Author: JackJack Canine Explorer

Hello friends!

Well August arrived right on time. It started out hot and steamy and is slowly cooling down as we prepare for fall. Funny how the weather affects the hoomans. They seem to be scurrying around – almost panicking as they work to squeeze the last few drops out of the summer. They do this in August. I have come to accept it. So while my hoomans race to pack my dog towels for our “last hoorah” – I decided to take myself for a little walk.

I took my usual route, trotting down my tree lined trail and into the ravine for a quick dip in the creek. Before I take any roadtrip (especially in the summertime), I like to sneak in a swim so my coat is nice and wet for the car ride. After I rolled around in the muddy water, I curled up in the ferns to rest for the upcoming weekend with my fun-determined hoomans.

Just as I settled in for a snooze, wouldn’t you know, a hawk began to screech. Now friends, I’m not sure if you are familiar with hawks but they are NOT quiet lovely song birds. They can be LOUD and annoying, and this particular hawk had a very irritating squawk. Since a snooze was now out of the question, I surrendered my nap and set out to investigate what the fuss was all about.

It was then, as I made my way toward the creek, when I saw her…the Great Blue Heron! She was at least three feet tall and majestic! I watched as she elegantly fished along the creek bank. She must have sensed me staring because in one loud WOOSH she jumped into the air and glided away – flying over my head and into the sky.

I could not believe my eyes! Her huge wings cast a shadow over me as she flew higher and higher – then disappeared into the trees. I sat for a long while after she left. A bit taken aback by what my eyes had witnessed. I replayed the scene over and over in my mind. Then I waited patiently for her to return. 

As I sat there waiting, I got to thinking…”sit” and “wait” can be two of THE HARDEST canine commands. Yet, more often than not, once mastered – they can be the most rewarding. I waited quite awhile for Big Blue to return. She never did. But now that I know she is out there –  just the possibilities of seeing her again make my hiking adventures even more exciting. 

So friends, as we scurry around this month, trying to soak up the last rays of the summer sun – let’s try to practice the art of patience. I know it’s hard to do, but give it a try. Take an extra moment to just “sit” and “wait” and you may just be surprised at what rewards are in store. 

I’ll bark back at you in September. Until then, I will see you on the social scene. Check me out on Facebook and Instagram!

Your friend, 

Hello friends!

I am sooooo excited that June has arrived that I can hardly keep my tail still – and when my tail wags my whole body gets in the groove. My hoomans kicked off the summer season with a weekend of cookouts and yard games. My whole family was in town for the celebration. They even brought the newest member of our pack – my little nephew Disco! 

If you were to look at Disco and me – you would think we are complete opposites. Disco is tall and lean. He has a sleek wiry body and is super chill. As you know, I am stout, overly muscular and need to keep busy (so I don’t get myself into trouble). But as it turns out – we are more the same than we are different. Disco was rescued from a shelter just like me – and we both like to chase, fetch and eat hot dogs! We are best pals.

 I was a bit nervous about my nephew coming to visit. He is a city dog and I was not quite sure what he would think about being out in the country. Disco does all his “free running” in a dog park. I don’t mind the dog park but think it would be better if it wasn’t fenced in. Anyhoo, I was overjoyed when my pal Disco joined me off-the-leash for a woodland hike. As he followed me down the tree lined trail, I started thinking…it sure is nice having a freind along. 

With Disco by my side, everything that used to seem ordinary took on a whole new shine. I showed Disco all my favorite spots, like the secret beach where wildflowers grow, my special thinking log where I plan out my canine adventures, and I even showed him how to cool off his belly in the creek. Disco seemed to love the woods just as much as I do and that made my tail wag even faster! 

Once Disco got used to getting his paws wet – he surprised me and started playing fetch in the creek with a rock! I wasn’t too sure about this game. It takes a lot of concentration and courage to dunk your head into the water. Once I summoned enough nerve to give it a try – I found out it was pretty fun! I would have never thought of that game if Disco hadn’t shown me. Turns out even the world’s best canine explorer can discover something new with a friend to show me the way.

So friends as we begin to embrace a new season of summer time and all that comes with it – I encourage you to bring a friend along on your next adventure. The ordinary can become extraordinary when shared with a friend. Who knows what you may discover. You may even learn a new trick or two! 

