Sniffing

I think today is a Friday, but we did not go to the beach. No more beach Fridays. Instead we went to the forest. This forest was new for me. It was wonderful. There were lots of hills to climb and jump off, and the moss was spongy under my paws. I ran and ran and ran.

Whee!

After having a good run and walk in the forest, my person followed the people-writing-signs back to the place called Parking Lot. Then things got a little bit strange. First there were other dogs. There was one very large dog who scared me a bit because she was big like a bear. Her person called her Molly. And one young dog who I've met before. His name is Simon. His energy was too crazy for me, especially because his person made him stay on a leash and so he pulled and jumped and tugged. He is still a puppy.

Here is Simon.

My person put me in the car and left. She came back and left and came back and left many times, but I had to stay in the car. The other dogs came and went with all the people. When they were left behind in their cars they barked a lot to tell their people to come back. Not me. I'm a good dog. (See Rudolph. No barking. Good dog here.)

Finally it was my turn. Do you see the funny orange harness that Simon is wearing. My person put one just like it on me. A new person I'd never met before was the leader. She told us to walk across the road and into a different part of the forest. Molly's person and Simon's person (who I have met before, she is called Trainer) fed me tasty treats. Cheese and meat and something called tortellini. They talked happy to me. This was very nice.

But then when I turned around my person was gone!

This was a bit worrisome, but not too much. The people must have forgotten that I have a most excellent nose. I could smell the place where my person had been. In fact she had been there before earlier, several times. But there was a fresh smell leading in the direction where she just went off to.

Leader stood behind me and clipped a very long leash onto my funny orange harness. She told me to find my person. Okay! Just watch me. I can do that.

I put my nose on the ground and found her smell. Leader told me "good dog!" (see Rudolph!) and made the leash loose. Carefully I followed the trail where my person had gone. And I showed those silly people. I found her! She was hiding behind a tree. She had lots of meat for me and told me that I was very clever. Yes I am.

And then it happened again. The other people fed me goodies while my person snuck off. But that's okay, because my most excellent nose had no problems finding her. This happened several times in a row. Once I found my person with my eyes. She was wearing a blue jacket and was very easy to see in the woods. But even when I couldn't see her I could still find her with my nose.

I did get stuck once. I lost her smell. I knew she was around somewhere, but I just wanted her to come back. Why did she keep leaving me? I made some whine noises. Leader helped me find her smell again and off we went. I am very clever.

Finally my person stopped sneaking off. The people all talked for a while. I sniffed. I found the place again where my person had been hiding. I found the place where Simon had peed. I wonder if his person ran away from him too? I found the place where Molly's person had dropped something yummy by accident. I found a squirrel track. I found where the people had walked earlier. My nose is most excellent.

Finally we went back in the car and we drove home. It's nice to be inside. It was very cold outside, and I got a bit shivery waiting in the back of the car for my person. Also I am very, very tired. Using my nose is hard work. So now I sleep.