.  Depending on the weather, it might be later.  This is so foreign to me. In Washington, DC, there were always people up early, exercising their dogs before they got on with their day.

Recently, I've noticed that on weekends, at least, the Bonney Lake Dog Park seems to be more populated.  When we arrived, there were about six to eight dogs running around, playing near the entrance.  Pongo loves getting to sniff and say hello to other dogs and the social time is important to him.  He exudes a calm contentedness after dog park time.  Pongo loves hanging out with the big dogs, but he doesn't play chase and run around with them anymore. 

After Pongo had some sniff and play time with the doggie visitors, we went for a walk through the wooded area.  It was quiet and it felt as though we were hiking somewhere by ourselves. Then we looped around and joined the other dogs again.  We stayed for about twenty-five minutes.   In the Walmart parking lot, Pongo lay down happily in the back seat and slept while I shopped.

When we got home, he found a quiet spot and resumed his nap while I began Valentine's Day preparations for my family.  I spent the afternoon baking for Pongo AND my husband and daughter.  I made Pongo's favorite peanut butter dog treats but instead of cutting them into dog bone shapes, I used a heart cookie cutter in honor of the holiday.

This is an easy recipe.  It's one of my staple dog treat recipes.  It consists of 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 T. oil and 1 cup water mixed together in a bowl.  Then you add one cup of whole wheat flour and 2 cups of all-purpose flour, stirring in one cup at a time.  I added a mashed banana as a special treat.  If you do this, decrease the oil by 1 tablespoon.  Next you roll out the dough and use your favorite cookie cutter.  You can roll it out thin or thick, according to your desire.  The recipe says to bake them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  I usually like a harder dog treat, so I turn them over when the timer goes off and bake them for another 20 minutes (40 altogether).  This makes them brown and crisp on both sides.

Since dogs can't have chocolate, I melted carbo chips.  I tried to decorate the hearts using a pastry bag, but it was too stiff and I couldn't get the chocolate to flow through the tip.  I gave up and spread the top of the hearts with the melted carob like frosting. But carob-decorated dog treats are messy and we typically make Pongo eat those outside.  Pongo likes to carry his precious homemade treats around the living room, parading them in front of the cats.  "Look what I have!"  The carob-decorated treats leave trails and smudges of brown on the carpet.

You can see that Pongo enjoys the privileges that come with old age. We allow him to stretch out on the couch now, something he was forbidden to do when he was younger.  But as we watch him try to get comfortable and have trouble lying down with the stiff arthritis in his hind legs, we don't mind sharing the couch with him. Pongo enjoyed Valentine's Day afternoon relaxing on the couch with Bella.

I love you sweet boy!  Happy Valentine's Day Po!

Superbowl Sunday Vehicle Search

Recently, Pongo and I went to visit my parents in Pullman for a long weekend.  My job has been busy working twelve hour days or more, writing evaluations and IEPs. Sadly, Pongo's nose work training has suffered.  He has been grateful to get in one nose work session a week lately, and sometimes we just don't get around to it.  But with our next nose work trial coming up near the end of February, I was determined to fit in some nose work while we were out of town.

Pongo sporting Seahawks colors.

On Sunday before we got ready to settle down and watch the Superbowl, my niece and my brother helped me park three family cars up at the picnic shelter at Kruegel Park. Just two blocks from my parents' house, Kruegel Park was my childhood playground.  I grew up playing on the equipment, jumping on the merry-go-round and spinning until I was sick, learning to build a fire in the picnic shelter with the Girl Scouts, then later shooting baskets and playing tennis on the fenced-in courts, and watching cute boys play baseball on the diamond.

I chose the park for our vehicle search because I thought it would be a good place to practice with distractions.  During the search, Calder barked excitedly nearby.  If you are new to the blog, Calder is Pongo's BFF and belongs to my sister.  He was waiting for Pongo to finish so they could have playtime in the snow.  Also during the search, another dog who was in the park off-leash came running over to say hello.  To my surprise, Pongo (my social butterfly) didn't even pause and continued with his search, ignoring the other dog.  Way to work through distractions, Po!