I’ll bark at you again soon – your friend, 

P.S. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Throughout the summer I will be posting my favorite wildflowers along with other random #dogthoughts. 

Hello friends and hello to the month of May!

The flowers are bloomin, trees are starting to pop, and the underground critters are on the move. As you know, this is one of my favorite times of year…digging season! I love digging – especially now that I have learned some restraint. Unlike last spring when I got in a bit over my head. If you haven’t read that story yet, check out Diggin In from my springtime adventure last year.

Now that May is finally here, I get to sink my paws into the thick muddy dirt and enjoy some long overdue dig therapy. As I nudged my nose into a gopher hole – I realized how much I have missed spring. Sniffing out the underground critters, rolling in the fresh cut lawn, and watching the ferns unfurl to create a new forest floor. 

It was while I was in one of my dig therapy sessions that I realized…spring is half over! A full thirty days have gone by and other than a few holes in the yard – I don’t have a lot to show for it. I’m pretty sure I went on adventures. I think. I know I went on at least one with my hooman. I vividly recall it because she brought along my pink squeaky ball (my hoomom doesn’t usually bring toys on walks).

The day was unusually warm and we headed down to the ravine toward the creek. My hoomom was squeaking all the way as she navigated the slippery slope (she only has two legs so it takes her longer to climb – poor thing). Once we got to the bottom, we began our game of fetch. She throws – I retrieve. It works for us. It was then, while I was in mid-retrieve splashing through the creek, that I got a whiff of something. I set the ball down (only for a second) and when I returned – it was GONE! 

My hooman was yelling, “Go get it! Go get it!” and I began to panic. I splashed this way and that – running and bouncing through the water. Eventually I realized the current had taken my ball and moved it down the creek. Although I was happy to have my ball back, the whole experience got me thinking… if you take your eye off the ball – things can disappear right from under your nose!

I think that is exactly what happened to the month of April. One minute I was lazily snuggeling on the couch with teddy, and the next minute spring had almost passed me by! 

So friends, as we head into digging season – keep your eye on the ball. Set a goal to find time every day to appreciate the wonder of springtime. Prioritize just a few moments to notice the world blooming and changing around you. Before long, we will be in the lazy hazy days of summer and spring will be gone for another year. So pay attention – or you may find yourself up a creek without a ball! 

Enjoy all the wonders that May has in store. Drop me a comment and let me know how your celebrating spring.

Bark at you in June!

Your friend,

P.S. As you head out for your May adventures, take a look at my May Wildflower Guide of what is blooming in my woods. I hope it will inspire you to get out exploring the wonders of springtime.

Hello Friends! The snow has melted, the crocus are blooming and my hoomans have put away their snowshoes. Old man winter is packing up his ice and snow and handing the reins over to springtime. Trees are budding, birds are singing and the forest is coming back to life! This is one of the most exciting times of year, but with all this change around me – I can not help but wonder…have I changed too?

I have been a bit slow on my reporting lately, and finding time to share these adventures every week has been a challenge. I used to carve out special time in my week just to share my adventures, but even with all this daylight savings – I can not seem to work out enough time to send out my reports. It seems more than just the TIME has changed. 

This story marks the 45th Hiking Jack Canine Adventure – that is a lot of exploring! Sharing stories on a weekly basis has been a lot of fun, but lately it has me wondering…have I bitten off a bit more than I can chew? This notion was going to take some extra attention – so I wandered down my tree lined trail to think this over. 

As I was sitting on my thinking log, I noticed some white tailed deer bopping around the brush on the other side of the creek. Since I prefer to do my deep thinking alone – I gave them a low growl. When that did not phase them – I barked out a  “get-the-heck-out-of-here” warning. The deer just stared at me. Well, if my barks are not ferocious enough then a chase was in order. 

I hopped up on all fours and raced across the creek. I chased the deer deep into the woods barking all the way. “That should do it”, I thought. Now I can think in peace! As I wandered back to my thinking spot, I realized I needed to cross the creek again. The water is pretty cold this time of year – so to stay dry, I balanced my way across the creek using a log as a bridge.

