Category: Out of the House

Hello Friends – so sorry I missed you last week! My latest canine adventure took me to territories unknown and I am so happy to finally be back! My hooman-brother came home for a visit and that is where my adventure began…

He took me far far away to the land where I witnessed all kinds of crazy things. Animals were talking and singing – some were even attempting terrifying stunts! I was mesmerized by all the activity. One video after another showcased silly animals engaged in hillarious activities. My plans to explore the outdoors with my hooman-bro were replaced with videos of cats teasing dogs, dogs chasing cats, and one animal after another shaking their tail to “Lil Boo Thang”.

Before I knew it…the day was over and it was starting to get dark outside. My chance to go exploring vanished. My hopes to chase salmon in the creek – sunk. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. I had all kinds of energy, but was also oddly tired. Turns out, visiting the nation of TikTok is exhausting! In fact, I have a theory that every time I check my social media, I actually step through a secret portal that zaps my time away.

My bro took me on this adventure as a way to be helpful. I’ve been asking around – trying to learn how I can get more hoomans to read my Canine Adventures. All the advice I was given was “you have to get on social media” – specifically TikTok.

So I took the advice and made videos! There are TikToks of me doing my dog puzzle, making a pizza delivery, rooting on the Detroit lions, and even one that captured a very embarrassing moment when I was startled by a salmon. Once the posts were made – I waited. Hoping that I will be “liked” by all the other cyberspace martians.

How it works is – I post something and then wait to see if it was enjoyed enough for hoomans to make the effort to click “like” (or not). Then I needed to see how many likes I had – and then wondered if the number of likes I had was enough. I became obsessed!

All my thoughts were consumed with my social media content. All I could think about as I went about my day was – could this moment be a video? Would friends like to see my new toy, my tasty treats, my clever tricks? It wasn’t until we literally lost time with the end of Daylight Savings – that I began to realize how much time I was wasting.

I was not just wasting time while on social media – I was consumed. Wondering if my content was going to be “liked” enough. Or if it is not liked does that mean that it is REALLY not liked or perhaps it just was not watched. And if it was not watched does that mean I am not popular or could it mean my “friends” just had other things to do besides be on social media? This is all very complex and difficult for me to understand. I just wanted to share my adventures and it turns out I spent over a week lost in cyberspace trying to learn how I can get more hoomans to “like” me. Then it took me another week just to recover!

So friends, as we go into a new week – please be careful and try not to become lost in space. If you do decide to walk through that secret social media portal, know your time could be zapped away. Plan a way out. Stick to a set amount of time you will give up (set a timer if you have to) and know that regardless of what social media says – I “like” you!

Now go outside (without your device) and let the real adventures begin!

Bark at you next week – your friend,

P.S. If you plan on being lost in space for awhile – check me out on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram!

@hikingjack.com

Well friends…the clock is ticking. We have less than 50 days before the house is filled with scents of roasted turkey and hungry hoomans ready to spend the whole day devoted to eating! Yes, I am talking about my favorite holiday of all holidays – TURKEY DAY! Before you know it, my hoomans will begin to bring home arm loads of delicious food. They’ll start rearranging the furniture to try and cram as many tables and chairs as possible in the house – so everyone has enough room to EAT. More tables equals more table scraps! 

So before dollops of mashed potatoes, splatters of pumpkin pie, and the sweet crunch of apple cinnamon sugar rain down on the kitchen floor like blessings from above…we’ve got to get in shape! When those hoomans over fill their plates and accidentally spill that delicious goodness, we need to be waiting like a ninja in the night. Ready to spring into action! Usually hoomans will instill a “five-second rule” when they drop food on the floor. Meaning we only have five seconds from the time it hits the ground to the time hoomans will pick it up and put it back on their plates. Are you ready?

Training season starts now! Sure it is getting cooler and the night is coming earlier, but we need to be dedicated. Keep thinking about those gravy drippings and stay focused. Set a goal to get in more steps every day. Lately when my hooman gets home from work, she seems unmotivated to take me for walks. I like to stand at the door and dance in circles or whine a little. I find this gets her moving. Do whatever you gotta do!

Try to limit your treats and drink a lot of water. We only have about six weeks to become fast, agile and ready to snatch treats mid air. I know it is candy season, but don’t let that distract you. We know a festival of eating will be here soon, so we need to take the steps necessary to indulge but stay healthy at the same time. If we can increase our activity now – then when we do plan to over eat (and let’s face it – that is my plan), we can still be healthy even after the big day is over. 

