The drill sergeant my dog kissed

[Todd Duncan Tennyson]

It is good to see an old friend.
To shake hands in the morning,
and load our hounds into the truck.

We let them loose for a few minutes in the yard.

To let them work out their issues,
to let them growl,
and piss,
and snarl.

It is how they sort things through (my buddy Mike reminds me.)
He’s right.

If we just let them fight it out,
they figure it all out really quickly.

A good lesson to start the day.

They are able to sort it out amidst the growling and a brief showing of teeth.

Alex can be a mean old dog.
Plain and simple.

He and Cody worked it all out and set my mind at ease.

We manage to coerce them into the rig.
Load water, shells & grub for us all.



It is good to go up the hills from the valley.
And although it is long
and terribly deep.

We go.

Fog and mist roll off of the roadway.
an ancient river cuts hard into the hills.

We climb up high
and away.


Spring the hounds free from the truck and they are off..


Running the misted roads our grandfathers cut off of long ago.
Through firs and alders…



Dogs love this…

Their energy seems endless,
You can tell from their expressions.






The alders are alive and well this year.



It is a tough gig,

Getting a guy that was a drill sergeant
to smile big.

I could swear I saw one though.



Maybe another one.

 

[Todd Duncan Tennyson]

Mike understands that in order to work effectively,
A dog must be given a chance to play a little.


The good natured dog that is Cody,
Is more than willing to plow a mile wide path through a valley thick with alder,
To bring back a log for his master.

Cody is a strong boy.
He is able to free stuck vehicles,
work ridges,
and make a long trudge a little lighter.


He also has a tail that will knock you down,
Knock you silly,
And point you towards the birds (as seen in this photo)

He's a good all around dog.

Mike managed to find a garbage bag full of Chanterelles
I wondered why they were rooting around in the brush for so long.


I took a break.

We let the dogs rest up for a few minutes.

I tried to talk with Alex
But he said he was busy working.

“Standoffish” if you ask me,


Mike launched a log into the brush…
Cody brought it back just like he always does.

Mike said, man, that old black SOB of a dog of yours is a good dog.

He does what you want,
& hunts harder than any senior dog I’ve hunted over...
Alex’s ears perked up.

(He knows when we are talking about him.)
He is funny that way.

We walked back the long road we worked and talked to a couple of black powder guys that were out.
Loaded the dogs and took off our gear.

Then I saw something I’d never seen before.

(keep in mind that I got Alex from the pound after he had spent his first year as a stray and I’d had him a full year
before he’d give me the tongue on the face.)

We opened up the back of the truck.

“Hey Mike, I wanted to tell you something,” Alex said.
Mike walked toward the old dog.

“Come closer” Alex said,
“this is important and I need to make sure I get it right so you will understand."

Mike shed his gear and checked Cody for burrs etc.
“Ok you old black bastage,
what did you want to say?” Mike asked.

As he leaned close, that old black dog gave the drill Sergeant a kiss!



"Thanks,"

said Alex.

 

[Joe Friday]

Very enjoyable. thanks for sharing.

 

[Ed L.]

I always enjoy your stories Todd. Good boy Alex.

 

[Dani]

It was nice to see this story brought back up. I have always enjoyed reading your adventures with Alex.