Finally, Freedom!

The last month has been brutally boring! Taricha's been under the vet's orders to take it easy while her mouth heals up. As long as this Monday's recheck goes well, we have full intentions of getting the fuck out of dodge and camping the next day. We both need a vacation!

I know something is up, cuz its my backpack!

Taricha hasn't been sitting around the house all the time, she wouldn't stand for it. She still needs exercise and stimulation despite a sore mouth, we just take it down a notch. A lot of  neighborhood walks. Grandma's house (and the kids) and most importantly, weightless local trail runs.

These limestone glades make me feel small

Lets goooo what we standing here for?

You probably noticed that neat patch that says "WORKING: PLEASE DO NOT PET" on Taricha's backpack. They're sew on patches and the best five bucks I've spent in a while, infact I need to get more to make Taricha a vest. 

Why is she wearing this? Well Taricha has a few issues with people walking up to us. She is a very people loving dog but it simply must be under the right circumstances and with the right greeting. (Proper greeting... If you ask her to sit (not tell), give her a treat and pet the shoulders/neck (not head), she is your best friend for life.) 

When she and I are walking, in our zone together, she doesn't appreciate a stranger reaching out to pat her head or rushing up to us very fast googling over her, it makes her uncomfortable, breaks her focus and changes her mood. People trying to pat her head first is the worst and it happens ALL THE TIME. 

Taricha is an interesting looking dog, I get it, everyone wants to come talk about her and pet her. Good people ask before approaching but my answer is usually "Sorry, she's not real friendly..."  Often, too often, we've had a few 'sneak attacks'.... where Im distracted for a moment or in a crowd and someone comes up behind me, without saying a word, to pet Taricha. She's a good girl and is not trying to bite when someone reaches for her. Taricha is VERY good at communicating being uncomfortable but people ignore these early signals so she will growl and sometimes barks, once, very loud to get the point across. Scares the bajeezues out of people and they usually freak out, Im left feeling like everyone thinks I have a vicious dog. She's just communicating. 

These little patches suddenly put my mind at ease when we were walking in a crowd. I swear Taricha was 100% at ease as well; no one tried to approach her, stop her or pet her. Instead they looked at me or talked to me first. The strangest part, I noticed people kept a slightly bigger bubble of space around us. It was beautiful. Taricha and I have been more instep together in public, she is infact working when she has her pack on, it is her job and she loves it. Taricha just doesn't want to be bothered! Amazing how this little sign has made being around people more enjoyable.

Now.... we are going to go shopping today for final camping supplies! Out in nature during the weekdays... Hopefully where there are NO people and we can be freeee!