Dear Dudley

Follow the weekly pen-pal letters between Charlie and Dudley as they discuss life as dogs. Dudley lives in Massachusetts with his owner, Sarah Kilgallon, who leads dogs on wilderness trail hikes through pristine conservation land. You can view her blog at: http://trail-dogs.com/blog

Dudley's letter:  http://trail-dogs.com/blog/2013/07/07/dear-charlie-its-a-hot-summer-love-dudley-july-7-2013/


Dear Dudley,
I am always so happy to hear from you! We are having a HOT summer too. That is funny, it's like we are neighbors or something. I am sorry to hear that Ethel is scared of fireworks. We live by a baseball park and there are fireworks every Friday night. Mom sits in the window seat and watches them with me and says "OOH" and "AHH" so I figure they are okay because they make her happy.

I got to go on a Road Trip last weekend to Grandpa's Country House and did not hear any fireworks. Mom took me to a pet store where I got to sniff bunnies! They were so soft and cute and my tail was wagging from one cheek to the other! I LOVE bunnies! I was very good and didn't bark at them so Mom let me sniff them for a long time. It was very hot on our Road Trip but I liked being in the car with air conditioning after the hiking was done.

Your Summer List looks like fun! I also like #1, #4 and #5 but Mom is REALLY strict about my food so I have never had a hot dog or ice cream. I think Mom is starting to think about letting me try some ice cream though because she hears about how you get to have it all the time. I know she is just worried about me getting Sick Tummy because my tummy gets sick sometimes. I wait as long as I can before I wake her up to have Sick Tummy and she is very nice to me. I get to have special Pumpkin and Ginger dog treats to make me feel better and lots of Love too. Sometimes Mom makes me a special ice cube treat with toys frozen in it so I lick and chew till the toys melt out! It is so much FUN! I also get a little Water Pool in the backyard so I can snorkel for my toys in the water. I LOVE to snorkel!

That is funny that you said you could come visit next summer. When we were on the Road Trip, I saw a car with Massachusetts license plates and I thought it was you! But Mom said that you have a different car so it was not you. Mom said you can visit anytime you like. I will even share my toys and treats with you because we are Best Friends!

Love,
Charlie

p.s. I also like to BITE water! Watch my funny video:

Dear Dudley

Follow the weekly pen-pal letters between Charlie and Dudley as they discuss life as dogs. Dudley lives in Massachusetts with his owner, Sarah Kilgallon, who leads dogs on wilderness trail hikes through pristine conservation land. You can view her blog at: http://trail-dogs.com/blog

Dudley's letter:  http://trail-dogs.com/blog/2013/06/23/dear-charlie-love-dudley-june-22-2013/


Dear Dudley,
So glad to hear from you again buddy! Sorry that you have been busy and left at home while your mom walks. I hate it when I get left home! That is a huge bummer that you don't get to go on Vacation. What are you going to do? Do you get to have a Sleep-Over at a friend's house? My mom left for 2 whole days once and I cried the whole time. I bet you are going to be really sad too. But I am sure your mom will give you lots of treats when Vacation is over!

We have had tons of rain too! That is crazy that we live so far apart and we BOTH got lots of rain. Weird. I love your picture of swimming on the trail - it looks fun! Mom doesn't like all the rain because it makes the trails muddy and there are lots of mosquitoes. I haven't had to SWIM on a trail yet though - that is pretty cool! I love swimming.

We started our Big Hiking Project last weekend and I got to see some really cool Wilderness! But I also had ticks crawling ALL over me! Mom was really freaked out and worked very hard to get them all off. I held really still because I did not like the creepy-crawly feeling of them. It took a long time to get them off and I had to take a bath too. Yuck.

This weekend we went on a new trail and there were less ticks. Mom and me were both glad. I got VERY tired on this trail though because it was HOT out! Mom says I need to do some "conditioning" to get ready for longer hikes. I don't know what "conditioning" is but I hope it doesn't have anything to do with baths. I hate baths.

