Happy Sunday, friends. Since I last wrote, we have been busy. When I'm not working, we are spending as much time as possible out adventuring. Whether it's short adventures close to home during the week or longer, more exciting adventures on the North Country Trail on the weekend, I have been doing my best to get Peaches and me enough physical exercise balanced with being able to get Maddie sufficient physical and mental stimulation to keep her happy without over doing it. With Maddie's age and physical limitations, sometimes getting us all the exercise that we need can be a challenge. It is a delicate balance, but I think I've been doing a pretty good job lately. Luckily, the weather has been perfect for us all-with the exception of a couple of warmer days.
While Maddie cannot go as fast and as far as Peaches, she still has the desire to go on adventures. Every day after work, when I am getting ready for our daily walk, Maddie gets so excited. She knows that we will probably be getting in the car and taking a drive somewhere and she is always up for a ride in the car, always. Most days she is also excited to get out of the car when we arrive at our final destination, but not always. Some days she is just happy to take a drive.
I am thankful that the temperatures have been perfect so that Maddie can ride along with us and then wait patiently in the car while Peaches and I get out for our adventure first. We usually find a shady, quiet area to park so she is content to lay on her comfy bed in the back of the car until it is her turn to join the fun. This way, Peaches can get out some of her initial energy and craziness and we can move a good pace without being slowed down by Maddie. Once we have finished a good walk, we then get Maddie out for her adventure with us. It has been a real game changer doing things this way.
Some days Maddie is ready to go and excited to be out walking with us, while others she is just happy that she got the car ride. But what I have found is that if she doesn't get the right amount of physical and mental stimulation, she doesn't sleep well, and then I don't sleep well either. So there are days when I feel like I am forcing her to keep going just a little farther, but if she is insistent on heading back to the car, then that is what we will do. Thankfully, if we are in a location she hasn't been to in a while, all of the new smells keep her moving and even if we don't walk as far, a sniffy walk does wonders to work her mind and tire her out...and it helps Peaches slow down and sniff which is great mental stimulation for her too! And honestly, I enjoy the chance at a slow stroll too.
After a good adventure, we head home for dinner, which is almost always followed by a round of fetch with Peaches while Maddie takes a nap. A favorite toy is Peaches' pheasant which Nicol bought her for Christmas. Somehow it seems all of her favorite toys are always gifts from Nicol!
We are have also been taking advantage of the weather this Spring to get out for some geocaching adventures. It's really a great way to discover new places or new things in old familiar places. Peaches and Maddie are both becoming pretty good little geocaching pups. It's been especially good for Peaches to work on her lack of patience...although she is still a work in progress.
For Easter Sunday, we headed out to visit my parents for the day. My parents live on 3 acres in the country and the weather was beautiful for spending the day outside. After a good run around the yard, Peaches discovered the old shed and the smell of some critters who have been using the area for shelter. Woodchucks, rabbits, and birds are abundant and definitely kept her busy all day long. We spent several hours there, and she never slowed down.
Maddie enjoyed her day in the country as well. She spent the day following me around and sniffing things and just generally enjoying the day. She also enjoyed all of the love and attention from my mom. It was a great day for two country loving girls!
In addition to our daily walks and other adventures, I have been finding other ways to keep the girls happy and busy. We have been working on doing training, which is always pretty exciting for both of them because they LOVE treats. While Maddie's main trick is to sit and then wait patiently for her treats, it is still fun to spend time with her and seeing how excited she gets to sit for a treat. Peaches is working on learning some fun new tricks and is hopefully on her way to being an even better girl.
Our weekends have been spent out on the North Country Trail (more on our North Country Trail adventures to come in a separate post later). Due to the mild weather, Maddie has been able to join us for short sections of the trail and to wait patiently in the car with a Kong while we do some longer sections. I am thankful that the weather has cooperated to allow her to ride along and get out with us even if she can't join us for longer. Today, after our hike, Maddie joined us for a slow two miles on a new trail. I didn't realize the trail was so long and I was so proud of her for keeping up with us. That is a long hike for her! And it has been a very quiet night at my house!
Mid-April is the time when I'd normally be preparing to head out on a good road trip. For many years, the girls and I would load up a vehicle and head out for a trip to new places across the country. We haven't done that for two years now, thanks to Covid. While I am not comfortable taking a trip outside of Michigan right now(for many reasons), I am definitely missing a good road trip and I am pretty excited that we are going to be taking some shorter adventures to new places right here in Michigan. My little old adventure dog needs a good adventure just as much as I do and we are looking forward to seeing some fun and beautiful new places. I can't wait to share more of our adventures with you soon!
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