Winter walks with Millie

Millie’s first forest walk in the snow!

Millie LOVES the forest. We’re so fortunate to live close to an off-leash forest trail, so we come almost every day. This morning, I woke up to snow and wondered when I’d take her to the forest. It’ll be nice and quiet if we go too early, but will that be ideal forest conditions for coyotes? Millie would probably try to befriend one, running towards it with her butt wagging like crazy as it always does around other dogs. So, I worry for her more than anything. However, the snow is falling so beautifully that I decide not to worry about Millie running off to be wild with the coyotes. I’m sure people will be on the trail. I can’t be the only early riser with a dog. And so off we go. Millie knows the drill. We walk to the entrance, she sits, I unleash her, she waits for my “break” command, and off she goes. She is getting much better about stopping and looking back at me often. Thank God, because this girl is INDEPENDENT. She’s usually like, “Whatever. See you, mom” when we’re at the dog park. But she is learning to stay close when we’re on the trail. Experiencing the forest with my pup is more of that bursting I mentioned in my other post. When I think I can’t love the forest more, I do. Being on this trail, with another being that LOVES the forest as I do, is magical. She can’t vocalize it–and frankly, I appreciate her lack of verbal skills–but I know she feels this connection to the forest. Like me, she loves all the sides the forest reveals to her. We can’t wait to keep exploring with you.