Rex Turns Two

 Hey Tribe,

My baby boy is 2 years old today!

Rex had quite the year last year:

He worked on his impulse control in all settings to become Farm Dog Certified titled and earned his Canine Good Citizen title.

Rex learned new tricks during our time in quarantine and collected a Trick Dog Novice title.

I got a bit of road rash and a black eye and Rex learned to not suddenly run full speed when on a leash.

He became a brand ambassador and model.

Rex made friends who tolerate his pervasive puppy craziness, including SAR teammate, K9 Sally (his Sal Pal), and our new Icelandic fillies, Frelsi and Soley, who romp and stomp with our joyful boy.

He was plagued with panosteitis, poor guy, and was super sad to not be able to do a lot of fun activities in early summer. 

But we made up for it with adventures when he was feeling better.

Despite a lot of time off because of the pano, Rex made nice SAR progress and developed a solid final response for when he finds the scent source he is searching for; he officially became part of the team last month.

Rex showed us that he loves to run and chase and is going to excel in lure coursing sports.  We discovered this in late summer, so he only got to compete once before the season ended, but he's off to a good start!  He is an amazing athlete and we had such fun touring around Alaska with the kickbike.

He also loves that sled dog life!

I can tell his body is maturing, though his brain and personality sure aren't: he is widening and broadening in the chest and head and that thick fur hides some serious muscle.  He is keeping his tail curled more often than not now too!

Lastly, Rex has thoroughly loved all things snow - snow is his greatest delight!

We had a great year together.

For his birthday this year, Rex got a new Lamby: he LOVES his Lamby and will squeak it endlessly until the squeakers die and then he rips a hole in it and enjoys pulling out all the stuffing.  He brings me his Lamby to toss into the air for him to catch and we play tug with it and when he is done playing, he puts it in my lap for safe keeping.

Happy 2nd birthday, Armando Salazar Da Villa Saloia, the Pirate King, my sweet baby boy, Rexy.  We love you!

Fly Flew to Kotzebue

Hey Tribe,

How was that title rhyme?!  It's true though, we did travel up to the Arctic Circle to the village of Kotzebue for several days: we saw some wonderful Alaskan landscape and made some wonderful Alaskan friends.

We were deployed there for a search mission and were honored to be able to assist in bringing the family and community some closure.  I will not write about the mission, but I would like to share our travel experience, because it has been a memorable trip and I am very proud of my Fly girl.

This was Fly's first time flying in cabin and she was an excellent travel companion.  Airline travel spacing meant we had an entire row to ourselves: Fly took advantage by stretching full out on the floor to better look up and down the aisle; she also put her front paws on my lap so she could look out the window.  Do you think she wondered why I rudely didn't roll the window down for her?

Kotzebue is picturesquely situated along the ocean's shore and the first day we were there we enjoyed lovely sunrise/sunset pink coloring across the ice.  On the second and third days we saw herds of caribou crossing the Sound, but I was too busy to get photos of them.

"Windy" is the primary word that has always come to mind when I hear the name 'Kotzebue' and I was not misguided: it is indeed a very windy place and endures countless blizzards during the winter months - one of which we experienced first hand, though it mercifully began to dissipate as we ventured out for the day.

The Kotzebue fire station hosted us during our stay and the entire crew was welcoming and made us feel right at home after we worked so hard each day.

New smells abounded in the garage, including 3 caribou that a crew member pulled in to butcher while we were there.  Fly loved exploring our home away from home.

There was a funny moment one evening at the fire station: Fly had been looking out the window while standing on a table (agility dog that she is) when she turned around and noticed a mannequin baby - as a lover of small humans, she had to go investigate and gave baby a kiss to cheer him.

In the mornings, before most of the village was active and rapping around on snowmachines, we would go for walks on the lake.

The cold is pervasive above the Arctic Circle, especially if you enjoy running and rolling in the snow, but it makes the air so crisp and clear.

Sunrises are completely worth bundling up and getting outside for a lake wander - especially since they don't occur until around 10am!  It's wondrous how the colors could be so pink in one direction and so yellow in the other direction.  Fly didn't care, she was more interested in digging for the fish that were buried under the snow - the ice fishers forgot some of their catch.

The sunset on the hour and a half flight home was equally glorious.  It was a fitting end to our Kotzebue deployment.  I hope to one day return to Kotz for pleasure, so we can fully explore the area and see more of the beautiful scenery and people.

Top 5 Must Have Items to Bring Hiking/Camping With Your Dog

 Hey Tribe,

Are you the type of person who brings all your earthly possessions on a one hour hike or the person who just wings it and hits the trail for two days with not even a care?  Somewhere there is a middle ground and finding a balance of bringing what you need with what you may or may not need can be tricky - the future is unpredictable.

To that end, here are Fly and Rex's top 5 must-have items to bring hiking and/or camping with your dog.

Snacks!

Snacks and hiking are synonymous aren't they?  Pack dog shacks that are non-greasy (to keep your pockets and hands a bit cleaner) and that won't crumble if they get a little smushed in your pocket or bag.  I like Zuke's dog treats because they're easy to carry and I can quickly pop one into a dog's mouth when they come running back to me.

Fly loves her Zuke's snacks!

Booties!

Just the simple cloth rectangle style booties with elastic velcro at the top are small and light to pack and sure come in handy when tender paws need some protection.  Blisters on paws can crop up just as unexpectedly as they do on our own feet; a cut pad will benefit from a bootie until you can get back home or to the vet.  Just make sure you've trained your dog to accept and wear booties before you need them.  I use these booties and keep complete sets in my pack, my truck, and near the door.

