Nico went for a hike up Mount Van Hoevenberg today, and I have to say I’m super proud of him. We ran into dozens of people and over a dozen dogs on the trail, and Nico didn’t react. We took a few steps off the trail for all the dogs that passed, and he sat and focused on me as they passed. And we worked on him stepping off the trail to let people pass by, asking him to place on rocks, logs, or other objects. It was a fun game and several hours of training practice. He even sat on the summit with several dogs walking around. He loves other dogs, but his over-excitement for them often boils over into reactivity. For him to see so many dogs without a single reaction is a huge win and affirmation that our training efforts are paying off. Bringing him to this spot also has special meaning as this was the first mountain Khyber hiked in the Adirondacks. I brought Khyber here a little over a week after I rescued him and have a nearly identical shot of him on the summit (see below). I distinctly recall how content Khyber seemed on the summit that day. It was as if, at that moment, he realized he was safe and that the rest of his life would be free of worry and full of love and adventure.

Disclaimer: Dogs are required to be leashed on this trail both for their safety and that of other dogs and wildlife. Both dogs were leashed when these photos were taken and were edited out in post-processing.

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