Friday I had a short run on my calendar, so I decided to take P with me. I thought about the park but I was afraid too many people with dogs would be there. Instead we went to the woods. There's a bike trail there, nice and paved, so we hiked through the woods to the bike trail and then went for our run. He did a pretty good job with all the other people out walking, a few runners, one biker, and a handful of other dogs.
Afterward we went hiking back through the woods again to get back to our car, and as we were coming up to a little footbridge that crosses the stream, I see something up ahead and go "That's weird... that looks like a deer."
And I stopped.
Because it WAS a deer.
And then I realized not just one deer but a little herd. I counted eight just by the bridge, but there were more off a little ways away along the stream.
P is wearing his harness since we were running, so I stop and also wrap the leash as a slip lead so I have him by the neck in case deer take off and he tries to take off after them.
I have been in those woods many, many times in my lifetime, hiking by myself, hiking with the dogs, running... I've looked for deer, because I like to see wildlife in their natural habitat. But I've never seen them. Around here they often say there are always deer in the woods, you just can't see them unless they want to be seen. I guess these guys were okay with being seen.
There's no other way to get to the car except crossing the footbridge, so I start very slowly and quietly approaching. Suddenly P is pulling to my left, silent, but definitely pulling like he is trying to chase something down. I think there was one to my left I didn't see and it took off, and he wanted to go after it. So I decided to pick him up and carry him. A few are taking a couple steps away from the stream and the bridge, one slowly walked away along the stream, but they don't bolt in a herd like I expected. And a few are just standing there, watching.
I walked right past one... probably about five feet from me. And it just watched me as I went past, then went back to nibbling off the ground. I stopped on the bridge to watch them. One of them was about ten feet from me on the bridge and I was just standing there looking it in the eyes. It was so awesome. Years ago in a different woods I was inside a building, and we could look outside the glass doors and see them grazing around on the grass, but as soon as you went outside, they'd all bolt. My dad's uncles owned a farm and you could watch deer down by the stream there, but they were quite a ways away. This was so. freaking. close. and they were so calm, it was awesome!
I was so psyched after that I decided we'd go down to the lake, even though it's really only been warmish for a little over a week. We went to the slide-off dock and P plunged right in. We didn't stay long because I didn't bring my long lead, and I didn't really want him in the cold water long - but it was a stellar evening with the awesome deer encounter and then Payton was SO happy to play in the lake after so long. I did get my phone out of the car after we got to the lake (that's where I park) so I snapped one of Payton on the dock.
It was a great night and I was glad to have P with me. He's pretty all right sometimes.
Afterward we went hiking back through the woods again to get back to our car, and as we were coming up to a little footbridge that crosses the stream, I see something up ahead and go "That's weird... that looks like a deer."
And I stopped.
Because it WAS a deer.
And then I realized not just one deer but a little herd. I counted eight just by the bridge, but there were more off a little ways away along the stream.
P is wearing his harness since we were running, so I stop and also wrap the leash as a slip lead so I have him by the neck in case deer take off and he tries to take off after them.
I have been in those woods many, many times in my lifetime, hiking by myself, hiking with the dogs, running... I've looked for deer, because I like to see wildlife in their natural habitat. But I've never seen them. Around here they often say there are always deer in the woods, you just can't see them unless they want to be seen. I guess these guys were okay with being seen.
There's no other way to get to the car except crossing the footbridge, so I start very slowly and quietly approaching. Suddenly P is pulling to my left, silent, but definitely pulling like he is trying to chase something down. I think there was one to my left I didn't see and it took off, and he wanted to go after it. So I decided to pick him up and carry him. A few are taking a couple steps away from the stream and the bridge, one slowly walked away along the stream, but they don't bolt in a herd like I expected. And a few are just standing there, watching.
I walked right past one... probably about five feet from me. And it just watched me as I went past, then went back to nibbling off the ground. I stopped on the bridge to watch them. One of them was about ten feet from me on the bridge and I was just standing there looking it in the eyes. It was so awesome. Years ago in a different woods I was inside a building, and we could look outside the glass doors and see them grazing around on the grass, but as soon as you went outside, they'd all bolt. My dad's uncles owned a farm and you could watch deer down by the stream there, but they were quite a ways away. This was so. freaking. close. and they were so calm, it was awesome!
I was so psyched after that I decided we'd go down to the lake, even though it's really only been warmish for a little over a week. We went to the slide-off dock and P plunged right in. We didn't stay long because I didn't bring my long lead, and I didn't really want him in the cold water long - but it was a stellar evening with the awesome deer encounter and then Payton was SO happy to play in the lake after so long. I did get my phone out of the car after we got to the lake (that's where I park) so I snapped one of Payton on the dock.
It was a great night and I was glad to have P with me. He's pretty all right sometimes.
