Tulips, Spring, and super Nice Times!

Alright! So I am still in amazing mood resulting solely from the shining, warm sun and the green, green, green world!

My partner in crime, Chris, is gone this week, traveling for work, so I am staying in the city with Koda. I am not super comfortable hiking with him alone. I like having a partner, just in case, especially while Koda is still learning the basics.

Yesterday, we checked out Westland Hills Park and their dog park, which was smaller than my dad's backyard and kind of bare and sad looking, and also occupied by two VERY aggressive little terriers, haha. They were snarling when we approached, so we left.

Today, we joined what seemed like EVERYONE in Albany at Washington Park. Last weekend, the annual Tulip Fest was held, so the park is gorgeous, full of color, and just plain fun right now. It was good for Koda to be in what really felt like chaos at some points, screaming children, dogs running off leash, bikers, runners, strollers, canes, people wanting to pet him, etc, etc.

He was patient while I looked at the flowers and took his picture. He finally got to see the fountain full of water! He took a little drink -_- uck, haha, but I am excited for him to go swim there on a super hot day in the city!

We walked around the lake, and he explored.

Koda got to watch the geese, which he loves doing, and has yet to try to jump in after them!

He got to ignore all my attempts at a self-portait of myself with him, in fact, actively ruining every shot:

He looks like he is going to eat me here :D

But all in all, it was a great day at the park! Still struggling with leash work, but he will sit when I tell him and stay (most of the time). He has another obedience class tonight and there is progress, which is what matters.

Moral of the story of this post: take your dog to Washington Park if you live in Albany! It is beautiful, in the middle of the city, teeming with life, and your dog will thank you!!! Especially if you can trust him/her off leash, there is a huge dog park where the dogs love to play with each other!

Recovery Time!

Koda is home and healing!

He is on restriction until next Wednesday. He has a four inch scar along the midline of his stomach and a small scar near his scrotum. The vet told us no playing, jumping, walks, etc for a week.

Koda was rather displeased to hear that!

It is hard to keep him from doing those things in general (he is a jumpy, playful, excitable pup) but I am following doctor's orders and resisting my strong urges to walk him during these beautiful spring days!

A healthy pup is important! His scar does look very serious, so we will get moving again next week :)

Fitness!

So, this weekend was a bit of a party weekend. I was NOT feeling good on Saturday morning (solely because of my own behaviors!). However, I still got out of bed, put on workout clothes, and brought Koda out to a gorgeous hiking trail in Rotterdam (post to come later with a picture or two.... he was actually being a bit of a nutter that day, so I didn't take many pictures!).

Anyway, it got me thinking about how much a dog increases my fitness. Instead of laying in bed, watching TV, eating some comfort food, I thought about my puppy and how much he loves and NEEDS the outdoors. So out I went with him.

I love to be outside, I love to walk around the city, so Koda and I are a good pair. However, there have been days (or weeks) in the past where I just was. not. in. the. mood. Maybe it was rainy, or freezing, or some other excuse I would use to keep myself inside. But not now. I can't look at his face and think of myself over him!

I am looking back at our winter, one of the WORST winters I have experienced in Albany, and realized how much I got outside. Now, I would have gone out anyway to ski, but skiing is at most a twice a week activity. The other 5 to 6 days would be spent cuddling in a blanket inside! Not this year. Almost every single day, I bundled up and brought Koda out around the city or even on a hike.

He is good for my heart in more ways than one! :D

There are no excuses here. If I make excuses so that I can be slothful, I have to do the same to my dog, and I cannot bear that. Loki, whom I had earlier in life, when I was less fit, less mature, and less smart!... well, he spent too many days just hanging out with a lazy me inside. I promised I would never do that to Koda and I am not and it makes me proud. I love how strong and healthy Koda is!

Tomorrow is neutering day. I am nervous. But good, positive thoughts are being held up foremost so that all the good energy goes to my pup and the doctor tomorrow.

To chill out my nerves, I hope to make a little post tomorrow with pictures of my boy!

Choosing a Dog

We lost our 8-year-old German Shepherd, Loki, in September due to an auto-immune disease that slowly killed him for the past year and a half. It was hard to watch and harder to lose him. He was truly a part of the family.

I have recently moved out of my family's home, and can not have a dog of my own, but my father really wanted a new German Shepherd because the grief and the loneliness was too much to bear. And I very much wanted a new hiking partner to share my love of the Adirondacks with! So we agreed to get a new puppy, one that would be a companion for my dad and be a companion for me on the trail (and the parks, and running, and everything a dog should get to experience)!

After some searching, we found pups for sale in Western New York, I drove out and had a look at the situation. It was at a gorgeous 1840s farm house and inn and the puppies were gorgeous. The breeder brought out three four-week-old male puppies, and I had initally fallen in love with an almost all black puppy. But there was one persistent little guy who climbed on me, kissed me, cuddled with me, and played with me, long after the other two pups went to sleep.

I played with him for a long time, and it was clear, he had chosen us.

He is friendly, happy, and energetic, perfect for the trails. We agreed to name him Koda. This was the first moment of Koda and I's life together and the (very early) start of our hiking adventures together. It will be a long, slow start, but it is still a part of this journey, so I am going to record it here. My early goal is to get him into the Adirondacks for hiking by late summer or early fall of next year. Till then, we have lots of growing and exploring to do!

Koda's first day home will be Sunday the 7th, and the training will begin (with potty training, haha).