Pongo worked the vehicle search with enthusiasm. He detailed each car. I had tried to set the search up to be as close to a real trial as possible. There was only one hide with birch.  I used cooked chicken chunks both for pairing and for rewards.

We did three different hides in this session.  Each time, I placed the hide in a different location or on a different car.  Each time, Pongo found it without any cues.  There was a license plate hide, a wheel-well hide and a door handle hide.

It was exciting to see Pongo so focused when we hadn't been practicing regularly.  It reaffirms for me how much he loves this sport and how important it is for me to make the time to work with him.  Pongo is happy when he's using his nose.

When we were finished, I let him off leash and he ran around in the snow with Calder.  Pongo was in his element.  He is a cold weather dog and loves the snow.  He and I have both missed it this winter in the Seattle area. Playing with his best friend, Pongo is young again.  He finds the energy to chase a stick.

We are counting down the days now to the next nose work trial.  While I hope Pongo will be able to focus on all four searches this time and come away with a title, it's all about Pongo and I being a team and having fun.

Pongo and Eva 

The Lake Annette Trail

Pongo and I were invited to join a group of friends on the Lake Annette Trail on Saturday, June 14th.

We met in North Bend at the outlet mall parking lot and then carpooled to the trailhead.  We traveled along I-90 to the Asahel Curtis exit in Snoqualmie Pass.  Wendy, a friend I met while doing preschool assessments for the school district, is not only a talented occupational therapist, but also an avid hiker.  She plans frequent group hikes, though not all of them are always open to dogs, depending on park restrictions and group dynamics.  I was thrilled to be included on this particular occasion, as I like any hike that includes a lake or lake view.  The ultimate hike for both Pongo and I would be a summer one that culmiates in a lake swim.  However, I knew that was not in store for us this time.  Wendy had warned us that there was still snow on the upper portions of the trail and it was cold as we left our cars at an elevation of about 2200 feet. 

I quickly fell in love with this trail. From the parking lot, you could hear a rushing waterfall, although it was not visible. We began climbing an old logging road that was overgrown by forest. Though I had brought a lot of water in my pack, Pongo drank frequently along the way from Humpback Creek as it crossed our path multiple times.  This is a good summer hike for dogs, as there is plenty of water along the way. Typically, I have Pongo wear a pack and carry his own water in the summer.

 However, the arthritis in his back hips has progressed to the point that I don't want to add any additional weight to him anymore. At 13, his back legs have become unstable. I am having to be more cautious about the length and elevation of the trails we go on these days.  I think that at his age, I should do the heavy lifting, don't you?  Pongo trotted happily ahead with his mommy bringing up the rear most of the time in our group of four. It is amazing how quickly I got out of shape this winter.  While I normally swim with a master's team year round, the stress of the 2013-2014 school year made it difficult to get up for 5:30 am workouts.  At the same time, I have struggled to find motivation to run since Spring 2013 when the vet told me Pongo could no longer run with me.  Running is not the same without him.  I don't want to go by myself.  It's hard when you've had the same jogging partner for eleven years and suddenly he can't go with you anymore.   I found myself putting on a lot of unexpected winter weight that I was now determined to work off.  This summer I decided it's all about Pongo and me!  My goal is to find ways for us to enjoy spending time together outdoors.  I have a whole list of places for us to visit and am anxious to start ticking them off. We are open to suggestions from readers and friends, so please pass on your favorite dog friendly hikes by commenting at the end of the blog.  But I digress, for now, let's get back to the Annette Lake trail.