So friends, as we prepare for overeating season, let’s also prepare to do it as healthy as possible. Let’s make a pact to move more, eat a little less (for now) and get lots of water. Although it is fun to pretend to be food ninjas – in the end we don’t really want to be unhealthy canines. I don’t like to say it because you have heard it all before, but overeating can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and even an early passage over the rainbow bridge. So let’s plan ahead and get in shape – cuz we all have that one hooman who is going to spill their mash potatoes and there is not a canine out there that can resist that!

Until we eat again…I’ll bark at you next week!

Your friend, 

Jack Jack at your service! This week I was invited to a local day camp to show hooman pups how to be kind to canines.

To be honest, I wasn’t overly excited when I first learned I was going to be a part of a service project. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was going to spend it in the park with my favorite hooman. The idea of staying on my leash and being pawed by hooman pups all afternoon did not have me chasing my tail in excitement. None-the-less, my hooman loaded me up in the car and off to camp we went.

When we got there, I could not believe my eyes – the park was full of close to twenty hooman pups – all running free! As I got closer, the head hooman blew a whistle and all the little hoomans ran to one area on the grass. It was pretty impressive the way all those pups knew how to sit and be quiet at the same time!

I was a bit nervous as I waited to be introduced, but once our presentation began – I settled down a bit. I got to show off all my commands, then I had to sit very still while each pup practiced how to approach me (they offered me the back of their hand with fist closed so I could sniff them out). When the hooman pups first formed a long line to meet me, I thought this was going to take furever. The last thing I wanted to do was to be pawed all afternoon, but I waited patiently as one-by-one the little hoomans took turns practicing their dog safety skills.

As they did, they would make comments about me. Things like how my fur is soft or that I was nice. One little pup even said I was funny! If he thought my sitting still was funny – I blew his mind when I high-fived him! From there I got creative. I played dead, rolled over, and shook hands. By the time I got through all twenty little pups I was exhausted!

After almost an hour in the hot sunshine, I completed my demonstration and the little pups erupted with applause. Then one-by-one they took a turn at giving me a treat and thanked me for coming. I was such a hit that they asked me to come back and visit camp again! 

I didn’t realize when I first started this service project that I was going to have so much fun! I thought the best time at the park would be spending it with my hooman, but it felt really good to give my time away. In the end, I think I had THE MOST fun out of all the pups in the park! Turns out when I made time to serve others – it brought me joy in return. 

So friends, as we head into another week, find some time and give it away. You might think you have absolutely no extra time to share, but trust me, the satisfaction of serving others is a gratifying adventure you do not want to miss.

If you need help finding a place to lift a paw – message me at barkingwithjack@gmail.com and I will be happy to help you find a place to volunteer in your community.  And as long as you are on your google machine, click here and “follow” me on my facebook page. I am trying to be more social! 🐾

I’ll bark at ya next week!

Your friend, 

P.S. Feel free to forward this to a friend and help me share my Canine Adventures with more explorers. Thanks! 🐾

I went into the BIG town this week, friends! My hooman loaded me in the car and we hit the road. Our mission: visit the grand-hoomans. They live an hour outside of my woods – so I don’t get to go see them very often. Once we got to Grams place in Big town, I gave their place a sniff down, walked the perimeter of the yard to ensure our safety, then spent the afternoon kissing and cuddling my Grands. Gram gave me one of her famous back scratches and I showed Gramps a trick or two. 

I love spending time in Big town with my Grands. That is why I was so surprised we had to cut our visit a bit short. Turns out we had an errand to run – my hooman needed to stop for canine supplies. So I gave my Grands a press goodbye, jumped back into the car, and before I knew it – arrived at a strange and wonderful land called the “pet store” and there my canine adventure began!

When we first arrived at the pet store my senses practically EXPLODED. There were so many sights and smells. My hooman gave me a job to pick out a new treat and I couldn’t wait to get started. Only where to begin? There were rows and rows of stuff. One row just for balls – all shapes and sizes. Another for stuffys, a row for collars and leashes, racks of clothes, bins of bones, and aisle after aisle of FOOD! 

My head was spinning and I could not stop panting. Birds, reptiles, and gerbils oh my! I was so overwhelmed – I had to take a break in the furniture section where I tried to regroup by testing out the canine couches (not too shabby).

After a quick break, I collected myself and re-engaged to find some treats. I became mesmerized at the pup pastry counter. I am not sure how long I was staring at those delicious cookies and cakes but knew my time was running short. I double backed down the food aisle, and settled on choosing some good old fashioned milk bones – then called it a day. 

