The Jingle of a key begins his excitement. Gus has been waiting with anticipation. His crate is metal. No bedding, loud, and cold. The pack is tied up to the porch outside and they know what they are in for. Gus never got out much outside of the pack walks. So, the key sound filling the quiet house is exciting. It’s a long walk to his cage up two sets of stairs and at the end of a long hallway. His massive frame sunders more loudly with every footstep. Deep breath, long exhale, no words. Fluidity as I work the metal gate open and prepare to meet the gargantuan. The thing about Gus is that you could barely handle his body. Matching move for move, I slip a loose leash over his head and begin. We survive two cat traps on the way to the door. I’m focused on leadership and flow.
Gus’ excitement is not met kindly by the pack. Bark, snarl, growl, snap. The dogs know Gus’ energy can’t be contained. It’s up to me to control his body. It’s a cold blustery day, snow is falling from every angle. Where will we go? The University pass is not easy, but the forest that lies beyond it makes the effort rewarding. The forest is shaped with cliffs and the river runs through it.
With only 6 dogs, the university pass goes smoothly. The dogs give temporary relief to crazed students during the red eye of exams.
The smaller pack of trustworthy dogs allows more freedom and I take some chances once we enter the forest. It’s cold and snowy and my mind is on making interesting photos. Our brisk pace brings us to the magical meadow. The dogs have some room to run and chase each other here. The path then curls back towards the river and narrows with a cliff on one side and the river below, the dogs get funnelled into a line. This section is technical. We hop scotch rocks and hurdle over fallen trees. We’re having fun. Then a steep and muddy climb brings us to the lookout over the river, a great spot for pack photos. I’ve already set my camera settings and I’m ready to shoot. Climbing, we see a girl sitting on top. I call out, “Are you OK with dogs?” She gestures it’s OK, the whole while I’m studying her body language. Being in the lead grants me decision making authority among the dogs. Gus does his best Newfoundland greeting; pure happiness. You see a Newfoundland dog’s purpose is to rescue stranded boaters in the ocean. His instincts kick in and he does his Newf job. No words. A joyful moment, his rescue is complete.
We walk on to a section of the forest with very tall trees. The trees elevate our spirit and energy. We begin our return home. A note?
I could have easily missed this. My mind races. Is this for me? Gus? Did Gus rescue this woman? I’ve never been more proud.
Gus, male Newfoundland dog, lived lively from 2006 to 2018. Rest well Gussy, you’re a good boy.