Sunshine with Sammy on Mt. Israel

Sammy soaking in the sunshine at the summit of Mt. Israel

With a slow start to Spring and having been away from the trails over the past several weeks, I was excited to soak in the sun recently with Sammy en route to the summit of Mt. Israel (2,630 ft.).  My hiking companion has been waiting very patiently to see his report from our trek along the Wentworth Trail that took place back on May 18, 2013.  Since I have been busy with caring for my almost 16-year old dog's health issues the last few weeks, I am grateful for Sammy's patience.

All smiles along the Wentworth Trail

Three-year old Sammy is a sweet mix of shepherd and hound who is searching for his second chance family.  He is very much a ladies man and continues to make great strides with the men in his life.  Sammy greeted me as if he had known me forever and was very comfortable and well behaved during the car ride to the trailhead.  


Braving the black flies

He is doing remarkably well in his foster home and working to overcome his suspicions of some men he encounters.  Knowing that Sammy was not totally comfortable with all men and may bark at them, I chose an out and back trail to a peak that would be less crowded than its more popular neighboring summits of Mts. Percival and Morgan.  Taking an out and back route with a dog who is overcoming some fears lessens the number of unfamiliar people and places that he will encounter. 



Enjoying the views from above

Our plan worked well, and we were fortunate in that the first fellow hikers we encountered on the trail had previous experience with a dog who had some fears of men.  This friendly couple and their well behaved pair of Labrador retrievers kindly gave a little bit more room on the trail as Sammy and I made our way past them.  Sammy was fine, and I made a point of staying between him and the unfamiliar man on the trail.  The rest of our journey was filled mostly with black flies and only a handful of other hikers.  Sammy did well walking past others on the trail and even tolerated a rather boisterous off leash dog that quickly ran up to greet us as we approached the summit.

On the ride home

Our return trip was similarly uneventful, and Sammy is looking forward to more hikes in the future.  Of course, I always hope that each of my hikers finds a new home before they have an opportunity to visit the trails with me again.  However, I would welcome the chance to spend another sunny day with Sammy.  An album of photos from our hike is available here.

To learn more about Sammy, view his Petfinder.com profile here.  If you would like to support other rescue dogs in need through becoming a foster home or by making a donation, visit Almost Home Rescue.

See you on the trails!

Hiking with Jennie to Faraway Mountain

Jennie making tracks on the Shannon Brook Trail

Following a three week hiatus from hiking with the foster dogs, I was looking forward to an outing with Jennie who arrived only two weeks ago from her native Arkansas.  Jennie, who is known more formally as Jeanette, has spent nearly all of the first two years of her life living in a shelter.  As a result, she is very timid and still getting accustomed to new experiences.

Jennie and I get acquainted with snowshoes

I decided that Jennie would be the ideal companion for my first real winter hike - one that would at least require the use of microspikes and possibly snowshoes as well.  Together, we would experience the snow covered trails and decide if this was something we might want to do again.  Of course, Jennie did not really have a basis for comparison.  She had never been on a hike or even had much experience with cars, homes, strangers and especially snow.  The past two weeks have been a shock to her senses, and Jennie is slowly and carefully processing all of it.

I, on the other hand, prefer to ski in the winter, and I am happy to purchase my way to the top of the mountain with a lift ticket for the chairlift.  My experience with climbing uphill in winter has been limited to those unfortunate incidents when a bad fall may leave one or both of my skis or poles further up the mountain than the location to which I ultimately slid.  Skiers refer to this as a yard sale.  Even then, before trudging several feet uphill, I may hesitate and hope that someone skiing behind me may sympathize and bring the equipment to me.

A timid tail at the start

So, Jennie and I set out for a hike of moderate length and difficulty along the trails leading to Faraway Mountain in the Ossipee Mountain Range located at the Caste in the Clouds property in Moultonborough.  We realized that we might not have time to reach the summit given the combination of a late morning start from the Shannon Brook Trail, slower pace in the snow and decreased sunlight that winter brings.  Nevertheless, we would focus on the journey not the destination. 