On the drive home, I got to thinking about my pet store adventure…it felt like we were there a very long time – waaaay longer than the time we spent at the Grands. And there was so much stuff! The task of picking out a treat became exhausting – and picking out treats is one of my top skills. That got me wondering…why do we think we need SO MUCH stuff? I mean, I like a memory foam bed just like the next hound, but I don’t NEED one! Pup pastries? Extra dog coats? Really not necessary. 

Giving kisses to my Gram, cracking up Gramps by showing off my “play dead” trick (gets him every time), belly rubs, walks, and a reminder every so often that I am a “good boy”. That’s the kinda stuff I need. And I am guessing – you probably need more of that kinda stuff too.

So friends, as we go into this next week…let’s change up our spending. Spending time with each other is way more fulfilling than wading through aisles and aisles of stuff. When we have each other – we already have everything we need. Spend your energy making memories with those you love instead of spending your time shopping for stuff you don’t need.

Choose the right stuff and spend wisely. 

I’ll bark at you next week. 

Your friend,

P.S. I am pretty social – let’s be friends on Facebook and Instagram! You should also sign-up to get my canine adventures right in your inbox – SUBSCRIBE here (it’s free)!!

This week I was reunited with my litter sister! The last time I saw her was four-and-a-half years ago. Her name was Moon Mist back then and my name was Twist. We were the “soda pop pups”, named after the old fashioned Faygo pop and were surrendered to live at Bellwether Harbor Animal Shelter.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at the reunion, since I haven’t seen my sis in so long. Surprisingly, it was not overly eventful. There was not any growling or barking. We didn’t raise our hackles, we just sniffed and wondered around the yard. It wasn’t until we walked for a while that it sunk in…Wynter is my canine blood!

It was an odd feeling. I don’t really recall being “related” to a canine. All the family I am familiar with has been hooman. Sure, Nixin (my best buddy) feels like family, but he is a whole different breed. Wynter looks like me! She climbs on things like I do. Her tongue hangs sideways out of her mouth like mine, and her ears flop crooked – just like me. 

I like having a canine relative. One that I can share memories with – who was there for the big life changing moments. Wynter knows what it was like being dropped off at the shelter and taken from mom when we were only five weeks old. She was there when I first met my hoomans. She’s shared some of the scariest and most wonderful moments of my life. I never realized until we were reunited how important it was to spend time with family. Those who can look back in time and feel all the feelings that big life moments bring. The scariest fears and the most wonderful joy.

When Wynter and I were reunited – it was like no time had passed at all. We played and chased. Sniffed and wandered – but mostly it was nice to just lay in the grass and be together. That’s what makes having a family so great. We were able to just be ourselves.

So friends, if you have family that you haven’t seen in awhile – it’s time to schedule a renion. If the idea of that makes you nervous – don’t worry. Once you’re reunited, all the love and memories will come flooding back. It’s important to relive the good times with those that made those good times so great. Bark with the old dogs, who can fill in the blanks (if your pupper memory is hazy), and surround yourselves with those who have loved you from the very beginning.

If you’ve lost one of your pack – it’s even more important to keep in touch. Keeping the memory of those that passed on, alive in our hearts. Share in the laughter (and sometimes the tears) – with those that know you best. So make sure you meet up with your family this summer – you won’t regret it. The only thing to lose is time.

Bark at you next week – your friend,

I was a houseguest friends! My hoomans took me to visit my Great Aunt Kay and my canine cousin Chloe. Chloe is about three times older than me so I knew that this was not going to be the chase-around-the-room kinda visit. Instead, Chloe mostly sleeps… until this last time…

It all started with my favorite pink squeaky ball. Turns out my hooman packed it for the trip and was squeaking it for Chloe! I whined quite loudly about this because it makes me very nervous when my toys are introduced to other canines. My hooman told me to “be nice” and “share my toys”. I do not like to share my toys, so I began to pant and pace. 

My hooman tried to calm me down with treats (I could not eat them – I was too upset). Eventually she gave up and said, “Well Jack, sharing is caring and it’s time that you share your toy”. I was not feeling like sharing or caring, but since I consider myself a good dog, I did as I was told and watched painfully from the couch as Chole began to squeak. It raked my nerves as she carried the ball around the house. With every squeak I became a bit more unraveled. Sharing is hard!

