September 18 - Blue Goes to the City
18th September 2019
We mentioned in last week's Facebook update that Blue's hiking life would be in for a big change the next time he hit the Buckeye Trail (BT). Well, this past Sunday, for almost 6 miles, it did.
As a reminder, the BT loops around the entire state of Ohio for over 1,400 miles. In fact, it's the longest marked, continuous loop trail in the world. Some parts wind along wild and remote forest paths. Others follow roads, streets, and multi-use trails like the Towpath. Shifting gears from lightly-traveled, quiet paths to busy streets and trails shared with bicyclists, families pushing strollers, and groups of trail runners can be jarring even for experienced human hikers.
For Blue, this was a kind of carefully controlled and closely supervised experiment. We were all cheering him on, but we were also ready to pull the plug if he became stressed or just wasn't having any fun.
Drumroll please....We're delighted to announce that the "experiment" was a resounding success! A little more work is needed to make sure Blue understands that he's always a safe distance from oncoming traffic. But like every other behavioral issue, the ingenious staff at HSSC knows all about how to deal with this in a thoroughly positive way. Here's a hint: the closer the car, the more the treats show up. Other than this, it was calm, loose-leash strolling all the way.
Our route took Blue and I from the Cuyahoga Falls city limits sign on Bath Road all the way to the roundabout at the bottom of Smith Road. It would be hard to find a section of the BT more diverse and, if you're Blue and you're still working on your confidence, challenging. But, as you can see from the photo we took at the turnaround point, Blue was on his game all the way.
Now, since all this is supposed to be about finding our pal his forever home, what might this mean to his potential adopter? Well, whoever you are, you'll add your own fun tricks to those the shelter staff tells you about and you'll take your own walks with him in the places you love. However, isn't it good to know that a team of skilled staff and volunteers has given you a good start on safely and happily taking our buddy almost anywhere? (Like you would with any dog, we're assuming you and Blue will follow all the rules of whatever place you happen to be in and that you'll always have plenty of beef-flavored green beans or some other healthy treat hanging around.)
And when you remember that HSSC offers all kinds of post-adoption training and support to anyone who adopts an animal and who needs a little extra help, bringing Blue home starts to feel like real fun, now doesn't it? So why not get in touch with the shelter and learn more about all this? A thousand days is about long enough, don't you think?
And if that's not in the cards, that's OK. After all, this blog wouldn't exist if I didn't already have 2 HSSC dogs lying around my own place. But you can still contribute to Blue's 2019 fundraiser by clicking here. We only have 3 more months left to reach our $5,000 goal. Every dollar counts. Every. Dollar. Thanks in advance to those of you who decide to pitch in. (AND A HUGE WAY-TO-GO TO SUSAN B, WHO BROUGHT US TO $1000. THANK YOU!)
Check back here and on Facebook early next week for Blue's adventures through Sand Run Metropark. You didn't know such rugged and beautiful terrain was just down the road and up the hill from HSSC's Happy Tails Thrift Shop, now did you? In fact, at the end of next week's update, Blue and I are going to plan out your next Saturday or Sunday for you. You're welcome!
Thanks again to all of you who are following Blue's journey to his very own couch and who are helping raise the money needed to keep him and his pals healthy. I'll be doing some hiking of my own in the mountains of Vermont over the next few weeks, so check back here on Wednesday, October 9th, for Blue's next weigh-in and a preview of our fall hiking plans. That is, unless Blue winds up hiking with YOU!
See you then!
Ted
