Third Hike is a Charm with Tyson

Tyson happy on the trails of Belknap Mountain!

At the start of my third hike with Tyson, I began to wonder if perhaps I had already written everything I could about this wonderful Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever mix.  Of course, the one thing I had not blogged about was how much I have personally wanted to adopt this dog.  Truthfully, I feel that way about all of the dogs I have hiked with since beginning the Foster Dog Summit blog in July 2011.  But I cannot adopt them all, and that is what keeps me hiking and blogging in the hopes that these adventures are strengthening their adoption profiles.

Tyson making it difficult for me to resist adopting him!

If I were in a different position where I could take on a third dog, Tyson would have been back blogging by my side after our first hike to the summit of Kinsman North.  Since then, Tyson has joined me on a hike with fellow foster dog Sage along the Mt. Percival - Mt. Morgan loop and most recently on an adventure to the summit of Belknap Mountain on an unseasonably warm January day.

Taking in the views

We spent the afternoon of Sunday, January 8, 2012 making our way to the top of Belknap Mountain via the carriage road to the Red Trail which leads to the summit.  We then carefully made our descent along the icy White Trail.

Tyson is one of those dogs who is always ready for the next adventure, and he thoroughly enjoys the journey as much as he does arriving at the destination.  From the car ride to the summit and then back to the trail head, Tyson is completely in the moment and thinking full speed ahead.  I remember one of the hikers we met on Mt. Kinsman commented about Tyson, "Look at how smart that dog is - you can see his intelligence.  He looks as though he is comprehending everything we are saying."

Tyson waits patiently below the fire tower while I take photos

Tyson is indeed all that and more, and he will be a perfect companion for an active family who appreciates his intelligence and determination.  I had a hopeful yet somewhat sad feeling that our hike on Belknap Mountain may be our last outing before Tyson finally finds the forever home that he deserves and has been waiting for so patiently.  I hope that three is indeed a charm for Tyson, and I will look forward to maybe meeting up with him on the trails in the company of his own family sometime in the future.

Wonder what he's thinking...

An entire photo album of Tyson's most recent hike is available online, and you can learn and share more about him on his Petfinder.com profile.  To learn more about Tyson and/or to volunteer or make a contribution to other dogs in need of rescue, please visit Canine Guardians for Life, Inc.