 This spring was one of the wettest on record in the Pacific Northwest.  For the months of February, March and April, the Seattle area had double the average rainfall.  In March alone, it received 8.41 inches of rain when the average is typically 3.51 inches.  This was evident in the many waterfalls we encountered along the way.  The switchbacks take you through the Humpback Creek Valley.  Working up a sweat as we climbed in elevation, I had taken off my long sleeve pullover, but as we neared the top, the temperature dropped and we began to come across patches of snow.  I stopped to put it back on when we neared 3600 feet on the moutainside.  This trail is rated as a medium (3/5) in difficulty and is 7.5 miles out and back. I was definitely ready to sit down and eat lunch when at last we reached Annette lake.  Pongo didn't hesitate for a minute, but went right into the water, lapping it up as he waded in the shallows near the shore.  We found a spot tucked away with views of the water.  It was breathtaking!  I found myself repeating, "wow" and feeling a bit ineloquent. We sat down on the ground amidst patches of snow, sitting on pieces of foam that Wendy and her husband pulled out of their packs.  I had packed a peanut butter sandwich for Pongo, and a turkey and tomato sandwich for myself.  Pongo was more interested in the smoked salmon that Wendy unwrapped.  One of these days, I thought, I'll have to bring Pongo his own salmon on a hike, as he clearly prefers that to peanut butter.  An old dog certainly deserves a special treat now and then!  As we ate lunch, I began to shiver.  It was chilly indeed.  As beautiful as the lake was, I was not in the least tempted to take a dip. I pulled another jacket out of my pack and put it on.  I was ready to get going. 

      As we left the lake and prepared for our descent, I took advantage of the outdoor toilet.  There is a sign pointing up a hill, and if you follow the arrow, you climb into the privacy of this wooded bathroom that somehow still feels exposed.  I smiled - it was a lot more luxurious than some of the toilets I used as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa.  The wooden throne made chances of soling your feet less likely than squatting over a hole.  I was grateful for the amenities on this trail!

Pongo and I both showed signs of being tired on the way down.  I stumbled at one point and was relieved when I caught myself with my hiking poles before tumbling to the ground.  Thank goodness for hiking poles!  They really make a difference, especially when you are going downhill.  And I realized as my feet and ankles ached that it was probably time to replace my almost 20 year old hiking boots.  I think I've gotten my money's worth out of this pair.

I think this has become my new favorite hike!  I definitely want to come back a little later in summer on a dry, hot day when the water will entice me to take a swim.

Rattlesnake Ridge / Ledge

I'm going to say it is officially hiking season, though Pongo and I have been hiking for a few months. But this is the time of year we really get geared up.  I was thrilled when friend and school psychologist, Julia and her dog Zed invited us to hike Rattlesnake Ridge last weekend.  It is a popular trail that I have heard of, but never hiked.  Located in North Bend in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, it is a quick 2 miles to Rattlesnake Ledge where there are spectacular views. Four miles roundtrip, it is easy to fit in and then return to the city for other weekend activities.

If you know anything about Western Washington, then you know there are no rattlers on this side of the state.  So if that gets you wondering how this mountain got its name, the story goes like this: Seattle pioneer Arthur Denny gave the area its name when a frightened road surveyor thought he was being attacked by a rattlesnake after hearing seed pods rattling on a nearby meadow.


Julia and I had planned to meet at 8:30, but since I had never been there, I ended up parking in the wrong lot 1/2 a mile down the road and then couldn't get cell service. After 10 minutes of waiting, I decided to drive a little farther and was shocked to find that the parking lot at the trailhead is enormous!  It was well after 9 before I found her.  Finally together, Pongo and Zed posed with Julia near Rattlesnake Lake, which lies below the mountain near the trailhead.  I was even more shocked at the number of people heading for the trail.  We saw families and groups of friends of all ages, boy scout groups and hoards of teenage girls.  There were dogs of all sizes from chihuahuas to pitbulls and German Shepherds, and oh so many Aussies!  And two Corgies - my daughter would not forgive me if I left out the Corgies.  (She has been asking for one, to which I give the typical parent answer: maybe someday.)

Pongo started out on the trail in front, but didn't keep the lead for long.  Afterall Zed is ten years younger than him at least! Julia and I chatted, but surprisingly not about work.  Usually it is so hard not to leave that behind.  When you work with children, there are kids you worry about and can't get out of your head and heart.  But on this day we talked about our own personal lives and of course, our dogs.  As we passed back and forth over the switchbacks crossing the mountain, gaining 1160 feet to the ledge.  I was surprised at how quickly we emerged at the top.  It was an easier hike than Little Si, which is a bit of a struggle near the top.  

  

We sat down for a snack of oatmeal cookies
 made by my husband and peanut butter sandwiches.  

From the ledge you can see Rattlesnake Lake below.

Views of Mt. Si and Mt. Baker can also be seen.

A trail led up this mountain ridge too,
but we did not venture up it today.

