As I have shared on NWKA so many of my kayak fishing adventures with Pepper, since we started this crazy journey in 2013, I wanted to give an update on her status as she approaches 14yo.  It's what you expect with a large breed/athletic canine friend- she is fading.  Her vision is going, hearing also weak, and so are her back legs; she needs my help going up and down stairs, starting to get 'brain lock' often.  The lift harness she wears really helps reduce the risk of an injury while still letting her 'go for a ride' with me to do something.

So this summer has turned into an extended farewell for us. Lots of morning visits to the Siltcoos BL (she still loves to poop there and walk out the dock), she 'guards' the car (sleeps) while I go for 5K trail runs and then we always go for a 'short cool' down walk, and we recently took a hike down the Siltcoos Lake trail (no mushrooms as of June 20) and we camped overnight beside the lake- extended campfire, fine Irish single malt and lots of our favorite treat- 'Pepper'-ridge Farms Chessmen Cookies.

Pepper is my 4th Labrador retriever, I know how larger/working dogs age, she's still a functioning canine and often bounds off full of energy (and crashes down on her butt)...but the end can come fast.

I still marvel at how she would lay on the back of our Outback while I netted a salmon or lingcod right in front of her nose, and she would stay down (despite often getting splashed) while I dealt with the fish, bleeding it, stashing it in the bow hold, knowing that once the 'work' was done, she could whack me with her nose to get the attention and treats she was conditioned to receive. 

So I'm skipping the summer salmon fishing this year to spend more time with her, training myself to get back into hiking (planning to hike the 450 mile OR PCT next summer) and I'm expecting to start my 2025 salmon fishing on Sept.1 this year.  Without Pepper on the kayak.

cheers for now, roger

Sweet, sugar faced girl! Hugs to the both of you.❤️🐾

Thank you for the lovely flashback of having a wonderful, loving, patient and kind dog. That made me think of our lab/retriever Belle who was also a part of our family for 14 years. She was the protector of our children even when they still in my partner's womb, gently resting her head on her stomach and feeling them kick and turn. She was the most gentle and patient dog ever with them. Enjoy this summer together and give Pepper lots of ear scratches, butt scratches and belly rubs from me.

Fred "True" Trujillo