FOUR DIRECTIONS HIKING

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Get Ready for a Monsoon?

Believe me with a name like that, at first I was hesitant

to take this guy hiking!

My son Andy had been asking for several weeks,

"This is the weekend you take Monsoon, right?"

I would seriously just roll my eyes. I just wasn't going

to alter my list of recommended hiking dogs

for a guy who is way too busy to--HIKE? with his MOM?

He caught WIND of Monsoon on www.strayrescue.org one evening

and fell for that awesome face with the patch over the eye.

Big guy with big heart for a big patch-eyed pup.

So, I finally fit him into this weekend's plans-

-as long as ANDY was going hiking too!

So to Pine Street we went.....Monsoon had his usual expression

which seemed to say---"What?" when we approached him.

One glance at this brawny young man

and he was at his door ready for a few hours of guy time!

BTW, they connected immediately.

I realized after seeing this fella willingly hop into my vehicle

with little coaxing and sit quietly in the truck camper,

act fairly calm at the house,

show some politeness, and

get sweet and cozy with the guys

that he was just a soft, pleasant spring mist!

No major STORM here!

Monsoon seemed to have a 'thing' <3 for Miss Callie (and treats)

Hangin out with John (and watching Callie)

He semed drawn to our female hound <3 and connected with
Max, Andy's one-year old heeler. In fact, these three were our hiking
companions that day!

As soon as we started our trek,
Monsoon, Max and Andy
were inseparable.
[I was basically the refreshment server and photo lady :-)]

On the trail with Andy, Max and Monsoon

To be honest, this guy was not a tugger or puller
like I thought he might be!

Sure, he was excited and loved to explore, run, and jump over logs,

(he was really cool to watch SAIL over log after log!),

but he seemed to understand he was

on a leash under the supervision of a human
and, most of the time, he was pretty easy to control!
(Remember: gentle spring mist.)

Monsoon wasn't heavily into tracking scents like many dogs
I've been on trails with (which by the way
can slow you down to a dead stop frequently sniff..sniff..sniff!),
but he sure loved to LISTEN to the sounds all around him.
So attentive! Snap of a branch to the west! Head quickly turned.
Woodpecker tapping in the valley below! Whoa!-still-shhhh-

--WHAT was THAT?!
As you can see, Monsoon is a beautiful terrier mix. Brindle patches.
Extremely sleek, muscular build. Very agile with lively gait.
Persistent wind, heavy rain?
Well, persistent, yes.
Persistently ADORABLE!!!!!!