Julia and Zed relax at the top of the ledge

A couple stops to survey the scene.

What a beautiful hike! We didn't stay long at the ledge and quickly headed back down. The trail became more and more crowded as the morning disappeared. Julia and I were both glad we had come, but the trail felt a little claustrophobic the longer we were on the mountain.  I was sweating through my T-shirt and was thankful for the shade all along the trail. When we reached the lake again, Pongo stood for 15 minutes with his paws in the water, lapping up its coolness and quenching his thirst.  I sat enjoying the view on the beach, watching kayaks cross the lake. 

Rattlesnake Lake

I don't recommend hiking this on a weekend this time of year.  Go during the week or get there by 7 am.  At noon the parking lot was full and there were already more than fifty cars parked along the sides of the road to the park entrance.  But this is a must-see for hikers in Western Washington.  It is a unique place.   I am drawn to the views of the lake.

I am counting down to the last days of school. Now there are only four more days left.  Pongo and I are looking so forward to a summer of hiking.  Visiting old favorites and exploring new ones alike. Stay tuned!

A Nosework Easter Egg Hunt

My 16 year old step-daughter, Ashley, always spends Easter with her mom. She has two younger half-siblings and she's a big help in setting up the annual egg hunt at her grandpa's.  This week I found myself feeling a little disappointed about Easter without her.  I hadn't decorated and other than having an Easter dinner with my husband and mother-in-law, we didn't have anything else planned.  And yet I had pulled the plastic Easter eggs and a couple baskets out of the garage. 

I lamented to my friend Ellie, who is our school librarian, at work on Thursday.  She suggested the perfect solution: a nosework egg hunt!  "What a great idea, I'll host!"  I said.  The plans for an Easter-themed evening of nosework quickly came together.  We chose Friday night to avoid conflicts with Easter activities and because it was supposed to be the best weather day according to the forecast. 

Friday evening came on cool and blue.  I brought my nosework kit out onto the back deck and began setting up two different scents: birch and anise.  I prepared eight different finds.  Six of them I placed inside plastic eggs with holes in the end.  It had been a month since I had last practiced nosework with Pongo.  Life has been so busy lately that nosework has fallen by the wayside.  A friend of mine used to say "life interrupts" when he found mundane everyday living got in the way of fullfilling life's dreams.  I find myself often quoting him, as this phenomenon seems to happen often to me. 

The seventh find I planned as a threshhold find. Threshhold finds are located near the starting point, marked by two cones in nosework trials.  Dogs are often so excited that when they are given the command to "search" they forget to detail the area near the starting point. In class, we were told to always practice working the threshhold.  I placed two Q-tips inside a plastic golf-tee shaped container that I pushed into the ground.  The eighth find was a high hide with a Q-tip clipped to the fence.  The pictures here show the steps I used to prepare for the hide.  Tweezers are used to take the scented Q-tips out of the jar without contaminating it with your own scent.  I put two, sometimes three in the metal containers.  Next, I placed the metal containers inside the smaller plastic eggs. 

Here you can see my Easter egg basket.  I needed one larger egg for a round metal tin I loaded with anise Q-tips.  It is larger than the rectangular tins with the sliding-lids.

Ellie arrived first with Lincoln and Daisy (left to right).  Here they waited nicely for their turn to work.  It was a beautiful evening and at 7 pm the light was just beginning to fade in the sky.  We decided to get started as we knew Mary and Crosby were running late.  Pongo went first. He blew past the one on the threshhold (all the dogs had difficulty finding that one).  Pongo and I have done very little searching in our own backyard on grass.  Most of our grass practice has been at a park.  It took him a while to get going.  He found one egg between a stack of wood and a Ford truck tailgate and kept showing it to me over and over again.  I learned in nosework class that I can reward him a second time, but then get him to move on.  He seemed unsure what to do next, but I didn't want to lead him.   After a few minutes, I decided to give him a break and I put him in the house while Ellie worked both Lincoln and Daisy.

My husband and I have a large rectangular yard that's long and skinny.  There were many easy places to hide the eggs with piles of wood, lawn furniture and statues, rosebushes, enormous rhubarb plants, stumps and garden boxes. 


