Watching my dogs enjoying themselves while bounding through the open desert is a wonderful experience. I was fortunate to have my first pal for almost fifteen years. He was the best trail dog I have met and helped me out of some pretty scary situations. This being said, he also got into some pretty sticky and questionable situations himself. He got a little too anxious around rushing water sources and I had to help him out a few times. The memories he and I shared are endless and replay in my mind on a daily basis. He was a red heeler, Australian Cattle Dog, Queensland, many names for the breed. High energy was his happy place during puppyhood and laying around the house during adulthood. His favorite all time place was being outside on a trail. This is where he always came alive with high spirits and a lot of dog smiles. I was always grateful if the path did not have a cow pie since he lived rolling in them until his white fur was brown. Yuck! When he passed, part of myself fell asleep for a while, then my husband and I decided it was time for a new friend to be added to our family.
The current beast is a blue heeler which is the same breed and way more calm in comparison. He also loves being outside in the trials and is a gem with our daughter. He is navigating his new role as her companion as well as ours and I long for the days when they will get to run side by side out in nature. Currently he loves chasing balls or just smelling everything outside. Both dogs were and are always leashed around people or animals, and respectful of the natural environment. Watching our dog now enjoy nature is also amazing. He loves running ahead a little bit, hiding, and running back when we call his name. We love how much he blends into the shadows and dark colors outside. Thank you all for reading and I hope you have a terrific Thursday!
-Karen Hilliard
