Sheba

I lost my best hiking partner on December 7, 2012. Sheba contracted Lyme disease and it became increasingly hard for her to get around. I still miss her very much and will always remember what a loyal friend and hiker she was.

If you have looked at any other pages on this site, you will know that my dog Sheba LOVES to hike. I LOVE to have her along in most cases. She is very intelligent and friendly. She obeys a long list of commands specific to hiking; Go up. Walk nice. With me. Find mom. As far as we can tell, she is part German Shepherd and part Collie. As you can see, she has the shepherd markings and the collie's long hair. She scouts out ahead a certain distance but then comes back to the last person in line to see if they are okay. This is the herding instinct.

She has climbed rocks that have given me trouble and I have only had to boost her once on the Long Path at Castle Point. She does get anxious descending steep areas where she cannot easily see the ledge below. She also has an aversion to crossing bridges with space between the elements that make up the floor.

On mornings when I am getting ready to hike I try to hide the fact until the last minute. I lay my clothes out and pack my pack the night before. As soon as Sheba sees us getting ready, she starts a high-pitched whine that is impossible to ignore. She also starts running a round the house getting in everyone's face, jumping and spinning. When we let her out she goes straight to the car and begins to "do laps" until we let her in.

Insect Bites

I have taken her to Bear Mountain and Harriman Parks where there are deer ticks. I have removed several deer ticks and wood ticks from her. She has had a course of antibiotics and we now treat her with Advantix which seems to work well.

Water and Food

During the warm weather, I make sure that sure that I carry plenty of water for all the people on the hike AND for the dog. She also likes a little snack so I carry some dog bones and some treats. I always bring a collapsible bowl and her leash.

Clothing and Equipment

Cold Weather

During the cold and snowy weather, snow and ice tend to build up in the area between Sheba's toes. This doesn't seem to cause injury but it does annoy her. The fact that she likes to walk through water doesn't help! I was considering a good quality boot but I am pretty sure she would hate that. The next time we go out I am going to try Musher's Secret wax which several people have recommended. Others swear by Bag Balm or Paw Protector Pro. I wonder if a spray of vegetable oil would do the same thing.

Sheila

I lost my best hiking partner on July 12, 2024. Sheila developed a cancer of the lining of the blood vessels which also effected her spleen. She was showing signs of some problem for a week or so but would still hike with me. I decided that she was in too much pain to let her go on to satisfy my need. I will never forget what a loving dog she was or her great hiking ability. I will miss her on every hike I take.

I have a new hiking partner now! Sheila is a yellow lab with some husky and boxer thrown in. She is a very different dog than Sheba but has become a very good hiker and friend.

If you have looked at any other pages on this site, you will know that my dog Sheila LOVES to hike. I LOVE to have her along in most cases. She is very intelligent and friendly. She obeys a list of commands and hand signals specific to hiking; Go up. With me. Trail. Find mom. Looking at her you would think she is a yellow lab but the husky in her gives her a longer coat which better adapts her for winter hiking. She is definitely a bird dog but likes to chase squirrels and chipmunks also. She is always following her nose and often is off trail following a scent. She is very quick to return when I call her. She often brings back partridge ALIVE and drops them at my feet.

She has climbed rocks that have given me trouble and when I look for her she is often above me looking down. If I take some time on a difficult ascent, she will often climb down and back up several times. She has no problem climbing ladders or open stairs and no problem going back down.

On mornings when I am getting ready to hike I try to hide the fact until the last minute. I lay my clothes out and pack my pack the night before. As soon as Sheila sees us getting ready, she smells to clothing to make sure it is our hiking gear. She then stays very close to us until we are ready to walk out the door. Sheila will run directly to the car and wait until I open the back door so that she can get in.

Insect Bites

The tick problem seems to keep getting worse and worse and is not limited to certain areas any more. I have removed several deer ticks and wood ticks from her. This is despite that fact that I keep her Advantix up to date. She has had the Lyme vaccine but each time I find a tick I make sure she has a course of antibiotics.

Water and Food

During the warm weather, I make sure that sure that I carry plenty of water for all the people on the hike AND for the dog. She doesn't seem to care much about snacks on a hike and doesn't drink as much as Sheba did. She does like to jump into any body of water she can find. I always bring a collapsible bowl and her leash.

Clothing and Equipment

Cold Weather

Cold weather does not seem to bother Sheila. Snow and ice between the toes does not seem to be a problem for her. The husky in her gives her a longer coat and a love for the snow. She is very good at pulling!

Bodies of Water

Sheila LOVES to jump into the closest stream, pond or lake to splash around and swim. She is an accomplished swimmer and I have worried a few times that she was out too far in the water. She likes me to throw a stick that she can retrieve by swimming to it. The water temperature doesn't seem to matter. After she has been swimming, she likes to dash madly along the shore and up and down the trail! Cindy thinks she is just trying to dry off but I think it is mostly pure joy!

Sheena

I have a new hiking partner Sheena. I was reluctant to get another dog because I was so close to Sheila and she was such a great hiker. I also knew I needed to have another dog as I had not been with out one for 20 years! One Wednesday, September 4, 2024, our daughter-in-law Kathleen, sent us the name of someone who might have puppies .I called the woman and she said she had one female available and we decided to go check her out IMMEDIATELY! I think when I saw I fell in love with her. She is a Feist-Cur cross which are actual types of dogs used on farms and for humming in the south. She probably won't get to be more than 30 pounds. I would have preferred a larger dog but she will do just fine. She was born the day after Sheila died. I took her home and she slept with me on the couch all night. The dog slept but I did not sleep as much. I will keep posting updates on Sheena and our hiking as she grows!