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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
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
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
hello world!
May 26, 2010
When my husband and I wanted to adopt a dog back in July 2008, we were hoping to rescue a Beagle. Instead, we ended up falling in love with Baxter, a dachshund terrier mutt found on the streets. He plopped in my lap with his short legs, long body, flappy ears, and that was that. He’s part of our family now.
We didn’t know then what we know now. He’s a tough guy with boundless energy and has turned into an excellent hiking companion. He loves going for walks and soon, we started taking him for short hikes in local parks for a change of scenery. As we all got more conditioned, we ventured on longer and more difficult trails. Baxter has become a great little puppy hiker!
When researching hikes in the Los Angeles area, I found a lack of online resources on the best hikes for dogs. Often, you don’t know if a trail allows dogs until you show up to the trail head. Sometimes, the condition of the trail is not suitable for dogs even if they are allowed. The purpose of this blog is to share our experiences hiking with Baxter and provide trail descriptions and ratings in the hope you may be encouraged to go hiking with your dog.
- Alyse