A Dog About Trail

March Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Pet People”

Best hiking companion I ever had.

In the spring of 2009, a skinny, seven-month-old pup got lucky when she was rescued from a kill shelter in Pasco, Washington. Miss Riley went from a possible death sentence to a dog living her best life in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Not long after her relocation, she became the logo model for the now-defunct regional pet magazine, Dog About Town, a publication that she helped to inspire.

I first saw Riley, newly rescued and up for adoption, at a local event. My dog Ellie had passed a couple of months prior. At the time, I wasn’t looking for another pooch. But when I laid eyes on the frisky pup from Pasco, I knew I’d found my next dog.

Riley’s responsibilities as a company dog were mainly visual as a photo model. Being a very energetic pup with an independent streak, more feline than canine in nature, I decided Riley wasn’t cut out for attending events and hanging out all day at the DAT booth, where another dog might sniff her bum a millisecond too long and receive a snappy objection.

So for events, I gave her a pass most of the time. When I wanted to take a dog along, I’d take my little canine bro, my parents’ easygoing mutt, Barkley. He could get rolled at the dog park during a high-speed chase and not care a lick. He’d bounce right up and not hold a grudge. Whereas Riley never took boundary issues lightly.

She may not have been a laid-back or sociable gal, but Riley had characteristics that distinguished her. I am a hiker and Riley was made for hiking. She possessed the enthusiasm, energy, and athleticism to be an excellent dog on the trail. So her niche evolved into the representative for the outdoorsy-side of the magazine/blog. Turned out, rather than a dog about town, dog about trail was a better fit for my girl.

Since childhood, I’ve had more than a few canine hiking partners, but none who tackled the trails with as much determination, vigor, and courage as Riley. She never flinched when walking over rushing water on a log or a suspension bridge. She was fearless, a true explorer, and always in her element on a trail.

Thanks to publisher Mary Chang Story Writer for the monthly challenge.