Spring Daffodil at DNRT Parsons Reserve
The last part of the 2021 flew by, not only because we physically didn’t explore much after our trip to New Hampshire, I also left TT and the states for a month in November. Trying our best to avoid ticks unfortunately also made us becoming less active when the temperature dropped, I grew paranoid while TT’s heartworm tick panel came back positive for 2 tick borne diseases (anaplasmosis and lyme disease), he was fully cleared with a month of medication thankfully.
Sha-Sha on the other hand is as healthy as she always was, she is obsessed with the window bird feeder we installed in the living room . Sha-Sha couldn’t help but run straight to the window everyday after her breakfast just like a teenager glued to a television show, she complains if you ever try to hug her.
We got more tiny visitors after the snow fell and food was hard to find. Seeing how popular the bird feeder became and how much Sha-Sha adores the show, we went ahead to install a one way reflector, pretty much a privacy film that only allows you to see through from one direction, with this installment, birds can dine in peace without being spooked by an enthusiastic feline right in front of their faces.
- Where to find it :
The second winter here in New England feels as magical as the first one to me, but this year for some unknown reason, TT’s paws became very sensitive to not only road salt but also the cold. He would start lifting his paws short after our stroll, even a small run in the back yard was too much for him. I wasn’t able to figure out the cause since he was fine in Oregon, Colorado and more snow trips.
Road salt was even worse, so I decided to just carry him all the way to the nearby trailhead everytime we wanted to walk there. I understand road salt is bad for your four legged friends, yet walking never bother any other dogs but TT. We saw all the neighbor dogs walks like nothing is different in the winter, TT would scream in pain if he takes a step or two on the salted asphalt, this happened last year only a few times, the situation was somehow worst this year.
I went through review after review to find boots for this poor little thing. No matter how the shoes are made or what brand, attempting to wear shoes without having them go over your heels is asking for losing them for sure, that’s one of the biggest issues for dog booties. The other issue we encountered was the velcro stopped working when snow got in between them, as you may guess, the boots will disappear before you know it.
I came across one video showing how you can add elastics to the boots for easy recovery. I thought that’s very clever and deserves more credit! By following this method we no longer have to look for missing boots in circles.
- Where to watch it :
Now the missing issue is solved, I went on to purchase a new pair of dog boots from Ruffwear that has a zip up sock built in, with that extra protection to cover the velcro, they did their job to stop snow from block the snow coming in messing up the velcro for sure, but I wish Ruffwear would make more sizes, with 1.50″ being the smallest they offer, it’s just a tad bit too big on TT. We did have to pick up loose boots after him, but with the DIY elastic strings attached made my life easier.
- Where to find it :
I bought TT a second solution from Walkee Paws, boots with suspenders, basically the same idea as my DIY strings. So far we used this set the most, there’s not even once we have to shove TT’s leg back into his shoe in the middle of the road, but this product probably is not as comfortable to wear as the first option. TT is tall with tiny cat paws, the suspenders can’t extend any longer for his height, so it’s constantly pressing on his back tightly. Sadly if we go one size up the boots will be way too big for him.
- Where to find it :
I made it back to the states for Christmas, snow started to melt in February, with a blink of an eye Sha-Sha turned 8 and foliage started to pop.
DNRT Parsons Reserve
- Route : Loop
- Length : 1.3 mi
- Elevation : 45 ft
- $5 donation per person
- Official website
When Spring hit, we visited Dartmounth to see this impressive Daffodil display at the Parsons Reserve at 9am in the morning, successfully avoiding the crowd. We were the only ones here! The staff here was very friendly, she walked us through the history, also told us how well behaved TT is, she thought TT was professionally trained. We were pleasantly surprised that dogs are also allowed to enjoy this whimsical field.
DNRT (Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust) is probably my first time coming to a flower reserve area that didn’t ask people to leave their furry friends behind. I hope by demonstrating good behavior and trust, we as handlers can take responsibility to show people how our pets can participate in different events without harm, and hopefully more places will be more willing to let go of their doubts, no more putting out a strict rule to block all the dogs just in case there could be one that doesn’t know how to behave.
I was amused TT was curious enough to sniff the Daffodil, they smell divine! (At least to me) So glad I had that moment on my camera, this is not the most attractive picture lighting wise, but it will always put a smile on my face.
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