As the day went on, Chloe kept squeaking. Everytime I went to play with the ball, she would jump up and take it before I could get to it. She ended up hiding it in her bed and kept it to herself the rest of the day. I felt like my chest was going to explode in frustration! 

I listened to my hooman laugh at how silly Chloe was with the ball, and began to notice how much fun Chloe was having. She was actually chasing the ball around the room. As I mentioned, Chloe is not a “chase-around-the-room” kinda canine. This was very unusual for her – she must really love that ball!

As I watched her play with my favorite toy, that angry feeling I had inside began to melt. The hoomans were laughing at how cute Chloe was and I have to admit she was pretty adorable. Before I knew it, those annoying squeaks were making me smile too. 

Turns our Chloe loved that ball more than I ever could. She never left it out of her sight. By the time my visit was over, I decided Chloe should keep my pink squeaky ball. I gave it to her because I knew it brought her joy. And ya know what? Giving her that ball brought me joy too!

So friends, as you head into another week – think about how you can spread joy. Find something that you love and share it. It might be kinda hard at first, but just share it and see what happens. You will find that when you share something you love, the joy flows right back to you!

Even though I am home now, I can picture Chloe squeaking that ball and it makes me smile. I wish this feeling for you too – after all sharing is caring right?

Bark at ya next week – your friend ,

I was tricked this week friends. Fooled by my favorite hooman. It’s true! She started by using her sweet talk and saying fun words like “going bye bye” and “go for a ride”. She loaded the car with all my favorite clues – my leash, water, and extra treats. By the time she was ready to leave, I was bouncing all over the yard in anticipation. My ears flapped out the window all the way down the road. When we passed the dog park, I knew something was amiss. So I began to shake. My deepest fears were beginning to take hold. This is not the fun trip I was dreaming of – we were going to the VET!

Most of the rational canines I run with recognize the veterinarian’s office as the last place on earth they would like to spend ANY time at ALL – EVER. I consider myself one of those kinda canines. So when we pulled into the vet’s office and the car stopped, I lost all my senses – including my ability to understand English as my second language. My hooman was saying things to me that I did not understand because all I could think was RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

I won’t go into details (mostly because I blacked out a little and don’t remember everything), but I know we had to go into a small room with other hoomans who held me down and poked me. They stuck me with sharp things and pushed me with cold things. As my loose hair flew around the room, I gave my hooman my meanest, angriest death stare. I could not believe she betrayed me in this way! Finally I did what most canines want to do in this situation and I just SNAPPED! (I do not advise this behavior). 

After I snapped, I had to be muzzled. It was slightly humiliating, but eventually it calmed me down. The vet checked my ears and then my heart. She gave me some medicine to keep diseases away and keep me healthy. She said that I was a handsome boy but could stand to shed a few pounds, and told me to cut back on the hooman food (whatever).

All in all, it ended up being a good trick my hooman played on me. Turns out she did it out of love. Ya see, I am really important to my hoomans. They love me a lot and my whole family is gonna change when it’s time for me to go to that big dog park in the sky. So I gotta stay as healthy as I can –  even though going to the vet is VERY scary for me. I go for my family. I stay healthy – so they stay happy. That is how I show them how much I love them back (that and my puppy eyes I give them sometimes).

So friends, if you haven’t been to your vet in awhile, it’s time to go. It can be confusing and scary. It will probably not be fun, but remember, you are not going for yourself. You are going to make sure you stay healthy for those that love you. I am just guessing, but I bet you are pretty important to your hoomans too. So if you have a lump or bump you should get it checked out, and if you haven’t been to the vet in awhile – just go for a check-up – cuz you’re pretty important to me too. 

Stay healthy friends and I will bark at ya next week – your friend,

Woof – it was a long week! Earlier this week, I was able to get back to the dog park with my best buds, Nixin and Frank. My hooman hadn’t had much time for walks, so even a quick chase around the yard was just the boost I needed to keep my tail wagging until the weekend.

Unfortunately, when we got to the dog park, we discovered it was leading a secret life as a garbage dump! Broken toys, bone bits, bags and who-knows-what were laying all over our park. The wet, muddy, smelly (not in a good way) trash was everywhere. In Michigan, an interesting phenomenon happens once the snow melts… trash of all shapes and sizes begins to crawl out of the ground like zombies. It was really disgusting. So much so, that Frank suggested we organize a park clean-up. He said we could schedule it just in time for “Earth Day”. 

