Great Hike with my dog Jackson this morning (photos)

**oldtrap59** · 07-12-2010, 10:59 PM

Used to work in the Altoona area years back. Found alot of really nice places to go for hikes on the weekends north of there. Never had a buddy like Jackson to share those times with though.( He is a great Pyr isn't he?) They can become the best of buddies. Pyrs become very attached to their owners. Not sure they know who owns who sometimes.:>)

oldtrap

**jc1234** · 07-12-2010, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by oldtrap59

Used to work in the Altoona area years back. Found alot of really nice places to go for hikes on the weekends north of there. Never had a buddy like Jackson to share those times with though.( He is a great Pyr isn't he?) They can become the best of buddies. Pyrs become very attached to their owners. Not sure they know who owns who sometimes.:>)

oldtrap

Ive been to Altoona once or twice, but never really explored there. So far I havent gotten bored of my waterfall trail. I really thought I would, but every time is like the first time all over again. He is actually a Pyr mix, but he is mixed with another dog that looks very similar to a pyr (an akbash), so its hard to tell that he isnt pure bred other than him being a bit thinner and lighter weight than a full bred. He is great. He knows Im the Alpha, so he never tries to pull rank on me...but he will guilt trip the crap out of me to get his way. He is smart and he knows the expressions and looks that make me putty in his paws.

He is a neat dog, almost all of his communication is non verbal, so its been a learning curve for me. Couldnt have asked for a better dog though, he really helps me out and is just the best.

**jeffb** · 08-02-2010, 06:07 PM

Nice. Thanks for the pics!

**jc1234** · 08-03-2010, 04:42 AM

I forgot to post some of our latest photos. Sorry for the crappy photos, Im still trying to figure out who to use the new camera:

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**crashdive123** · 08-03-2010, 06:11 AM

Nothing wrong with those pictures at all. They look great.

**Rick** · 08-03-2010, 08:05 AM

Dandy pics. Nice area, too.

**BENESSE** · 08-03-2010, 08:07 AM

Loved the pics jc.
Jackson's site is bookmarked and we've enjoyed reading about him.
Thanks.

**BENESSE** · 08-03-2010, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by jc1234

He knows Im the Alpha, so he never tries to pull rank on me...but he will guilt trip the crap out of me to get his way. He is smart and he knows the expressions and looks that make me putty in his paws.

He is a neat dog, almost all of his communication is non verbal, so its been a learning curve for me. Couldnt have asked for a better dog though, he really helps me out and is just the best.

JC, if you haven't read this book I highly recommend it.
It's called Merle's Door by Ted Kerasote.

"Merle and Ted found each other in the Utah desert. Merle was about ten months old, surviving on his own, and looking for a human to hang his heart on. Ted was forty-one, liked to write about animals, and had been searching for a pup whom he could shape into a companion. The training went both ways. Ted showed Merle how to live around wildlife, and Merle reshaped Ted's ideas about the complexity of a dog's mind, showing him how a dog's intelligence could be expanded by allowing it to make more of its own decisions.
Funny, fascinating, and tender, Merle's Door is a moving love story that reveals how the partnership between dogs and humans can become far more than we have imagined.

Acting as Merle's translator, and using Merle's life and lessons as a door into the world of dogs, Ted takes us on the journey they shared. He explores why the dog-human bond is so intense and how people and dogs communicate so readily with each other. He also uses the latest wolf research — showing that wolves treat maturing pups as partners rather than as subordinates — to explain how sharing leadership with your dog, rather than being its alpha, can help to create a healthier, more self-reliant, and better-socialized companion".
http://www.kerasote.com/

**jc1234** · 08-03-2010, 02:51 PM

Thanks for all the comments and information.

These are the first photos that I have had to use ISO settings for, so some are too dark and some are too bright. The photos dont really do the scenery justice. Hopefully I will get some better photos this weekend.

**hunter63** · 08-03-2010, 04:19 PM

Thanks for including us in your, meaning both of you, adventures, pic's are great! (shuging, shaking head, all mine are blury, have reflections on them........)

**rwc1969** · 08-03-2010, 07:07 PM

Well I'd hate to see what good photos look like, they look great to me. The whole area looks amazing too.

**jc1234** · 08-07-2010, 10:35 PM

Some new photos from today:

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**crashdive123** · 08-07-2010, 10:44 PM

More fantastic pictures. Thnaks.

**Beans** · 08-07-2010, 11:26 PM

Dog porn I love it. Beautiful dog and scenery

**BENESSE** · 08-07-2010, 11:52 PM

I. am. in. love . with. Jackson!!!!
He is just the kind of dog I'd love to have. A sweet, trusting, loving, soul. God's little angel sent down to us to teach us about unconditional love. Thank you for the pics.

p.s. I'm not weird, I just love animals, that's all.

**Sourdough** · 08-08-2010, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by BENESSE

p.s. I'm not weird, I just love animals, that's all.

Wrong: You love animals AND you are wierd............

**jc1234** · 08-08-2010, 01:53 AM

Thanks for the comments. It was by far the nicest day of summer and the trails were packed. Usually I dont see a more than a few people on the trails, but there must have been 50+ people there today. Jackson gets fawned over wherever we go. The few regulars just say high and nice to see, but I couldnt take anymore "is that a polar bear" or "where is his saddle" comments, so we did a very technical hike down the dry stream beds since everything is dry and low flow during the summer months. Jackson is trained not to pay attention to other people unless I say its ok, but people just cannot accept that sometimes.

I cant wait until winter when the trails are closed other than to registered ice climbers and ice hikers, I wont see another person there all winter long.

BTW, Im not antisocial, it was just an overload today.

**Ole WV Coot** · 08-08-2010, 08:41 AM

Great looking dog, beautiful pics of my kinda country. Count your blessings it don't get much better than that.

**Batch** · 08-08-2010, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by jc1234

BTW, Im not antisocial, it was just an overload today.

I know what you mean. Last trip to Dinner Island and we passed a FWC officer in the road. She just asked if any of us had scored a quota hunt in the WMA. It was the first time I had ever seen a game warden out there. As a matter of fact you usually don't see anyone save a working cowboy every once in a while.

Still, I caught myself feeling like this was getting ridiculous.

This MY island!

Stephen: I wouldn't worry about them. Like I said, it's my island.

William Wallace: Your island?

Stephen: MY ISLAND! Yup!