Christmas morning hike with Cricket and Lucy

[Mollyrocker]

Cricket loves to be in the lead! Catch me if you can sucka!

Lucy chsing Cricket! Most fun!

Cricket hunting critters

Cricket chasing Lucy...the game switches gears

Cricket and Lucy taking a break with SU

Cricket knawing on a moose bone we found in the woods...they found an antler too...COOL!

Christmas morning hikes rule! Now we go home and open presents...it is good to be us!

[bradl]

Nice pics. I like the eagle eye Cricket has on SU: "Hands in pockets ... where TREATS are kept!"

[AllAboutPetey]

Thanks for sharing those pictures! I am jealous of your photography (and painting) skills. Looks like a perfect Christmas morning.

[chrissysb]

Great Pics! Are they wearing a special collar? Just curious as to what that is...

[Mollyrocker]

Chrissy,

They are blaze orange fleece "sleeves" with reflective tape on them that slip over their regular collar. I use them during hunting season and also to be able to see Cricket better in the woods when we hike because she blends in to the landscape. Both doggies also both wear bells to alert critters they are approaching and so I can hear them even if I can't see them...

[kayharley]

Oh, those are wonderful pictures. How fortunate that you can trust Cricket not to run off. I would love to be able to do that.

I'm surprised to see you don't have any snow in N.H. I'm in CT and was hoping for some of the white stuff...probably in March when I'm getting spring fever.

[Mollyrocker]

It is very wierd not to have any snow. Where we live in NH, it usually starts snowing in October and we have a good solid foot on the ground by now.

Cricket has been off leash since she was 9 weeks old. She is now just over 9 months. She is only off leash where there are absolutely no cars, and we are fortunate enough to have logging paths and conservation land surrounding our property.. we are out in the woods practicing recall and hiking everyday. I think having Lucy around keeps her from straying too far. She will run off to hunt critters but she wants to be with us adn with Lucy...she seems to understand that we are a pack and we stick together. She checks in often and has great hand and voice recall.

That being said, it is a risk...a risk that I feel is worth it. I worry often, but she loves to run with Lucy and she loves to rock hop and hunt and "go to ground"...she hasn't never once given me a reason not to trust her.

But, I would never ever let her off leash in the yard, near roads or cars.

[maggie]

Your pictures are great, we spent sometime in NH a few years back and loved it! Your pictures brought back some great memories! I would love to let mine run around like that but I really don't think my heart could take it!

[Darcy's Folks]

Wow... what great fun that looks like! We're jealous! We have barely been able to take any extensive walks due to the snow storm. Our neighborhood streets are still a snowy/icy mess AND our sidewalks still do not exist! The park across the street from our house still has at least 2 1/2 feet of snow everywhere!

I too noticed the same photo Brad did. The intense look of "I'm here for you and waiting for a treat... you have my undivided attention for 15 more seconds!"