Going along for the ride but with a curious look

Despite her initial hesitation to go along for a ride, Jennie proved to be a perfect companion in the car where she rested quietly for the trip to the trail head along Route 171.  Like her sibling Jordan who has since been adopted, Jennie is also residing temporarily in a foster home with a volunteer from Almost Home Rescue of Maine. Jennie enjoys the company of other dogs in her foster home, so I knew that she would get along with the young Labrador that we encountered shortly after beginning our hike. 

I regret that I did not get a photograph of Jennie and the fellow canine hiker.  However, Jennie excitedly yet appropriately greeted the other dog while I spoke to his owner about Almost Home Rescue and Foster Dog Summit.  One of his friends had just adopted a dog from a rescue group, so he was looking forward to sharing the story of Jennie and her hike. 

Enjoying a relaxing view from the Lower Bridle Path lookout

During our trek along the Shannon Brook, Lower Bridle Path and Faraway Mountain Trails, Jennie had the opportunity to experience the roar of snowmobiles, the crunch of snowshoes and the beauty of a spectacular view.  Since there is a fine line between desensitizing and further traumatizing a timid dog, we took our time on the trails, and I praised Jennie for not always overreacting to unfamiliar sights and sounds.  Jennie walked in perfect step beside me the entire hike.  The trail was packed just enough to carry her approximately 55 pound frame, so Jennie did not sink into the snow or need to follow behind in my tracks.  I wore microspikes to combat the icy, hard packed surfaces and only donned the snowshoes once the afternoon sun made the Faraway Mountain Trail a little like quicksand on every third or fourth step I took. 

A relaxing finish as sunset nears

Unfortunately, approximately 1/2 mile short of the High Ridge Trail, we realized that Faraway Mountain was simply too far away for us to reach and return safely in daylight.  So, we decided to travel this way again sometime, but we both agreed that it would be alright if instead Jennie hiked it with her new family.  To assist Jennie in finding that adoptive home, please share her adventure with friends and family and be sure to visit her profile on Petfinder.com.  A complete album of photos from Jennie's hike is available for viewing.

Norrie Hiking for a Home on Mt. Roberts

Norrie at the summit of Mt. Roberts

At only eights month of age, Norrie is still very much a puppy - full of energy, eager to please and showing all signs that she will grow into a perfect lady with a family to call her own.  A lovely mixture of beagle and hound, Norrie seemed to smell that an adventure was in her near future when I picked her up en route to our hiking destination in the backyard of the Castle in the Clouds located in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.  This magnificent property features 28 miles of trails running over 5,500 acres of conservation land in the Ossipee Mountain Range.

Norrie ready to start up the trail

On the morning of December 3, 2011, Norrie and I decided that we would tackle five miles along these routes with a straight out and back hike on the Mt. Roberts Trail to a scenic summit that shares the name.  Norrie was ready to lead and did not require much coaxing to begin charging her way to the top of the mountain.  However, along the way, she obeyed requests to slow down and also agreed to take several photos en route.  Norrie was especially interested in playing catch up to the hikers who were on the trail ahead of us.  Norrie also kept us precisely on course with her nose to the ground following the scent of the trail so adeptly that she steered me in the opposite direction just as I was about to make a wrong turn.

Scenic outlook!

Norrie and I enjoyed a mostly solitary hiking adventure, but we did have the opportunity to meet up with a few people at the summit of Mt. Roberts who were eager to learn about her search for a home and to share stories of their own canine companions past and present.  While we did not have the opportunity to interact with any other dogs on our journey, Norrie does very well with other dogs, cats and kids.  As we were concluding our hike, a few children who were playing on the property near the hiker parking area definitely attracted Norrie's attention, and it was obvious she would have loved to join them.

Part beagle and part treeing walker coonhound perhaps?

Norrie is currently living with a family who provides her foster care as volunteers with Almost Home Rescue.  Her temporary family happily reports that Norrie is house trained and continues to improve her leash manners.  Most of all, Norrie would love to have a home of her own for the holidays.  

For additional information about Norrie, to share her profile or to make an application for adoption, please visit her page online at Petfinder.com.  In addition to the following video clip of Norrie hiking on the Mt. Roberts Trail en route to a scenic outlook, there is also an entire album of photos detailing her adventure available online at the Foster Dog Summit fan page.  See you on the trails!