I'll give you some tips on how to stay cool if you are too hot: go out in the backyard and dig a small hole, then lay down in the wet dirt. When the hole gets too warm, move to a different spot and dig another hole. This works great but sometimes Mom puts me in the bathtub afterwards. I hate baths.

Love & Kisses,
CHARLIE

p.s.  Another fun thing to keep yourself cool is to chew on the garden hose when Mom is trying to water the garden or fill the bird bath. It is a Fun Game because Mom chases me around while I run away with the hose in my mouth, plus I get to have fun with the water! You should definitely try this. Or dig holes.

Here is a picture of me swimming. I get to wear a Float Coat so I can swim as long as I want without getting tired!

Dear Dudley

Follow the weekly pen-pal letters between Charlie and Dudley as they discuss life as dogs. Dudley lives in Massachusetts with his owner, Sarah Kilgallon, who leads dogs on wilderness trail hikes through pristine conservation land. You can view her blog at: http://trail-dogs.com/blog

Dudley's letter: http://trail-dogs.com/blog/2013/06/06/dudleys-new-letter-to-charlie/

Dear Dudley,
I love getting your letters. It sounds like you have very fun adventures and get to make lots of new friends! I don't think I would like to have sleep-overs like you because I don't want to share my toys. It's bad enough having to share with Peanut.

I had a sleep-over at my buddy BB's house this week. Mom and me went to visit Grandpa and we took a loooong drive! We picked up my friend, MacKenzie, on the way and then I got to play with BB when we got to his house. BB is a black lab/beagle mix and he is a little slow, if you get what I mean. But it's fun to play with him because I can get him to chase me if I have a toy in my mouth! Plus, if he gets my toy, I just scare him with a little growl and then he drops it! He has to always be on a leash or in his kennel because sometimes he sniffs a scent and just starts running! I like to run around his kennel and make him bark. I think he is jealous that I get to run around all by myself.

We did a lot of driving the past couple of days, but it's okay because I love car rides. If I get tired, I just take a nap anyway. I was glad to get home and be in my own bed and have all my toys again. I was really sleepy from the fun sleep-over and long drive so I slept in really late today! Mom was sleepy too and I got to snuggle with her all morning. It's nice to have my mom all to myself again.

I really missed my mom earlier this week. She said she had to go to Wilderness First Aid training for 2 whole days and she couldn't take me with! I don't understand why I couldn't go with because I love WILDERNESS! I would have been a big help to Mom with training too. Sometimes when we go hiking, I get so excited that I don't pay attention to owies. It's a good thing Mom stops and checks me over because sometimes she has to put doggie-bandaids on me. I love my doggie-bandaid because it's PINK! That is why I would be a big help... I could be her patient and she could practice on me. I was glad when she got home. I think Grandma was starting to get upset with me because I was crying a lot and then I would bark at her! But I was just worried about Mom.

Mom says she is planning some really fun hiking trips this summer and I get to come along for ALL of them! I am so excited to go camping and swimming and hiking! Do you have any fun summer trips to do? Here is a picture of me with my pink doggie-bandaid... aren't I cute?

Love,
Charlie

Dear Dudley

Follow the weekly pen-pal letters between Charlie and Dudley as they discuss life as dogs. Dudley lives in Massachusetts with his owner, Sarah Kilgallon, who leads dogs on wilderness trail hikes through pristine conservation land. You can view her blog at: http://trail-dogs.com/blog

Dudley's letter:  http://trail-dogs.com/blog/2013/05/29/dear-charlie-love-the-photo-dudleys-3rd-letter-to-charlie/


Dear Dudley,
I've been so confused this week.  My Jeep with the Middle-Up-Front seat is gone! Mom came home with a different car and I am so lost... I don't know where to sit and all my good smells are gone! There's a big back seat with windows that go down and there's the front seat with a window. There's even a window in the roof! But the Middle-Up-Front seat is WAY too small for me to sit on and I keep sliding off. I don't know what I'm going to do. I like to go for rides.

