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Year of Camping
Jan 3, 2013
Unfortunately, we didn’t do as much hiking with Baxter in 2012 as we wanted to. Life got busy and before we knew it, we were counting down to 2013.
Read more…
- Alyse
More hikes soon!
Oct 15, 2011
It’s beginning to look and feel like Fall in Los Angeles only to go through a mini-heat wave. We don’t really have seasons here that you can count on. I once remember a Christmas Day where it was 85 degrees out.
We hope to get back to proper hiking soon though we are still enjoying our hilly neighborhood walks with Baxter. And he definitely loves them. More write-ups coming, if only to document the fun we’ve had hiking with our amazing little trooper.
- Alyse
Alcohol Wipes When Hiking
Dec 17, 2010
Interesting tip from Dogster:
If your dog is hot and you can’t immediately get out of the heat, it can help to pour water over his head, neck, chest, abdomen and feet. If no water is available, use alcohol wipes on the pads of his feet. Alcohol evaporates faster than water, so it has an enhanced cooling effect.
Get overheated dogs out of the heat as quickly as possible, and consult a veterinarian to ensure they recover properly. Note that alcohol can be toxic to your dog when ingested, so use it sparingly. And never put alcohol on a cut or open wound.
It’s a good rule of thumb to double the amount of water you’d normally carry for yourself to ensure you have plenty of water for both yourself and your canine hiking companion. You should never depend solely on water sources along a hike. Creeks can dry up and water fountains often break.
- Alyse
Still going strong
Dec 16, 2010
I haven’t had much chance to do more write-ups on the various hikes we’ve taken Baxter on just yet but stay tuned. Baxter is still a world class puppy hiker! We recently ventured on a road trip to British Columbia with Baxter as the cutest back seat driver. We all enjoyed several hikes in the rain forests of the Pacific Northwest, but Baxter was no fan of the ferry rides.
We love enjoying the outdoors with Baxter and plan to continue hiking in the new year. The above photo is one my favorite shots I took of Baxter this year while we hiked in Tapia Park in Malibu last March. He’s walking along a twisted tree branch about 5 feet off the ground. I think it captures Baxter’s almost fearless spirit and determination to always be on the go, ready to explore new scents and sounds. I hope we can match that attitude in 2011!
Happy New Year!
- Alyse
Incredible!
Jun 17, 2010
Learn about the remarkable journey one man has taken to walk 2,000 miles with his 2 dogs! It’s taken over two years, but he’s made it from Austin all the way to Boston, all the while raising awareness for cancer. The final mile of his journey will be celebrated this Saturday.
- Alyse
Baxter’s Rating System
May 27, 2010
In general, Baxter loves every hike we take him on. Here’s a simple rating system based on how much Baxter enjoyed the hike for write-ups:
1 out of 4 paws up
1 out of 4 paws up
Translation: “I wasn’t left home alone wondering what I did wrong, but this was too hot/long/hard guys.”
2 out of 4 paws up
2 out of 4 paws up
Translation: “This didn’t have enough spots to rest in the shade or had too many scratchy plants poking me in the belly, but of course I still had fun!”
3 out of 4 paws up
3 out of 4 paws up
Translation: “This totally rocked! Except for when the trail got a little rough and I had to be picked up.”
4 out of 4 paws up
4 out of 4 paws up
Translation: “OMG! The best! Shade, easy trail on the paws, and my little head was going to explode from so many new smells!”
- Alyse