Sunday, December 30, 2018

Rescue Gang Littermate Reunion

Jake, Barley, Copper, Ted and Woody

Back in February 2018, a litter of five male puppies were rescued from Texas by Rescue Gang of Milwaukee. They were originally found abandoned in a field with no mother dog in sight. In addition to being underfed, they had giardia and ringworm.

Jake and Barley get a good look at each other

Once they arrived in Wisconsin, they underwent treatment for their illnesses and began putting on weight in their foster family homes. One by one they were adopted out to permanent homes.

Woody, Ted and Jake

Ted getting excited about the reunion!

A couple of the adoptive families had already reunited over the summer. But by late fall, all five adoptive families had reconnected with the help of Rescue Gang and began planning a reunion of the boys for the end of December.

Copper, Ted, Barley and Woody

As the reunion date approached, we emailed each other with updates on our pups and realized that although they varied in weight/size and appearance, they shared many of the same personality traits - sweet, sensitive, cuddly, easy-going, gets along great with other animals, toy destroyers, bed hogs. The anticipation of the reunion grew with each passing week, but finally the day came!

Jake, Woody, Copper, Ted and Barley


On the last Saturday of December, we met at a large dog park near Mequon, Wisconsin called Katherine Kearney Carpenter Park to allow plenty of space for the dogs to run around and play while they got reacquainted with each other.


Most of the adoptive families live within 30 miles of Milwaukee, but Jake and I drove over 3 hours to reunite with the others... which was totally worth it! Plus we're used to long road trips for our hiking, camping and kayaking adventures, so the drive was totally normal to us.

Barley and Ted give brotherly hugs

Jake and I were first to arrive but Barley and his family were there within a few minutes. The two boys went about with their introductions and then Woody and his family joined us.

Barley and Jake chase down their brothers

Ted and his family were next to arrive and last but not least, Copper and his family joined us. After a lot of butt sniffing and play bows, soon all five boys were romping around the park together. They quickly formed their own pack amidst all the other dogs in the park and whether it was true or not, they seemed to know each other.

Ted, Barley and Jake

We spent almost 2 full hours letting the dogs play before the chilly temps forced us to load up and head home. Jake was so exhausted from the reunion that he slept peacefully all the way home.

The boys gang up on Ted in the middle.

From left: Copper, Barley, Ted, Woody and Jake

After sharing photos via email later in the day, it was apparent that they all had a great time playing and were completely tuckered out!

Woody, Ted, Barley and Copper with the sweet smile.
Photo credit: Jason Pinkowski

It's such a rare thing to get all the families of a rescued/adopted litter of puppies together for a reunion and the significance of the situation was not lost on us. We all agreed that we should get the boys together a few times a year and stay in touch.

From left: Copper, Woody, Barley, Ted and Jake
Photo credit: Jason Pinkowski

Even though these puppies get to be brothers for life, the happiest part of the story is that they were rescued by passionate people so they could be adopted into good and loving homes and become part of a family. So in this Chinese zodiak "Year of the Dog," we celebrated the happy fate of these five rescued puppies with their new lives in good homes.

Thank you to all the adoptive families for taking time to make this reunion happen and a big thank you to Rescue Gang of Milwaukee for putting us in touch with each other and bringing these wonderful dogs into our lives! The work you do is important and so appreciated!

VIDEOS BELOW - Click Links:

Littermate Reunion begins with three:

The party starts with these three guys hitting it off:

Trying to get all five of them to sit for a photo:

Playtime at the end of our walk, still excited:

Below are some photos from Rescue Gang's Facebook page from before the guys were adopted:

Ted and Copper

Barley, Copper & Ted

Copper and Jake

Woody and Ted

Lower right: Ted and Jake


Thursday, December 27, 2018

Christmas Holiday 2018


You know that feeling when you plan more than you can possibly get done in a defined period of time? Yeah, that's what our holiday was about this year. Of course, we took our time with house projects instead of rushing through and getting things done quickly.