Balancing usually comes second nature to me, but this time I felt a little off kilter. I teetered across the log, stepping carefully until I made it across. I flopped down in my thinking spot and began to chew on why I feel so off balance. Sometimes in order to be our best – we have to find balance. If we are feeling off – we may have to give some things up. Changing with the times. 

So friends, as we prepare to welcome spring and all things new, I welcome the chance to recalibrate and change my weekly reporting – to sharing my Canine Adventures monthly instead. As we move into a new season, I encourage you to find your own thinking spot and take a moment to check your balance. You may find that like the seasons – it could be time to make some changes of your own.

I hope you have enjoyed my weekly stories. I look forward to continuing to share my Hiking Jack’s Canine Adventures monthly. 

Bark at you in April!

Your friend,

Woof – what a week friends! Our Michigan temps dropped so it was at least 20 degrees colder this week! Old Man Winter blew in a fresh blanket of snow too…grrrr! While I usually enjoy snow, that brief spurt of warmer weather put a little pep in my step. I was starting to feel like spring was on its way. Now, with four inches of snow and a wicked chill in the air – I’m feelin a bit on edge. The below zero windchills had me locked in doors with nothin to do but nap. Once I had my fill of sleep, I became bored. That’s when it happened…I dropped the ball. 

I have a toy basket that is full of all kinds of balls, chews and stuffys. So when I get bored, I usually have plenty of things to play with to keep me busy. I am a Jack Russel-Beagle-Hound, so I try really hard to keep my energy under control. Only this week, I accidentally destroyed all my stuffy toys. I am not sure what came over me – I just could not stop myself. I tore into those stuffys, ripping and tearing. Covers were torn, stuffing was flying – until I emerged victorious with the squeaker from each of my toys. Ha! Take that purple spider! Stick it Mr. Crocodile! 

Then my hooman entered the room. Evidence of my pent up energy was all over the living room. She was not impressed. Instead she told me that she wasn’t going to buy me any more stuffys if I could not take care of them. This was very upsetting news. As I watched my hooman walk around the house, picking up shredded pieces of stuffys past, I started to wonder if other canines have ever had this experience.  

So I barked out a call to my nephew Disco. Disco is newest pup to our pack. He is a black and white (versus a white and black like me). He is a bit taller and a lot leaner. He was rescued from a shelter in Michigan but is originally from Tennessee. That means he has a laid back southern kinda vibe. I wanted to know if Disco had ever had that out-of-canine experience where he just got into destruction mode and couldn’t stop. Since he is still a pupper, I felt like I might have a pal that could relate to my predicament. Sure enough, Disco shared with me his love for chewing remote controls. He knows it is wrong – but said sometimes the temptation to chew gets the best of him. 

This got me to thinking…regardless of how hard we try to be good – sometimes we just drop the ball. For Disco, temptation for those tasty remotes was just too much and he lost control. For me, my energy overwhelmed me and I became reckless. Sometimes we just make bad decisions and before we know it – stuffing is everywhere. 

So friends, as we go into a new week, let’s remember we all make mistakes. We can try our hardest to exercise self-control and resist temptation, but inevitably we will drop the ball. When that happens, know you are not alone. Give yourself a break, start over and try again. 

Bark at you next week!

Your friend, 

Hello friends! This week brought record breaking warm temps to my Michigan woods. Which means it was time to get back out exploring! It is VERY unusual to hike down the ravine in February. Usually my trail is full of ice and snow so I have to keep my adventures closer to home. But this week I was able to wander down the hill to see how the January snow storms changed the woodsy landscape.

It’s always a surprise to see how Mother Nature changes the forest after a long winter. Sometimes the creek gets pushed to carve deeper into the hillside. Sometimes the snow and ice move old logs around and create new rapids. Or in the case of a big snow melt, I can expect to find springs that pop up to deliver freshwater to the creek.

As I trotted down my familiar trail, daydreaming about what adventures lie in store – I was shocked to discover my usual path was MISSING! Mother Nature can be a trickster but certainly she did not steal away my favorite trail…did she?