 

A blue egg loaded with birch odor. 

Lincoln alerts to the high hide. 

It was fun to watch Lincoln and Daisy work. Daisy especially shows a lot of exuberance for nosework. I feel so lucky to have friends who enjoy doing nosework with their dogs. I learn from them each time I watch Lincoln, Daisy and Crosby work.  They each have different mannerisms, and alert in different ways.  It helps me to watch Ellie and Mary handle their dogs, as they also teach me how to present an odor their dog has missed, or how to keep their dog working.

When I brought Pongo back out, he was much more focused.  He found all but two of the hides.   It was a wonderful evening!  I felt guilty that so much time had passed since we last practiced, but Pongo enjoyed every moment of it.  There is always forgiveness in a dog's heart. 


Pongo finds an egg near the water fountain.

By the time Crosby and Mary arrived, it was beginning to get dark.  Crosby was eager to get out of his vehicle after a long ride.  After a potty break, he got right to work.  All of the hides were paired with treats since it was the first time the dogs had worked in my yard and because all the dogs had had a break in training.  Crosby delighted us with his antics, going all the way under a stone bench to the other side to follow the odor of an egg hidden in front of it.  He was so excited he picked the egg up in his mouth!   

 

Here, Crosby finds an egg in the seat of a
 pergola my husband built for one of
our wedding anniversaries.

Other ideas for future egg hunts include: not putting odor in all of the eggs (similar to how we have worked with boxes for ORT preparation) (See my August 13, 2013 blog: Getting Ready for the ORT).  Another idea is not to pair all of them with treats.  Some of our eggs had a treat inside, or we placed a treat next to it on the ground.  Of course, dogs are always rewarded with treats from their handler when the find odor.

At nine o'clock with the light gone, we finally stopped our holiday hunt.  The dogs were in their blissful happy place, ready to go home for a dream-filled night.  I could only hope our dogs' dreams were full of following one odor to the next!

Happy Hunting, Canines!

 

Happy 13th Birthday, Pongosaurus!

I have always celebrated Pongo's birthday in February.  Not knowing an actual date, the Washington Animal Rescue League estimated he was one year old in February 2002. Beginning in 2003, I have had a birthday party for him every year, sometimes inviting as many as six of his doggie friends, complete with birthday cake and party favors.  His birthday always includes some kind of exercise - a hike or a walk to a park to play ball...  

Mid-Winter Break in my school district always coincides with President's Day.  I had a couple days off from school and decided kind of spur-of-the-moment to celebrate Pongo's birthday on Monday.  I wanted to take him on a new trail, and so I sat down at the computer to quickly research a hike somewhere close off of Highway 410.  There had been a lot of snow in the mountains over the weekend but the roads at home were only wet.  I found what sounded like a nice winter hike - little change in elevation, only five miles long, and not far from Enumclaw.  Perfect! 

I packed a couple peanut butter sandwiches, an orange, an apple, two water bottles and some dry dog biscuits for Pongo.  I put on silk thermals under my hiking pants and several thin layers on top.  Pongo circled, following me everywhere I moved about the house, tapping the back of my leg with his nose as I walked - his regular "let's get going" dance. 

Finally we were in the car, taking the back road to Buckley. I stopped for a latte at a drive-through coffee stand, then was surprised to see traffic backed up, barely moving as I pulled onto 410.  We inched along.  Pongo stood over the gear shift with his front feet poised on the console and his back feet on the rear seat, showing his anticipation by whining and panting.  Could this be holiday traffic to Crystal Mountain?  I wondered.  Was it backed up all the way through Enumclaw to the ski resort?  That seemed crazy! 

As I neared Mud Mountain Road, I could see a trooper stopping cars and talking to each driver.  When I reached him, he told me that the road was closed on the other side of Enumclaw and that he was only letting residents or those who worked in Enumclaw through.  I told him I wanted to take my dog for a hike and asked him if I could take him to Mud Mountain instead.  With his approval, I turned right.  The problem was, I had never been to Mud Mountain and had only heard of it.  I didn't have directions.  Soon I was at a stop sign where I could only go left or right.  I chose left.  I wound around, seeming to get further from what looked like a mountain.  I took another left and before I knew it, we ended up at Mt. Peak!  So much for my directional instincts!!

