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Archie at the summit of Mt. Tecumseh |
It was the calm before the storm early in the morning of October 29, 2011 as Archie headed north for a hike to the summit of Mt. Tecumseh (4,003 ft.) This friendly, smart approximately two and a half year old Treeing Walker Coonhound was in for a bit of winter on the Mt. Tecumseh trail. While the major storm was still hours away from hitting the New England area, the snow that had fallen a few days earlier left an impressive blanket of white in the higher elevations. The autumn snowfall is definitely welcome on Mt. Tecumseh since it is home to the Waterville Valley Ski Resort which will commence operations in a few weeks.
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Archie agilely crossing a stream |
Archie thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of the white stuff and happily journeyed along the trail as if he was a skilled winter walker from the hills and not a former flatlander who recently arrived from an overcrowded animal shelter in Arkansas. Archie greeted all of the hikers we met on the Mt. Tecumseh trail with a calm and friendly demeanor that demonstrated his ability to easily make friends with men and women. While we did not encounter any children or other canines in our travels, Archie would have greeted them with a similar level of calm friendliness. Archie is especially fond of children, and he currently shares his foster home with other dogs and cats.
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Obstacle was no match for a treeing walker coonhound |
Fellow hikers were curious to learn more about Archie and his breed. Upon seeing Archie coming up the trail, one man jokingly exclaimed, "He looks like a giant beagle!" Archie does indeed share the tri-color markings of a beagle, but he is significantly larger - weighing in at a tall and very handsome ninety pounds. In spite of his size, Archie is a big lug who loves to lean into your thigh for a pat on the head and will be equally happy with reaching the summit of a sofa to take in a view from the television.
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The relaxing ride home |
Riding in the car is a new experience for Archie, and he was a bit drooly with nervous excitement on the way to the mountain. However, having relaxed during his hike, Archie was not at all concerned about the car ride home. He quickly settled in on the back seat and napped for nearly the entire ride which indicates that his anxiety will likely subside entirely once he has a few more trips under his belt.
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Archie and I shivering at the summit! |
Our round trip out and back hike of five miles along the Mt. Tecumseh trail was extremely enjoyable, and I am confident that Archie's adventure will enhance his profile to potential adopters. Please share his journey and increase the chances of him finding a home soon. I would like to extend a thank you to my friend Karen who accompanied Archie and I on this trek and provided photography assistance. A
complete photo album is available for viewing online.
You can learn more about Archie and make an application to adopt him by viewing his
profile at Petfinder.com. To learn more about becoming a foster family for another dog in need or to make a contribution towards the all volunteer rescue efforts of other dogs like Archie, please visit
Almost Home Rescue.
Archie sounds like a great boy! We adopted a Treeing Walker Coonhound almost four years ago and he is a wonderful dog--easy and gets along with everyone. I hope someone gives Archie a chance. They'll get lots of love in return.
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