Wild and Crazy Kaylinn

So today the pupster and I headed out on a hike at the Dungannon Heritage Trust Preserve, and man did she have fun. I went there with work a few months ago when the wood storks were nesting. So I figured we would head back and check it out later in the year. It was a bit hotter this time around - South Carolina in the summer, gotta love it.

Kaylinn free to roam

It's hilarious to watch her when she is not on the leash. Life is so fun and exciting! She was actually quite the good hiking dog. She ran up in front of me until she couldn't see me anymore and then would turn around and wait until she saw me or if I was taking too long would run back to where I was, do a 360 and head back out on the trail. Anytime she saw a bird or heard something that seemed worth investigating she darted off into the woods leaping over the branches and then when she decided she was done with that spot in the world would come bounding back to the trail.

practicing her sit and stay so I can take a picture of her

geez, mom you are SO slow!

considering whether to investigate the noise she just heard

if there is one thing she does good it's sniff. I didn't have to look at the trail signs once, she made all the turns we needed to before I go up to her or the signs


I forgot that puppies can't drink out of camel-bacs as easily as people - but we figured it out

back on the leash once we got to alligator waters

me and Kaylinn checking out the swamp

the last time I was here there were 100s of wood storks nesting in these trees, it was amazing

alright mom, I'm ready to go. this humidity is killing me!

I finally figured out how to tire out the puppy - let her loose to run around for 2 hours and she comes back ready for a nap. The entire way back to the car instead of running way ahead of me and then back to see where I was, she ran way ahead of me, and laid down to rest until I caught up with her.

Kaylinn waiting for the slowpoke

It was a nice little afternoon, and now I've got a sleeping puppy which is always nice. I did remember one thing about hiking at sea level that I had forgotten how much I disliked - ticks! I found 6 on me and 3 on her - hopefully that was all of them!