Hope Puppy Thoughts

Hope Puppy made a faithful and interesting hiking partner during my backpacking trip. She stayed close to me all the time. Well except on the trip back down when she kept disappearing with Billy. I called her a Benedict Arnold but that did not seem to bother her at all as she ran down the trail with her new friend. But most of the time she was close at hand. I never had to worry about her wandering off or going to explore.

I also had fun teaching her some new skills. She was a champ and learned to cross the rivers on logs and carried a pack filled with all her own supplies.

She went swimming in the lake for the first time. She was having a blast chasing her ball as we splashed in waist deep water, then I headed out to deep water and she got anxious. She kept trying to herd me back to shore. But I would wrap my arms around her and let her take a breather and then launch her towards the shore. She would only stay on shore for a little while until she swam back out to me to try to herd me in a little closer.

I came out of this trip with a deep appreciation for this dog. She works hard, is unfailingly cheerful and is willing to learn new things. I am so thankful for her, but I am also challenged. Challenged to put those qualities I see in her to work in my own life.

Yes .... I think being more like my dog just might be a very good thing.

Just Connie