Ollie's first hike and snow!(picture heavy)

[Carriesue]

So yesterday we were finally able to get Ollie out for his first hike! Unfortunetly the trail turned out to be really muddy and I kept slipping and sliding everywhere and was worried I'd twist my ankle so we didn't do the 6 miles we usually do which might have been best anyways with puppy in tow. Also I really need to get some better hiking shoes!

The dogs didn't care about the mud at all though and had a fantastic time! It was also Ollie's first time truely off leash and he did great though we didn't encounter any wildlife other then songbirds and fellow hikers.

It was a balmy 52F beautiful and sunny day, altitude is around 4500. And Ollie has officially started his goofy gangly phase, lol. A few photos have this round orby(ooo spooky) thing in them I apologize I think there was a fleck of mud on the lense, the pups were flinging it everywhere!

Video! Sorry it's a bit shaky at times, I was trying out my new camera but apparently it doesn't have image stabilization like my other one.

On The Trail - YouTube

On The Trail - YouTube

The puppers we brought, Sam and Ollie!

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There was a forest fire here a few years ago so there are a lot of dead and charred trees.

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The meadow which is very rarely green with lakes filled, still in the desert technically and we only get rain a few times during the winter.

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Panoramics, can probably go on my Flickr and see bigger versions

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Still have more pictures coming, lol.

[Kyleigh]

OMG ... such cuteness in the video and the pics!!!! Looks like everyone had a blast!!!! And just how dirty are they LOL Hopefully you just had to hose them off!!!

[Carriesue]

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The end result of a long muddy hike!

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My favorite pic of the day

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anza borrego national park

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And me telling the pups it's time to go home

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Pooped pup

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There are more pictures on my Flickr channel if you wanted to look!

[GsdLoverr729]

Awww that looks so fun! I wish I was in an area where it snowed :/
Ollie gets more and more handsome every day! But, I think he may need more offleash training. I'd be happy to take him off your hands to work with him for, I dunno... 14 years?

[Carriesue]

Originally Posted by Kyleigh

OMG ... such cuteness in the video and the pics!!!! Looks like everyone had a blast!!!! And just how dirty are they LOL Hopefully you just had to hose them off!!!

Sam was covered but for whatever reason when it dries on him it just falls off, lol! And Ollie wasn't nearly as bad, he wasn't rolling around in it like Sam.

It feels good to have a pup konk out for the rest of the evening from being totally tuckered out!

[llombardo]

I wish I had a place like that to take my dogs....they have to be leashed everywhere And snow...I live in the suburbs of Chicago and I haven't seen more then a dusting...very depressing Sam really knows how to get dirty and it looks like he's starting to learn how to share better?

[Jag]

GORGEOUS pics! I'm just totally green over your location! The scenery, the weather, the hiking areas... if you'd throw in the shepherd, I'd be moving in a heartbeat! LOL! The boys look great together, and look like they're having a great time. Sounds like Sam's got enough poodle coat to be very helpful when muddy. It's great that their relationship has gotten so much better. Lots of hard work on your part, but just look what you came out with! Sounds like you need the boots with either a deep tread or maybe some mini-cleats (although with really bad mud, I dunno how much that would help). I hope you have walking sticks. I love the stuck out tongues pic! I'll bet you had a tired pup! Also a very happy, mentally and physically spent pup which equals a VERY happy pup.

[Jag]

Nice video! Have you done any A/V work? I thought youtube offered image stabilization? It popped up on a few of my shaky vids and fixed them for me. Love it when Sam seems to be teaching Ollie "When you're hot and thirsty, eat snow", as well as when Ollie watches Sam take long runs during their play "I'll just be waiting right here" LOL! The music you pick always seems so fitting.

[Kyleigh]

Llombardo ... do you mean you have nothing even close to that for you? Even if you had to drive for an hour or so???

If not, I feel for you, I'd go bonkers.

As much as I'm not a fan of living in the city (and I'm in a suburb of Ottawa, not right downtown), Ottawa has so much greenspace it's incredible.

We have two huge dog parks that are off leash, and so many trails, mountains, etc. it's crazy. If you have a fat dog in Ottawa, you're lazy! There really is not excuse in this city!

[Carriesue]

Originally Posted by llombardo

I wish I had a place like that to take my dogs....they have to be leashed everywhere And snow...I live in the suburbs of Chicago and I haven't seen more then a dusting...very depressing Sam really knows how to get dirty and it looks like he's starting to learn how to share better?

I do know your pain llombardo, while I don't live in a big city Southern California is extremely crowded, the only off leash places here are cramped fenced in dogs parks and a few crowded beaches.

We don't get snow or any season here except summer and a few seconds of spring lol, the only places that have snow are up in the mountains or high elevations.

And agreed with Kyleigh, there has to be something nearby...this place we hike is a two hour drive each way! Nothing really closer where they can be off leash like that.

Oh and yes Sammy is getting better with guarding, I made a post about it! A breakthrough for my pack!