I know what you mean about sister-dogs. I have a roommate-dog named Peanut. She is my grandma's dog and they live with us. She was here first so she thinks she is the boss, but she is just a little Chihuahua. When we play Tug-A-War, I always win! And sometimes I steal the treats that she hides in her blankie! Peanut is also very slow on walks, but it's not because she is sniffing everything like your sister Ethel... it's because she eats too many treats and stays on the couch all the time! I would be SO bored if I stayed on the couch all the time.

Last time Peanut came on a hike with me and my mom, Peanut turned around and headed back to the parking lot before we were even very far down the trail. What a wimp! Mom tells me to be patient because Peanut has leg problems, but they look fine to me! Maybe someday Peanut will get a leg-cart so I can chase her around and bite her tires!

I wish I could go on hikes with you! We could race each other and see who is the fastest!

My mom's birthday is this weekend and I plan on getting her up real early on Saturday so we can go for a walk right away! She loves to take me on walks! I'm going to give her lots of kisses too. I love her. Mom said that National Trails Day is on her birthday so we get to celebrate by going hiking! I can't wait! I hope you get to go hiking this weekend too. I'll write back about my adventures as soon as I can.

Friends Always,
Charlie

p.s.  Here is another picture of me. Mom makes sure I get a good workout by attaching this long stretchy cord to my harness so I have to pull hard to go fast!

Dear Dudley... Love, Charlie

Follow the weekly pen-pal letters between Charlie and Dudley as they discuss life as dogs. Dudley lives in Massachusetts with his owner, Sarah Kilgallon, who leads dogs on wilderness trail hikes through pristine conservation land. You can view her blog at: http://trail-dogs.com/blog

Dear Dudley,
Where have you been?  You must be very busy with your job.  I could not wait for your next letter - I want to tell you about all the fun I had last weekend!  My mom took me on a long road trip!  I can always tell when we will be driving for a long time because she puts lots of bags and boxes in the back of the car with me.  This is how I know to lay down and take a long nap.  I used to be able to sit in the Middle-Up-Front.  I LOVE sitting in the Middle-Up-Front!  I could lean on Mom's shoulder when we turned around corners and I could see out the big front window.  Then Mom put up something that makes me stay in the back.  I still try to sneak around it so I can put my nose out the window but I really miss sitting in the Middle-Up-Front.  Here is a picture of me when I got to sit in the Middle-Up-Front...

Oh, but wait!  I have to tell you about last weekend!  Mom picked up a little girl to ride with us part of the way and she let me give her all the kisses I want!  When we got to the Fun Country Place, I could run wherever I wanted without my leash on!  The little girl threw my ball for me EVERY time I brought it to her!  Sometimes she would lose my ball and then I would bring her a stick or a walnut!  She would throw those too!  Then she turned on the sprinkler for us to play in the water and get a drink.  She was very good at giving belly rubs and also scratching behind my ears.  I love her.

I was very tired when we left the Fun Country Place and I took a long nap.  We stopped at a school to drop off the little girl and I got to get out of the car to say good-bye.  I REALLY wanted to go in the school with her.  I was very sad to say good-bye.  I watched until she got in the building and then Mom made me get back in the car.  I went back to sleep but I had good dreams of playing fetch with my new little friend and imagined that I could still feel her rubbing my belly.  I can't wait to see the little girl again!

Do you ever get to go for car rides?  Do you like little girls as much as me?  Write me back as soon as possible.  I LOVE being pen-pals!

Love,
CHARLIE

Dear Dudley.... Love, Charlie

Follow the weekly pen-pal letters between Charlie and Dudley as they discuss life as dogs. Dudley lives in Massachusetts with his owner, Sarah Kilgallon, who leads dogs on wilderness trail hikes through pristine conservation land. You can view her blog at:  http://trail-dogs.com/blog

To view Dudley's letter to Charlie this week, click here. Charlie's response is below.  Enjoy!