"Practice is the best of all instructors." - Publilius Syrus
View of Mt Minsi and the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap from the Red Dot trail. Photo from nps.gov
Our First Road Trip
In a few weeks, Sparkle and I head to Clicker Expo in Stamford, CT. This is one of the premiere animal training conferences in the nation and one of the few that allow you to bring your dogs. Usually the whole family goes, but the stars didn't line up this year for that to happen. Fortunately, the two of us are able to go, though.
The timing is serendipitous as it will be about a month before our Cranberry Lake 50 attempt. There are many elements of that trip and our preparations that I'll be able to test and if necessary, adjust. These include:
- A long road trip (remember, I've never driven solo for more than a couple of hours and she's never been in a car for more than a couple of hours either).
- A strenuous hike with full gear. I've planned for us to stop over at the Delaware Water Gap , which is on the way. Depending on trail conditions, how we're doing physically, and time, we'll attempt at least one of the two mountains that make up the gap. I'll share a full trip report when we get back.
- A stay in unfamiliar lodging, so I'll be able to see how calm she is in a different environment.
- Exposure to different people and dogs in great numbers.
- Testing out our fancy satellite tracking and communication tool. Going to become familiar with it where there is full phone coverage.
CRATE WORK FOR ON THE ROAD
We've spent time working on transferring our crate work to the car. She's now at a point where she is remaining calm when I open the door and stays in the crate until I release her.
Pack Readiness
Sparkle is now accepting a fully loaded pack.
Your challenge
Take a spring adventure with your pup. Check out this article for some ideas.
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