Jack is a Ladies Man on Mount Sunapee

Gentleman Jack on the way to Mt. Sunapee

It was an enjoyable return to the trails on Saturday, April 14, 2012 with summer like weather to keep me warm and foster dog Jack to keep me company.  With the thermometer reading only thirty degrees when I left my house on Saturday morning, I was questioning the accuracy of the day's weather forecast and bringing along a hat and gloves seemed rather reasonable.

Jack giving me his best puppy dog eyes

However, by the time Jack and I arrived at the start of the Andrew Brook Trail, it was already sixty degrees and bright and sunny for our climb to the summit of Mt. Sunapee (2,745 feet).  Jack is a sweet, two-year old Coonhound who recently arrived from an overcrowded animal shelter in West Virginia.  Thanks to the support of Canine Guardians for Life, Inc., he has happily settled into the foster home that he shares with two other large male dogs where he loves getting attention and playing with a variety of toys.

The added security of a safety strap for the leash

As we parked at the trail head, I could sense Jack's excitement to hit the trails and take in all the smells they had to offer a scent driven hound.  I did not think Jack would quickly wander off if I happened to drop the leash, but I am taking extra precautions against any dog getting lost on the trails.  I have purchased a safety strap that secures my wrist to the end of the leash.  So, in the event of a stumble like the one that resulted in Jennie getting lost on the trails, the leash will remain attached.  The freehand safety strap was designed specifically as a backup attachment for retractable leashes, but I found it worked just as well for a regular leash.  I would not recommend that the safety strap be used as a temporary tie out to a tree or a post especially for larger dogs who could break free.  As a wrist strap, however, I highly recommend it.

Jack meets Rada at Lake Solitude

Jack and I took our time hiking along the Andrew Brook, Solitude and Summit Trails with several photo stops along the way.  At Lake Solitude, Jack was thrilled to make the acquaintance of a beautiful Bernese Mountain dog named Rada.  Jack also dipped his feet in the lake but then quickly decided the water was a bit too chilly for a deeper swim.  After a short break, we headed on to the White Ledges overlooking the lake for some more encounters with fellow canine hikers.

Scarlet oversees Jack and Lily's introduction

Atop the White Ledges, Jack and I were met rather boisterously by German shepherd Scarlet who despite her alpha greeting proved to be very interested in Jack and welcomed him to the scenic overlook.  Scarlet then introduced Jack to her owners and her canine sister Lily the Labrador retriever.  After a few more photos, Jack was disappointed to see the ladies leave as they headed down to the lake for a swim.

Taking in the views just below the summit

We eventually made our way along the Summit Trail to the top of Mt. Sunapee for a last look at the remnants of ski season and to take in the views of Lake Sunapee.  Jack enjoyed a short stroll on the snow before we reversed our route and concluded our approximately 6.5 mile adventure in the middle of the afternoon.  Jack was seemed to enjoy the woods and all of the attention and compliments that he received from fellow hikers. 

Now, we hope that all this positive attention will bring Jack one step closer to being adopted into a permanent home.  A full photo album of Jack's journey is available online.

To learn more about Jack and/or to share his adoption profile with others, please visit his page on Petfinder.com.

See you on the trails!