_Hi E.,

Uisce is sleeping on the sofa beside Caroline as I write this. He is so loving and attentive! I take him to High Park three times a day and he always walks right with me. There were times he watched a dog playing roughly with Frida or Frida playing with another dog, and he'd go to the dog he thought was overdoing it. Then I'd say. "That's OK. Leave it, sweetie," and call him to me. So now he looks at me and sometimes I say "Let's go see," and he helps me break something up or I tell him it's alright and he stays with me.

It's such a pleasure to have him stay with us! And both Caroline and I love him.

About his food - yesterday I roasted a chicken for him and cooked carrots and he ate that. And today  I gave him more cooked chicken. I remembered you said you give him raw beef, so I bought some for him today (beef shoulder). And I know he loves cheese, so I bought some for him as well. He ate both and loved the cheese! So he's doing wonderfully.

I know he misses you both greatly; he cries when we're in the car and I comfort him. Other than that he's happy and relaxed and he feels our love.

I'm sure you must be having a beautiful time. Know that Caroline and I are putting our hearts into caring for him. He is a beautiful soul!

Kind regards,
Janice

_

Colt and Frida at Humber Bay Park East.

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I love trail walking with my canine companions. And  I wish all my dogs were trail-ready. Before I take a new friend on a trail, we go to High Park. Some dogs will explore and check back in.  Others share their discoveries alongside. Occasionally, a new friend will get too carried away with roaming.

And so I ask all humans of the dogs who hike with me whether their dogs are trail-ready. I always hope they are; but dogs  can get lost on a trail.  And human voices cannot carry far enough or may not be heeded. I walk such a dog, a bright, energetic fox terrier who finds a scent and follows it. In our trail walks, she will have to be on lead, followed by a romp with other dogs in an enclosed off-leash area. Her human is working hard to improve her dog's recall. And when the time comes, they will both accompany me on a test trail walk.

So it's vital to inform your walker/ hiking guide of your dog's habits and tendencies. Trail walking may commence immediately or may become one of your primary goals for your dog.

My Frida has been hiking with me since she was a puppy. She acts as canine guide and companion and was born to this work. When the hike works, everything is in sync, dogs, human, earth, sky, all.I am wishing this for you and your dog.

Tomorrow is a busy day. I'll pick up Q., a Boston who adores both Frida and me (affection which we return), in the early part of the morning, before the Aussiedoodle arrivies for his one-night stay-over. Frida  does much of the welcoming; she has a gentle, enthusiastic way of putting dogs at ease. And I think, in my human way, I greet in a similar fashion. And then we'll go for our second hike of the day -- a wonderful shared time and natural way to bond.

At noon, we'll return home: I shall eat lunch with my daughter Caroline, and then off we go, Aussiedoodle, Frida and I to pick up a pug/French bulldog for a hike along Humber River. The pug loves to explore, but all my canine friends do. More and more I feel their joy in running through forest trails. They have their own rhythms, running after smells, each other, easy-going walking, dashing off again, returning for a treat and happy word; I have become committed to hiking with my dogs who come into their own on the trail.

And later, a stop-off at T.'s place, who is missing our hikes due to a recovering sprain on his right leg. We're just walking along the blocks near his house. He goes about sniffing and generally enjoying our stroll, but it's not the same.

This week I am determined to bring my dogs to Clareville. I'll report back after that hike.