Walking with Woody

While our boys have not always shared our love of the island (that’s another story!), our dogs have almost universally been quite enthusiastic.  In particular, Woodstock, our 10-year-old field spaniel, strongly prefers the island to the mainland, and has learned our patterns quite well.  The sight of a backpack being packed puts him on high alert—and he literally dogs our footsteps to ensure that he is going with us (we always bring them, so he needn’t worry, yet he does).  This puts the other three field spaniels into the same state, so we usually pack up under somewhat adverse conditions. (Four spaniels excited about a pending car ride are quite an experience!)

Fortunately, the island is a very dog-friendly place.  Trade Winds, many trails, beaches (after hours, or off season) are all great places for the humans and dogs to enjoy the island.  In the hold of the ferry, we see lots of other travelling dogs, though with four in the car, we usually collect a few astonished looks.  Come to think of it, most times we are seen with them, generally people look astonished, and if they are also dog people, they smile :-)

If we arrive at night, Woodstock gives us until morning before beginning his campaign for a walk to Sengy.  But once he deems it time, his lobbying begins.  Walk to mom, catch her eyes . . . Walk to where the leashes are, look at them, then look back meaningfully at mom.  Repeat until the stupid humans figure it out.  The other dogs are lazy enough to let Woodstock do the work of convincing us.  Once it is clear we have decided that Woodstock was right, we get to play the game of put the leash on the whirling spaniel four times.  (Yes, we took them to obedience class, but let’s just say the humans failed.)

We set off at a tear, and they know the way to Pecoy Point, Woody’s preferred destination.  Two people walking four dogs, down the path to the point.  Each dog has his or her own favorite thing. Batman scans for rabbits, Eve is intent on getting to the water, Zoe loves to shop along the way, and Woody is just wagging his tail the entire way there and back.  We like the exercise, and just watching the sea and the sky . . . Island time at its very best.  And we take this walk each day the weather allows (and Woodstock insists).

There once were five spaniels in our family. Our clumber spaniel Wendy went to the Rainbow Bridge almost two years ago and took her final walk to Sengy just two weeks earlier on Memorial Day.  She loved this island walk just like Woody still does.  Sometimes I am very sure I see a flash of white on the path ahead of us. I wonder if Woody sees her too.