We enjoyed the scenery of freshly fallen snow clinging to tree branches on Christmas Eve Day before heading out for a hike while paint dried. Upon returning home, we napped and then began food prep for Christmas dinner.



I enjoyed the leisurely pace of our ambitious painting project... taking time to hike with the dogs, watch movies, cook & eat a home-cooked holiday dinner with family, opening presents and enjoying each other's company between sessions of painting and letting paint dry.


Alan made this sign decor for me out of branches in his yard!

That's the kind of pace I like... I don't like these things to feel like "work." I realize we could have gotten so much more done during this week off from actual work, but the time we spent together was fun and easy-going. We didn't get on each other's nerves and we didn't fight about petty things. We worked well together and got a lot done.


I'm sure the dogs have a different opinion of how this week went. They have no clue why we're moving all the furniture around and painting walls/trim/ceilings. This does not seem like a huge priority to them. I'm sure they'd rather be getting all-day belly rubs, walks around the neighborhood, road trips to quiet woodland trails and a bottomless bowl of food. But trust me, they had a good holiday too.

He looks so sweet sleeping amidst the blaring radio playing music for us.

Jake found a random piece of furniture to nap on while we were painting the other room.

These well-loved (spoiled) dogs have more toys than necessary, high quality (expensive) dog treats and food, two grandma's that feed them treats all the time and two parents that love them like children.


 VIDEO ~ Playing Along the River's Edge (click link):



These lucky dogs are rarely left home alone. They get to join us on almost every adventure we go on.  When we're at work, they get to stay home with grandma who lets them out in the backyard to chase squirrels anytime they want. They have a variety of dog beds to curl up on and nap. They have multiple window-seats where they can check out the neighborhood activity (including said squirrels).



And even though we didn't take off on a road trip to some woodland cabin for starlit campfires, snuggles by a fireplace and miles of hiking and snowshoe trails, we made some great memories this year spending time with those we love and care about. That's the most important thing I could ever wish for.




I'm looking forward to finishing up the painting in the next day or two and getting all the furniture moved back into place. I get a little OCD about things being out of place so this has been a challenging week for me, but my apartment is freshly painted and clean! What an awesome way to start a new year.

VIDEO ~ Charlie Watches Daddy Come Home (click link):


Friday, December 21, 2018

Guest Blog: 4 Tips for RVers who are Planning a Hiking Trip with Dogs

We are excited to partner with Outdoorsy for this guest blog post! During the cold winter months of the year, I'm constantly daydreaming about green hiking trails and camping under the stars. I had never really considered RV camping before but after learning more about this option on Outdoorsy's website, it's opened up a world of possibilities to think about. Read below for tips on hiking with your dog on your next RV trip and make sure to check out their website for more information.

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RVs and hiking go hand-in-hand. And what better way to make your RV and hiking trip even better than to bring your dogs along? When you’re a dog lover, leaving your dog at home while you explore the great outdoors just doesn’t feel right. Thanks to the comforts of RVs, your four-legged friend can enjoy their trip as much as if they were home. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when traveling with a pup.


Stay at a dog-friendly campground

Pet policies exist almost everywhere in the country and campgrounds are no different. In fact, there are some pretty strict rules when it comes to pets. A number of national parks don’t allow pets at all while others require that the pup stays on a leash whenever outside. Wherever you’re going, research the rules beforehand. If you don’t see anything online about a certain campground, give them a call and double check. The last thing you want is to get to your dream destination only to find that you won’t be allowed to stay because of your dog.


Buckle Fido up!

Seatbelts aren’t just for humans after all. We’ve all been tempted to let our furry friend sit on our laps while we drive but this isn’t in the best interest for you or your dog. Sitting with Fido on your lap can lead to some serious distracted driving and cause an accident. Keep both you and your dog safe by putting him in a seatbelt harness or crate while driving. If you do opt for a crate, ensure that it is secured down so that is it not sliding around while you drive. Whichever way you decide, just make sure that he is in the same vehicle as you. Not left alone in the camper that you’re pulling. The great thing about a motorhome style RV is there are more options to keep your dog safe while on the road.


