Snow Excursion Saturday

Last week we had a weather phenomenon seldom seen in Vancouver.  We were blessed with both SUN and SNOW (at least on the mountains) and I felt the need to take full advantage of it.  Hence I decided to plan a mountain excursion.

I sent out a last-minute email not expecting any takers; bundling up and heading for the hills doesn't appeal to others the same way it does to me.  Surprisingly my former mentee, now my pet manatee, Harpreet responded with a hearty 'YEP!'.  I started to make plans, then realized that maybe her response was a joke, after all she is known for her distaste for exercise, cold weather, getting up early and infamous nipping dogs.  I emailed back and again got an affirmative response. 

Waiting for her the next morning at 8am, again I thought perhaps this was her idea of a joke, but much to my pleasant surprise she drove up and was ready to go.

The duration of the 40 minute drive to Mt. Seymour was filled with both beautiful views and sunny skies.  The dogs were cozied in the backseat with their beds and blankets.  All was well.  Little did I realize that, there is a significant difference between a quiet Tiggy and a quiet Holly.  A quiet Tiggy is just that, quiet and resting. A quiet Holly is an industrious machine of destruction. With silent determination she was very busy chewing through her custom-made leash.

We arrived atop the mountain and were the third car parked in the empty parking lot at the tobogganing area.  I got the dogs in their jackets, my Manatee in her yak traks, and off we trudged.  (I skipped the snowshoes and planned not to venture off the non-packed trails).  Tigger was happy to be back in one of his favourite places and eagerly took the lead, Holly skipped along behind him in her sparkling purple coat with her leash almost chewed in half, looking exactly like one might expect from a former dog who worked the streets of Richmond.

My poor human companion was surprised at the extra effort required when walking in fresh snow, up an incline cool breeze blowing in her face.  And yet, she persevered.

I boldly lead my crew past the huge crowd (maybe thirty people or more) waiting to begin their guided snowshoe tours.  Guide schmide, who needs a guide?  Even Holly gave them suitably-disdainful sneer as she skipped by coat askew, leash in tatters.

The look on my Manatee's face told me we wouldn't be tackling heart attack hill and instead we turned off at the first marked trail.  It was one of the lake trails and the sign indicated a 2km loop.  My plan was to get to the lakes and then head up Dog Mountain.  I guess I should have mentioned this to the rest of the crew...

Off we trudged, stopping often to admire the amazing scenery as the sun blazed through the trees.  Up sloping inclines, down rolling hills we meandered along, pausing to let speedy hikers pass us, stopping to pick up Holly before she lunged at innocent passersby.  We made it to the lakes and took the long way around to head up Dog Mountain.  The lake area was pristine and the snow sparkled with ice crystals forming a diamond-like layer.  Attempted to capture it on camera but trying to get two semi-obedient dogs to sit on cold snow without a treat readily available did prove to be impossible.

We carried on and started the steeper portion of the trail winding up the mountain, meeting many dogs and people.  A labradoodle in an orange coat, a mixed breed in a navy jacket, were just a few of our sights.  Tigger was complimented, 'oh look! he has a proper gortex jacket, and it's from the Olympics!', then Holly got a glance, we can only imagine what they would have liked to have said, 'oh look at the hoochie doggy with the tattered leash and tacky jacket, wonder where he found her?'....

Eventually I started to lose my human companion, here she is cresting a steep incline,  and thought it best to turn around.  Rather than take the same boring route back, I was sure I knew a 'shorter' way...or thought I did.  Turns out I didn't, and although we did make it back to the top of heart attack hill, I'm pretty sure it would be have been quicker and easier going back on the original trail.

Here we are on our way down, two hours later, still basking in the beauty of our surroundings and the amazing sunshine :)

Made it back to the now-overflowing parking lot, happily speeding past the long line of cars waiting to partake in all the mountain had to offer on a sunny Saturday.  Successful outing, mission accomplished :)

Keeping Holly

Day 51, and yep she's still here.  Current wound count, just one puncture that bled a lot at the base of my thumb but it is healing nicely and when someone says, 'she doesn't bite, right?' I just have to point to my hand and then they know she's not to be tangled with.

Over the past 7 weeks we've been through a bit of a rollercoaster with her.  Bedtime was fraught with drama, it played out like this; Tigger would linger in the hallway as Holly the ever-vigilant prison guard patrolled the perimeter of the bed, daring him to step foot in the room.  We'd intervene, scoop up a trembling Tiggy and put him on his spot on the bed, he'd try to make a break for it and we'd shout at him 'no Tigger, No! lie down! lie down!'  he'd meekly curl up in a ball in hopes of disappearing.  All this time Holly was in a panic, 'the perimeter has been breached! we have an intruder', and she'd growl and bark and try to get to Tigger.  We'd shout at her to leave him alone, and try to get her to sit at the other end of the bed. Yep, then we'd turn out the lights, everyone feeling very relaxed after all of the angry shouting and growling.  NOT. 

We repeated this process for a week or so...yes we are slow learners.  Then Tigger started sleeping by the bed in his kennel, or at least trying to.  Every night I'd drag him out of his kennel and put him back on the bed and Holly would panic, and you know the drill.  Finally I was too tired to carry on this charade and I let Tigger sleep in his kennel, feeling horribly guilty about how sad and left out he must be feeling.  I went and bought him a sheepskin rug to keep him warm and cozy, yes, a guilt purchase.  Then one day it occurred to me, every night Tigger happily trots in to his luxury kennel (condo) curls up and goes to sleep, Holly leaps up on the bed and eventually settles down.  There is a noted absence of shouting and growling, much more relaxing.  And finally, I let go of the guilt...I had a my own AHA moment, if a dog is happily trotting into a kennel and going to sleep, why do I assume he is not happy with that arrangement?  Alas the guilt has gone, and bedtime is actually restful.  We still have some morning challenges when everyone wants attention at once.  Last night Tigger was actually feeling brave and spent half the night sleeping on the bed.  Progress.

Aside from the sleeping drama most of the time things are going along smoothly.  Yes we still get the dreaded sneer and lip curl from our little angel, and she's insistent on being Tigger's eye and ear groomer.  He seems to enjoy it almost...sometimes her nose is so far into his ear I expect to see it poke out the other side.  She continues to peck at him in hopes that he'll play but he's far too sophisticated for such nonsense.

Our walks together are good, Tigger stays on leash (he's been known to wander away), but the minute we hit the edge of the park behind the school Holly looks to me for 'unhooking' and off she goes, racing around like a jack rabbit.  Sometimes I lose sight of her and panic only to discover her at my feet.  She always comes when called (maybe her name really was Holly before she became a stray, who knows?), and never hesitates to let me hook her back up for the few blocks walk home (you'll recall for the first week I risked and experienced bloodshed when trying to put her leash on).  When we're in sight of the house I drop her leash and tell her 'go home Holly! go home!' and she races at breakneck speed to the front door...Tigger and I saunter up and if we're too slow she comes down the steps to urge us on.



We're still attending obedience class and at times Holly is the star pupil.  She's happy to sit when asked as long as the treat is forthcoming.  We're working on getting her to 'stay' and I do have high hopes that she'll be an obedient entertainer like Tigger is in his ability to sit, stay, rollover, crawl, dance, sit pretty and shake either paw on command.

And the really good news is that she now has three jackets in her wardrobe and 'most' days she'll let me put one on her if the weather necessitates.  I figure I'll know that she's my 'real' dog when she's happily decked out in a fancy dress, diamond sparkly collar and cuffs :)  One can hope, right?