I wasn’t sure what Frank meant by “Earth Day”- so I asked my hooman’s google machine. I learned that Earth Day was founded in 1970 as a way to increase awareness about the environment. Each year on April 22, millions of hoomans worldwide celebrate the day with clean-up events. Having learned that, it sounded like Earth Day would be a perfect day to clean up our park! We told every dog, dingo, mutt, and mongrel to meet us at the park on Saturday morning, Earth Day 2023.   

Now I am not intentionally an environmentalist. I mean, I suppose I like a clean environment – I never really have given it much thought. I just learned about Earth Day afterall! I appreciate my yard, the woods, and swimming in the Great Lakes, but not until my last trip to the dog park did I realize I need to pay a little more attention to the world around me. 

I overheard that more than 1 billion hoomans in over 190 countries celebrate Earth Day every year – cleaning up dog parks all over the world. As it turns out, these dog parks are somehow all connected! Hearing this made me feel good – like I was part of something bigger than just my corner park. All of a sudden, the work of picking up oily black banana peels became even MORE important. 

As I stepped back from my trash collection to survey our progress. I saw canines of all shapes and sizes working side-by-side. Hoomans were laughing as they piled trash bags into their vehicles. Pups were playing chase, and my park was looking beautiful again.

So friends, as we go into a new springtime week, let’s do each other a favor. If you happen to see garbage lying around, pick it up. If you have trash, toss it in a trashcan. After all, your world is connected to mine. So I will do my part, and you do yours, and together we will change the world, deal? 

Bark at ya next week – your friend,

Well friends spring break is in the rear view mirror (literally). It can be hard getting back into the daily grind after a vacation but one thing I look forward to after a long vacation, is seeing my friends. This week I met up with my buddies at the dog park to yip yap about what went on while we were away on spring break.

Nixin spent the whole week with his family. They stayed in town together and went on daily trips. Frank got to go to canine camp where he spent a full week trying all kinds of new activities. And, as you know, I went South to see my grand-hoomans, and had a great time playing in the sunshine. Yet… listening to my buddies talk about how much fun they had, makes me feel like I somehow missed out. 

I kinda wish I had the same expereinces that Nixon and Frank had. Sometimes when I hear about what others have that I don’t, I get an odd feeling. One that is not angry enough to growl about – but gets me just upset enough to show my teeth a little.

This got me to thinking…

Nixin and Frank are without a doubt my best canine buddies. We chase and jump and sniff and have the best times together. We are also VERY different. They are both taller than me and have longer legs. Nixin is a Treeing Walker Coonhound mixed with a Labradoodle, which means he has a super soft coat and is really FAST. Nix was adopted from another family and still keeps in touch with his litter brothers and sisters. 

Frank is an Aussiedoodle, which means he doesn’t shed. Hoomans are always talking about how great that is – “no dog hair everywhere” (blah blah blah). Frank is a “pure breed” too – which means he comes from money and can trace his ancestry. He is SUPER CHILL and probably has the best manners out of all the dogs I know. 

I, on the other paw, am a shelter dog. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – I just don’t run with my original pack. I also shed – A LOT. Sometimes, when I sneeze – my hair shoots off my body and floats all over the house. My hoomans have my hair in their bed, in their car, and on their clothes. So you can imagine, I do not get compliments on my beautiful coat!

Nixin and his long legs and Frank and his hair (not fur) coat sometimes gives me that teeth-baring kinda feeling. Why do I feel this way about my best buddies? Is it because I wish I was a bit taller, knew my ancestry, was a lot less fuzzier?

Truthfully…yes. Sometimes I wish I could be a little more like my friends. When I feel that way I try to remind myself that I am the one of the coolest canines in the history of dogness! I just have to find the greatness in what I’ve got and focus on what is special about me.

So, I am a short beagley “something” type of dog. I will never be tall, or a sleek purebreed with a fur-less coat. Ever. I can not change my breed. I can not change where I came from. I can only be JackJack the Canine Explorer. I may not have long legs – but I can JUMP! I have a family that loves me, and as for the doghair…there is not much I can do about it. So I try and find the positive. I like to look at it as leaving a little piece of me wherever I go!

So friends, as you head into another week, try not to compare yourself to others. It sounds waaaay easier than it actually is and you may find yourself baring your teeth from time to time. It’s natural to want what others have. Just uncurl your lip and think about all the things that you DO have. The trick is not to wish for something different or more, but rather enjoy all that you have been given. Who cares if you got a little dog hair on ya? We all do! 

Bark at you next week – your friend, 

P.S. My weekly canine adventures post on Sundays. If you want to be the first to read about my canine adventures – go to my home page and sign-up!