I was disappointed. We have been hiking Mt. Peak for years, sometimes twice a week in the summers.  I had wanted Pongo to get to experience something new for his birthday.  I didn't feel like doing the steep one mile climb to the summit and I didn't have my hiking poles in the trunk.  I had been planning an easy, flat hike.  Bummer! 

But Pongo was anxious to get out of the car and I was sure he needed to pee.  I decided not to hike the main trail as we normally would.  I have known there were other trails on Mt. Peak but never had the inclination to explore.  Having the day off, I was in no rush.  So I decided to take take a smaller trail to the right of the main trailhead and the Carl Magnussen Trail sign.  I thought I had been told it was wider and more like a service road.  I was surprised then when it started off similarly to the main trail.  It got steep quickly.  But instead of having switchbacks, the trail wandered up in much the same direction.  Pongo bounded off ahead of me, looking back to see if I was coming.  It was slow going for me. 

Instead of widening out, the trail got narrower and steeper.  The ground was wet and I was glad I had worn my hiking boots instead of tennis shoes.  Up we went without running across another hiker.  I began reaching for tree roots to steady myself and help pull myself up in places.  I watched Pongo try to jump up some rocks above me, then turn around and come past me.  I called to him, taking a few more steps forward.  "Com'mon Pongo!" but he refused and kept up with his descent.  He had decided it was too steep - an unprecedented event!  But I couldn't get him to go back up. Finally, I realized he was the smarter of us two.  It was better to turn around now than to fall and injure ourselves.  The way down was treacherous and I did lots of sliding in spite of the rugged soles of my boots. When we reached the car, Pongo lay down on the back seat and licked his paws. Although we had set out with something much different in mind, it had still been a glorious adventure.  That evening, I made him a special dinner. I made a dish called Canine's Curry, improvising for some of the ingredients that I didn't have. Pongo got excited when he saw me pouring something from the stove into his dish.  But waiting for it to cool was tortuous!  Sometimes he can be so impatient!  At least when it comes to food and going outdoors. 

 


After dinner I set Pongo's gifts on the table. He got a bag of beef liver and sweet potato treats, as well as a chew stick.  Instead of a birthday cake this year, I opted for making "Catty-cakes." I remembered making them a few years ago.  It was an easy recipe, I had all of the ingredients at home (no shopping required - always a plus!),  and that he liked them.  Del, Ashley and I sang happy birthday and his birthday celebration began to wind down to a close.  Ashley was rushing off to band practice and Del would be going to bed soon.  I would likely fall asleep watching tv on the couch. It was a low key birthday in comparison to other years.  I baked less treats than last year, aware that controlling Pongo's weight in his advanced years is crucial to his health.  Excess weight aggravates joints and arthritis.  He is slowing down and getting less exercise. 




Pongo waited patiently for Mommy to take the cupcake wrapper off, then devoured a couple Catty-cakes in a row.  It was a good birthday!  I am so thankful that Pongo's health has remained steady and that I have been blessed with another year with my sweet boy.  After a scare with a malignant tumor on Pongo's belly last year, I am grateful for every day I get to share with him. I hope that there are many more hikes and adventures for us to explore and more years to come.  I love you, Pongosaurus!

Pongo's birthday recipes came from Pupsnacks by Stephanie Mehanna.

Greenwater Lakes

The thing I love about working for the public schools is that I get school holidays.  I cherish the summertime when I get to spend lots of time with Pongo.  Although I do work a second job at a nursing care facility, I generally get to work as much or as little as I want.  Usually, I work a couple weeks in the summer, a few days here and there spread out over ten weeks, covering vacations for other speech pathologists.  There is always lots of time for doggie adventure.

We explored yet another new hike yesterday, called the Greenwater Lakes. I met one of the teachers from my school at Wally's Drive-In in Buckley.  She brought her golden retriever, Bella, and we all piled into my car.  To reach this trailhead, we drove on Hwy 410 to the little town of Greenwater, just as we did a week ago for our hike to Snoquera Falls.  But this time, we turned left onto Forest Road 70 about a mile past town.  The trailhead is about 9 miles from there and is clearly marked by a large sign. 

