It’s good to stop along the trail and enjoy a beautiful summer day.
I love getting out. I guess it’s my nature. The city’s OK, with all those nasty smells, loud sounds and the like. But what really perks up my interest is traveling, being with my folks and getting into the woods.
My name’s Watson. I’m a golden retriever. Sometimes my folks call me Dr. John Watson, and I’m told I’m named after the traveling companion of the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. My folks are big fans. But the name Watson seems to fit. I love getting out, being hot on the trail of some new adventure. When the back door opens to our big SUV and I hear the words, “Come on boy! The game is afoot!” I’m ready to jump in.
We live in the mountains, and lately we’ve been exploring forest trails near where we live, with big tall trees, lots of brush and scents that are new to me. Of course while we’re getting there I mostly curl up and sleep on my blanket. The movement of the SUV is very restful.
On one recent adventure we weren’t on the road very long so I didn’t get much of a nap. But after we parked and they opened the back door, what hit me were the wonderful and mysterious smells that greeted me. I jumped down, had my blue leash put on me, and the three of us took off along a dirt trail. Naturally I wanted to take in all the new things around me. Flowers, grasses, trees, and the scents of animals I’ve never smelled before.
Only a couple of times I went on alert, as I could hear things off in the brush that my folks couldn’t. I spotted some movement, quick flashes, but I couldn’t sense any danger. The scents were different, but nothing that made me cautious. I spotted a squirrel jumping and racing up a trunk, and I thought it would be fun if we could play, but he was gone in the blink of an eye.
After several minutes of walking, my folks reached an area they obviously wanted to see, because they were pointing and talking back and forth, sometimes with an excitement in their voices. We walked around, and I kept my eyes, ears and nose sharp. All this was unexplored country.
Then we took a break in some shade, and my folks pulled my water dish out of their bag and poured water into it for me. I drank big gulps, lapping up the water faster and faster. It was hot along that trail! I’m lucky in that my folks take good care of me. There’s always water to drink, and snacks.
Well, we got back to the SUV, we rested for a while in the shade of a tree. I drank more water and enjoyed more snacks. What a life!