Massive trees covered my usual route. As I squeezed my way around an old cypress tree, the mud began to squish between my paws. The detour had me a bit nervous since the ground felt soft and unstable. Just as I got back on course, I discovered yet another obstacle. This time, a giant hemlock, next a downed pine tree. Turn after turn I discovered more things blocking my path, and I had to keep rerouting – veering off my normal trail. 

At first, the new way of doing things was exciting. But eventually it became tiring, reconfiguring new unfamiliar directions. As I wiggled and worked my way through downed trees, I realized my old path was gone. Hiking in the ravine will never be the same and I am going to have to get used to finding a new way. 

Sometimes adventures are like that – obstacles get put in our way and we have to overcome the barriers. We get forced in new directions and it is up to us to figure out our way through. Eventually I made it up the hill and back to the house. My hooman was there with a towel to dry off my muddy paws. It was nice to be back home warm and dry. 

So friends, as we head into another week…keep pushing on. Mother Nature will put up roadblocks. When she does – keep trail blazing! Obstacles are inevitable. We may not always feel like we are on solid ground. Our paws may get muddy, and we may find ourselves wishing for simpler times. But know that as you work to forge a new path, your effort will pay off and eventually you will find your way back home. 

Bark at you next week!

Your friend, 

Hello friends! I am happy to share that this month marks my ONE YEAR anniversary of Hiking Jack’s Canine Adventures! My first blog posted on February 20, 2023. Since then I have shared 40 stories with you and made many many new friends. Thank you all for tuning in every week and sharing in my adventures. Some of my favorite stories are the tributes to my loved ones like Cheers to Old Dogs in honor of my Great Grandpa Kirby and A Grand Adventure in remembrance of my Gram who passed away earlier this year. 

I have learned many lessons over this past year like how to try not to compare myself to others and have Dog Envy and how important it is to stay healthy like when I was in Spring Training. I also know now the importance of having the Right Stuff and that Sharing is Caring. I also discovered multiple wildflowers special editions as the forest came to life in May, June, July, August and even September.  

I hope you have enjoyed my adventures as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you. If you have any lessons you think I should learn – feel free to share your ideas with me. As we go into a new week let’s take a minute to look back through the pictures you have stored away of the last year and share them with your friends. If you have time, click on some of my photos of our past canine adventures and let me know what was your favorite. 

Bark at you next week! 

Your friend, 

Happy New Year friends! Sorry I have been a bit off the grid lately. The holidays came and went and my canine exploring fizzled. I am not sure what exactly happened. One minute the house was full of food and laughter and the next minute my brothers were gone – along with all the tasty treats! Family returned to their homes away from my home, my hoomans went back to work, and the twinkly holiday lights were turned off. My days that were once full of music and dinner scraps returned to just me and the quiet ticking of the living room clock.

As January began to blow by it brought with it “arctic blasts” that made it too cold to be outside. This meant my opportunity for outdoor canine adventures dropped below zero along with the Michigan temperature and my bad attitude. I started to feel like a pretty down dog as the winter blues took hold. I felt as though there was nothing for me to do but bury my face in the couch pillows and wait for spring.

I was going on week three of this frosty slump when my hoomom decided to intervene. She clipped me in the car and drove me to town for a special adventure. Before I knew it, we were walking into the do-it-yourself dog wash. It took some milk bone bribery to get me to walk the plank into the tall tub, but once I was in…it was pure utopia. My hoomom lathered me up with warm soapy water and spent extra time rubbing behind my ears. She kissed my nose and kept telling me I was a handsome boy. I really started to believe in this “self-care” stuff and slowly began to relax. A day at the spa was just what I needed to melt away my winter blues. 

So friends, as we head into the last gloomy week of January, check-in with your friends. If you haven’t seen them around – you might have to take some time to plan a special adventure. If you are the one suffering from the winter blues – maybe draw yourself a bath and remind yourself that what goes down must come up. This week we will begin the month of February – so spring will be here eventually!

Thank you for all of you who sent me messages and checked in on me. Now it is my turn to check-in on you. Send me a message and let me know how you are planning on beating back the winter blues. 

I look forward to hearing from you – bark at you next week!

Your friend, 

P.S. Please feel free to share this story with a friend. It could be just the thing to cheer them up today!