Hiking

Yesterday I took Tessa on her second hike. I took her and Maddie out to Colonel Denning State Park to walk on part of the Nature Trail.

Tessa really enjoyed the experience. One thing that I've noticed about her lately is that she seems to be "normalizing" in a lot of ways. She's not trying to grab for food all the time, and she's starting to act like a pet who trusts that she will be cared for.

As we walked around the lake, she was interested in the fishermen that we saw, but she did not seem bothered by them. She actually got into the water with Maddie, but I still don't know if she swims because Maddie doesn't. I have a feeling that when she eventually goes with Dean, she will swim. But that remains to be seen.

Once on the nature trail, she was interested and animated. I noticed that she doesn't sniff much - she tends to take things in more with her eyes and ears. She noticed some squirrels and I think she would have liked to go chase, but I had her on leash, so she couldn't. As we walked by each squirrel, I told her gently, "leave it" and she called right off. I believe the day will come when she will call off unleashed.

We walked along the creek and then looped back. I didn't want to go uphill, so we followed a kind of makeshift trail along the creek as we headed back. It ended, though, so I took my shoes off and we sloshed across the creek together. They both liked that.

As we walked the trails, Tessa was clearly enjoying taking it all in. She was animated and interested. Not at all like the dog I met last October! I think she particularly enjoyed sharing this experience with her "big sister"!! She and Maddie walked together and companionably bumped each other from time to time.

I am hoping that we will get to do this often over the summer. I mean to take her with different dogs and eventually by herself.