Chewie discovers the Olentangy River

Happy Halloween! On this #AdventuresWithChewieTuesday, I’m remembering when Chloe and I took Chewie to Highbanks Metro Park earlier this summer. It was a beautiful day and the park was quite crowded. We chose the path along the river, hoping to have a bit of solitude away from the crowds. As we normally do, we took the occasional path off the trail down to the river.

While we were enjoying the calm Olentangy River, Chewie tested the waters. He wasn’t sure of himself at first and after he had sniffed, pawed, and nosed the water, he took the plunge and started to paw through the water – with gusto! In true adventure dog fashion, he lost all abandon and made it his mission to bite the water. It was the funniest thing to see. Chloe and I had quite the laugh.

Regarding water safety, Chewie was never off leash and the depth of the river where we took him was not deep at all, it was moving water, not stagnant, and was not more than two inches deep. I kept a tight hold of his leash. We always stay on the trails at this park, most of which are dirt trails.

Luckily, for the car ride home, we just put Chewie into his car seat, keeping my car seats clean. That was a lifesaver, considering all the dirt that got embedded in his paws and wiry fur! He got a bath when we got home, despite his protests. But, like every time we go to the park, he had a relaxing afternoon snooze afterwards.

We knew that Chewie had “water issues.” Prior to adopting him, BJ had posted a video of him and his puppy brothers pawing through their water bowl, creating a river in the kitchen. I combat this at home by using a footed feeding station, which helps keep our feet dry, but ticks off our cat. Life is so hard for them!

How does your hiking buddy react to water? We’d love to hear your tips, tales, and see some pics. Please share in the comments below! As always, remember #hikingisfun #adventureawaits!

Here are the rest of the photos from this hike. Enjoy!