My friends Kathryn and Mark live in the Berkshires, the
westernmost part of Massachusetts. They have an adorable Corgi mix named
Archie, who gets along wonderfully with Olive. Occasionally we get together for
a hike in historic and presently bucolic Berkshire County for a hike with our
dogs.
Recently there was an organized hike through a nature
preserve largely in the town of Great Barrington. I met Kathryn at a
supermarket parking log just off the Massachusetts Turnpike (Mark had to work
that day). We went to a nearby natural food store and restaurant with outdoor
seating for a quick lunch, then off to where people gathered for the hike.
There were a dozen or so people and three dogs, including
Olive and Archie. The hike leaders were very knowledgeable about area flora, so
that I learned a few things about natural and invasive trees and plants in the area.
Archie was very well behaved off leash. I might have taken
Olive off leash, something I have done before with her on hikes, as she stays
close to me even without a leash. I opted not to this time, however, as Olive
almost immediately made a nuisance of herself pestering people on the hike to
toss her sticks. I found that a bit embarrassing, but I think Olive enjoyed
herself as much as I enjoyed the hike and catching up with Kathryn.
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| One of the hike participants gives Olive a treat. Archie is the black dog, while the third dog on the hike is awaiting his treat. |
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Speaking of chasing sticks, lately Olive has been obsessed
with catching sticks even on short walks around our townhouse complex. Virtually
any friendly person we encountered was pestered to throw sticks for her.
I found some commercially made rubber sticks for dogs,
shaped to look like a natural stick, at LL Bean and bought one. I liked that it
was made of a soft rubber so that I don’t have to worry about it hurting Olive’s
teeth or mouth. Now all I have to do on walks when she starts looking around
for a stick is to say “let’s go home and get the rubber stick” and she eagerly
heads for home.
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In the popular comic strip “Zits”, a teenage boy has decided
to start a dog walking business as a summer project. It seems that he is in for
more than he bargained for.
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| I immediately related to this cartoon. Yes, border collies can be pretty lively. |
I don't do as much folk dancing as I used to, but the experience comes in handy while walking Olive, particularly when I spin around to avoid getting wrapped up by the leash as the young man in the cartoon is finding himself.