It was a cloudy, cool day and to my surprise, was threatening to rain. I was unprepared for cold, wet weather and had forgotten to bring a jacket.  Luckily, the entire trail was forested and protected us from rain.  Pongo and Bella immediately charged off into the forest and we followed at a good clip to stay warm. 




We followed the Greenwater River upstream.  The trail crosses the river three or four times before it reaches Greenwater Lake, a long, shallow lake, after 2 miles.  This part of the hike is easy and quiet and we didn't encounter any other hikers on the way up.  This proved to be a good hike for late summer, as there was plenty of water for the dogs to drink and cool down in. 



     Greenwater River



Pongo enjoys getting his feet wet, and lapping up the cool, clear water.



We crossed the river on narrow log bridges where we had to walk single file.



Here Pongo climbs up the steps to cross one of the log bridges.

After a couple hours, we decided to take a break and sat down to eat the peanut butter sandwiches we had brought.  Pongo and Bella begged for bites and we rested on logs in the lush, old-growth forest. 

If you continue on, you eventually will reach Echo Lake, which is a seven mile hike from the trailhead.  We decided to save that for another day, and headed back down after going only a few miles.  I had goosebumps on my arms and had gotten chilled while we sat to eat.  I wanted to get going, and it would only get colder if we continued up the trail.

On the way back, we encountered a couple of hikers with big packs who were headed to Echo Lake to camp overnight.  I felt a little pang of jealousy, but did not envy the weight they were carrying.  Maybe one of these days we'll do an overnight hiking/camping trip.  It's certainly on Pongo and my bucket list!!

Our Story, Our Anniversary

Our story began eleven years ago in May 2002 in Washington D.C.  I had decided that I wanted to get a dog, and started looking at rescue sites online.  I had read an article about the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) in the Washington Post and had been encouraged to look there by my former roommate, Monica.  She had just moved out and I was now alone in a two bedroom apartment in northwest Washington.  I was having nightmares again, a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder, which I had been diagnosed with many years before. I didn't feel safe in the apartment alone.

I first saw Pongo on WARL's website.  The picture must have been taken when he first arrived.  He was skinny, with a big head and all this fluffy fur around his face. 

The description with his picture read:  "Pongo is a 5-month old Collie/Lab mix.  Happy-go-lucky and playful, Pongo will light up your life with his affection and playful antics.  Pongo loves doggie friends and kids, so please come and visit Pongo today."

I have always loved big dogs and love Labs.  I was looking for a dog that could go running with me, and thought a Lab would be a good match for me.  But when I went to visit Pongo, and took him outside to the play area, he ran around sniffing and ignored me.  He didn't seem happy-go-lucky at all, and when I tried to throw a ball for him, he ignored that too.  After a while, I took him back inside and looked at other dogs.

At that time, WARL housed their dogs in cages.  There were typically two or three dogs in a cage,  and then there was a pass-through between two cages so the dogs could visit each other.  I learned that Pongo had been there nearly six months, and spent much of his time flipping himself off the walls of the cage. 

I left that day without making a decision.  I took choosing a dog seriously, and I didn't want to be impulsive.  Of course, you already know what decision I made or this blog wouldn't be titled, "Rescuing Pongo." I went back to visit him a second time and talked to WARL staff about him.  I spent more time outside with him and found he had a bond with one of the workers.  When I asked why no one had adopted him, why he had been at WARL so long, the woman at the desk said, "no one wants crazy Pongo, he has too much energy."  Maybe that's what sealed it for me.  He was the one no one wanted.  Here was this beautiful dog who couldn't show how wonderful he was because being inside of a cage was making him crazy. People looked at him flipping around inside the cage and passed him by.

I also learned that Pongo had been found on the streets of Baltimore as a puppy and escaped being euthanized by being transferred to WARL with 12 other dogs.  WARL, being a no-kill shelter, would keep dogs as long as it would take to find them a home. 

I finally decided to fill out adoption papers, and on May 19, 2002, I took Pongo home.  I now believe he was at WARL so long because he was waiting for me.

Happy Anniversary, Pongo!  You are, indeed, the light of my life.