Incorporate exercise

If you’re planning on going hiking with your pup, this shouldn’t be too difficult since you’ll be taking them with. Sitting in the car for hours is torture for the animals. If your RV is big enough to play fetch, great! If not, find some dog-friendly parks along the way. Not only will he enjoy running around but he’ll love meeting new friends. If you do take them hiking with you, double check that you have extra water for them, especially if it’s warm out. They need it just as much as you.


Pack for your pup

Lastly, don’t forget to pack for your pup. You want to make sure your dog has all the tools necessary in order to have a great vacation too. You’ll want to bring his leash, collar, toys, bedding, food/food bowls, cleaning supplies for accidents, the medication he might need, and proof of vaccines (just in case). It’s also helpful to bring things like a blanket they are familiar with to help them feel like they’re at home. This is especially useful if you run into some bad weather.

Dogs make great companions both in life and on RV trips. They love to see the world and experience everything with you as much as possible. If you follow these tips, you can be sure that you and your pup will have the best trip possible. And who knows? Maybe he’ll become your permanent travel buddy.



Sunday, December 9, 2018

Inspiring Health & Wellness


At this time of year I spend a lot of time reflecting on all that has happened in the past year. Life got a little busy this year with adopting a new dog, nurturing a growing relationship with Alan, and spending time and money on house projects. All of that has left me feeling like I've neglected getting outside and exploring nature this year. The lack of hiking and walking has left me with a few extra pounds that I didn't have last year, so my health and wellness has suffered a bit with all this busy-ness too.

Not letting hunting season stop us from hiking... sporting our blaze orange!

A few weeks back, I mentioned how I just started up again with our weeknight walks around the neighborhood. I had stopped doing these when we adopted Jake because it became too physically difficult for me to control both dogs by myself. Instead of doing the logical thing - walking them separately, I just stopped walking altogether.


That loss of exercise combined with a very hot and humid summer left me a few pounds heavier by this fall. I was surprised to see the scales tipping at close to 145 lbs. - almost 10 lbs gained in a year and a half.


I know that doesn't sound like much to some, but on my small 5'4" frame, it adds up. Maybe not visually so much, but physically I felt unhealthy. My knees started hurting again, my posture was terrible, my back/neck/shoulders were killing me.


And then the real kicker... I had to buy bigger pants. That was the last straw.

I swore after I lost all that weight back in 2015 that I would NEVER buy bigger pants again. So I made a commitment to myself that I would get back on a weeknight walking schedule with the dogs. Now I get even more exercise than before because I have to walk the dogs separately, which guarantees at least an hour and a half of walking each night.



It's been a month since we've been back on this schedule and I've already lost 3 lbs! I'm feeling so much better... my posture has improved, I'm motivated to lift weights and do crunches in my living room again and I have much more energy.

We don't let a little snow stop us from hiking!

I had forgotten how good exercise feels. And now that it's become a habit again, it's easier to stay on track. The LightHound harness is helping me stick with the walking program now that the evenings are dark. And a good pair of fleece-lined pants are keeping my legs warm enough to stay out for longer periods of time. Having the right outdoor hiking gear is important in making your outings enjoyable so you keep on track with a routine.

Sugar-dusted trails sparkle in the sunlight.

I started this blog to document my outdoor adventures with my dogs, inspire and motivate people to get outdoors with their dogs and to provide information and tips on dog-friendly outings. So even though I got off-track on my fitness and outdoor routine this year, I hope I'm still inspiring some of you to discover nature - in all seasons - and get some exercise with your dog. You need the fresh air and exercise as much as they do, so use them as your support group and get out there!

My little kitchen/office assistant.

Stay tuned for our winter outdoor adventures now that we're heading into the next season - we have a lot of fun things planned! We're making sure that the colder weather doesn't keep us from enjoying nature and getting exercise.

No more excuses!

Jake begging for crumbs under the kitchen table, watching me eat.