There’s been no shortage of first responder opportunities of all types ever since we moved here back in 2003. This region certainly has some challenging environmental issues, so ours are some of the best. These guys went up for a dog.
Reminds me of the first time we hiked the Buchanan Pass trail. It’s not technically an off-leash trail, but mostly in the National Forest, so customary to let dogs run free up there, from what I’ve seen. As should be expected anywhere, you are responsible for your party’s behavior. So Jax was having a great time treeing squirrels right and left for the first two hours, when at some point he dashed off after one towards the river. It wasn’t anywhere in view, but I knew we were close, because the roar from a waterfall had been growing louder for the past few minutes.
So I followed off-trail in his direction to have a look and found the river about 100 yards downstream from the falls at the bottom of a 100 foot high cliff, with Jax nowhere in sight. The butthead is way too enthusiastic for his own good, so I immediately assumed he must’ve taken a dive. I was calling for him making my way towards the falls, looking everywhere I could see before finding a spot I could descend safely. I nearly broke my own neck slipping around on the rocks at the bottom when I saw him up at the top of the falls, just sitting there with his tongue hanging out waiting for me.
He’s gotten alot better at coming when he’s called since then. 😉
