Of Puppy Tales and Winter Trails

[Colliemom]

I have mentioned a few times about Molly being busy this winter, keeping a series of interconnecting trails open in my yard as well as three "snow ramps" off my deck. She's been lucky this year in that we are below our normal snowfall. Everyday, she makes the rounds of these trails, keeping them packed down and open despite occasional snowfalls. As you can see this isn't just a mere few inches of snow she's gong through. I'm sure she is gong to be glad when it starts to melt. I think it's starting to get to be same old not to mention confining.

This shot is some of her trails off the right side of my deck. The "ramp" is next to the railing.


This shot is off the left side of my deck. Ramp is just to her left. I do keep that one area open but hadn't blown it out yet when I took this picture. She's also looking over the situation and checking to make sure everything's to her satisfaction.


Last but not least she also made a ramp off the middle of my deck.


Although it cant be seen in these pictures, there is a trail all along the perimeter of my fence. All of these trails interconnect with each other, so she is able to go from one to the other and access the deck or any trail at any given point she so chooses. She's been one busy pup.

[Irmi]

Sue, it looks like Molly has your yard/trail laid out just the way wants it! Hope she won't be lost when the snow is gone!

[JudyJB]

They have done some interesting studies of cats in the UK where most people let their cats out during the day or night. There was a program on TV of one small town where they put electronic collars on almost all the cats in town and a camera on a few of them. Then, they mapped each cat's travels-- routes taken and times--on a map with each cat having a color code. It was very interesting to see how the cats made mostly the same trips each day. They weren't all out at the same time, but some cats used the same paths at different times of day or night. Some cats made long journeys and others were homebodies.

Did either of your other dogs ever do this? Usually we think of dogs as being very random and just running around. Obviously, Mollie has things to check out and knows what she wants.

[Colliemom]

No Judy, my other dogs would wander around in the snow till it started getting deeper and then just go use the snow cleared area I kept open for them. But they were older too when I got them (5years), so that probably made a difference. They preferred to let 'mom' do all the work

[SoCalGalcas]

Sue and JudyJB, Both those posts were very interesting! Altho Casey is always on a leash (living downtown) she has favorite routes around the neighborhood and lets me know where she wants to go! The fire house down the street is a favorite as the firemen give her doggie cookies! lyn

[Redetotry]

What a clever little girl! She said she's got this snow thing figured out Mom.
Mine continue to want out all the time, the fresh snow sent them into a frenzy this morning but it is the kind that is sticking too them in big clumps and I finally said enough.

[IrishIroamed]

Thanks for posting these Sue. I was hoping you would after mentioning Molly's trail. Zorro's tracks are zig-zaggy, but he does patrol the perimeter too.

P.S. Love your property!