Wally's World

On this gorgeous sunny day, I'm treated to a delightful reunion with Wally, the dog I rescued back in 2008 while cross country skiing in Ponderosa State Park on Easter morning. He was abandoned, most likely a foreclosure dog. I fell in love with him during that ski through the park.

I arranged for friends in Seattle to adopt him. They named him Wally (in my honor - a shortening of my last name). The full story is here: rescue trifecta.
 

Wally hunting voles.

Although I'd been kept up to date with Wally via email over the past four years, I'd only seen him once, very briefly. It just so happened that my friends and Wally were visiting Idaho at the same time my dogs and I were there. Reunion!

Wally got to meet the girls, and Finn. Wally has the perfect demeanor - calm, and neutral, even when being sniffed closely by two female malamutes. I almost adopted him myself back in 2008, but he was probably four years old when I found him, and I decided having three big, aging dogs would be too much. Better to find him a home where he would be the center of attention. And that has been the case. He is adored and very well cared for. 

Finding Wally, and finding him a terrific home, is one of the best things I've ever done.

Clearly Wally enjoyed being back in the mountains and snow, hunting.

Linda (his guardian) and I have often speculated about his lineage. My guess is some mix of German Shepherd and Malamute or Siberian, although if that's true, then we're puzzled by his ears, which softly fold like those of a lab or retriever. It doesn't matter; he's perfect just the way he is.

On this afternoon, I take Meadow to meet Linda and Wally for a walk on a nearby golf course. Finn would have loved this outing, but the snow would add insult to injury to his cut foot after our run on the Rapid River. And Maia's knee wouldn't appreciate the trudging through the crusted snow. 

Meadow's loving it - both because she can flirt with Wally, and because she rather enjoys not being tethered to her big sister.

Meadow's flirtations with Wally don't work. He seems cautious about playing with her. Linda says he's been that way for the four years they've had him; friendly, but aloof and uninterested in actually playing with other dogs. Sounds like a malamute trait to me!