Fly needed booties when she developed blisters mid-hike

Water!

Unfortunately, water is quite possibly the heaviest substance on Earth when I put it in my pack, but it is such a necessary, and often overlooked, item to bring on any trip.  Dogs drink an unbelievable amount of water when they're out running around; don't count on there being a stream or other source of water for your dog - streams sometimes run dry.  Your dog should never run dry, so pack an extra bottle of water specifically for your pooch.  A folding or collapsible bowl, I use this one, will save you from using your hand as a makeshift dish; the bowl doesn't have to be large, dogs don't really need a big thing, just enough to get their tongue into.  You can conserve water by pouring the extra back into your dog's dedicated water bottle.

A Leash!

It seems like a no-brainer, but I've met several folks out on hikes who didn't have a leash for their dog.  Be a considerate and responsible dog owner and have a short leash, I like slip leads like this one, to quickly control your dog whenever you pass a fellow hiker.  Your dog may be friendly, but maybe theirs isn't, or maybe the other hiker is allergic to dogs.  Having an easy to use leash readily available will help make your adventure more enjoyable.

A Blankie!

Camping in an unfamiliar place can be unsettling and difficult to drift off to sleep.  A small blankie or pillow from home that your dog is familiar with can help your dog settle in quickly at the camping spot: it will help signal that this is where you will sleep and that it is safe.  I purposely keep a pillow or this small blanket on my dogs' bed at home so I can grab it when we travel places.  Sleep well my friends!

That's it!  Our top 5 must have items to bring on your next hiking or camping trip with your dog.  Simple items, but very worth packing and bringing along with you, no matter your packing style.

Of course, after your adventure hike or camping experience, don't forget to hit up Jax & Moonie to get a #beenthere Bark Mark to memorialize the trip!  Use the code REX15 for a 15% discount.

I've included links to products I have personally purchased and regularly use - if you shop using my links, I may get a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you!

Best Fall Adventure Locations To Bring Your Dog

 Hey Tribe,

Ah, Fall!  It's a beautiful time of year to get out with your dog for some adventure.  

Depending on your location, adventures with views should be ah, *high,* on your list. Hiking or driving to destinations that have sweeping views of all the Fall colors is one of my favorite seasonal pastimes.

The better to see you, my dear!

Fall is an ideal time to hike trails that are normally thick with vegetation - you and your dog will get to see more of the trail, since it won't be obscured by all the summer leaves and growth.

We wouldn't be able to see the riverbed or the mountains very well if the trees had leaves.

Usually not a fall destination, now is a great time to hit the beach, because the sand won't be as hot on your dog's paws and you might just have the place to yourselves with everyone else searching for places with leaves.

Such a perfect day for the beach!

Another often overlooked adventure setting are bike/walking paths: they are easy to stroll along, which is the perfect way to enjoy the colors and cool air.  The fallen leaves on the paths are so picturesque.

All the leafy glory!

You don't have to travel far to have an adventure, it's all about your mindset, and your dog will love it no matter where you go, as long as you're together.

One Year With the Pirate

Hey Tribe,

Remember the souvenir I brought back from Portugal?  It was puppy Rex! 

Armando Salazar Da Villa Saloia
(captain of the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean)

Well, here we are one year later, so I thought it would be fun to recreate our arrival home photo.

              

The Pirate sure has grown hasn't he?!  Good thing too, because those ears were enormous!

Jax & Moonie 'Been There' Collar

Hey Tribe,

New collar alert!

If you haven't discovered them already, I'm about to make you want to reach for your wallet.  Jax & Moonie is a company that produces handmade leather collars; you may be thinking, there's nothing super special about that, but stay with me for just another second - as accessories, nay, necessary companions to the collar are little gems called Bark Marks: leather bands that slide onto the collar with stamped locations or number coordinates recording the cool places you and your dog have been.  Did your jaw drop?  Mine did.  It's brilliant.

These beautiful, non-dyed leather, Been There collars are soft, eco-friendly, and made here in the USA.  Red detail stitching is hand sewn and adds an additional feeling of top shelf quality.  But it is the Bark Marks that make my adventurous heart swoon - imagine returning home from that epic trip with your best woof and you have the keepsake photos, but you aren't going to look at them every day: you WILL look at your dog every day and seeing that Bark Mark representing your trip right there on the collar will bring back all the memories.  It's like a charm bracelet for your dog!

Selecting the places to put on the Bark Marks was such a wonderful experience for me - the KBDs and I have been to some really neat places.  What to choose, what to choose!

Rex checks out an abandoned passenger rail car in the woods.

Rex and I take in views of Eklutna Lake while hiking Twin Peaks trail.

I knew the collar would be for Rex, since Fly's fur absorbs collars like the Blob; I also knew that his first Bark Mark would say "Portugal" "Alaska" to represent his birthplace and his forever home and that crazy trip between the two places.

Rex's Been There collar records the awesome adventures we have taken together and the milestone accomplishments we have experienced; it also represents plans for future journeys, because I am totally planning trips just so I can add more beautiful Bark Marks to his collar!

Jax & Moonie's website is such a pleasant place to spend some internet time and they have a cute and helpful how-to video for making sure you are happy with your collar's size.  They are also just plain nice people and will put a smile on your face if you correspond with them.  You can find their other social places on Instagram and Pinterest if you need drool worthy photos.

Ready to purchase?  Use the code REX15 for 15% off your order!

As always, this review was totally independent and Jax & Moonie didn't ask for it, nor do they even know I've written it yet - all opinions are my own!