Deciding which dogs to take hiking on a weekend requires consideration of a somewhat different set of factors. Or maybe the same factors with slightly different emphasis. I always consider who hasn't gone lately, who is needing to go, and who has or hasn't had adequate exercise in a pasture run recently.
But on a weekend I also need to consider who we are likely to encounter on the trails. It's more likely that there will be horseback riders, and more people of all sorts, more dogs, more off leash dogs, etc. Some dogs are more reactive than others, so it makes a difference on who I take and where we walk.
I didn't go until late afternoon on Saturday. The horse people, if they were out today, were already gone, and there weren't that many people at all. That suits me fine. It was a mostly cloudy day, not nearly as pretty as they had been lately, but it was still good walking weather. Since I wasn't sure what or who we would encounter, I took my two most bomb-proof walkers, Maya and Theo.
Maya has seen it all and the only thing that really gets her excited on the trails is deer spotting. She isn't phased by horses, or even off-leash dogs, and she is more than happy to avoid contact with people. Theo has a good solid temperament and is easily managed in a variety of situations so he's always a good choice when I'm not sure what we will encounter.
It was a nice walk, a little over three miles and we finished with enough time that I was able to get home and get everyone fed just before dark.
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