image via – youtube.com
One of the things that dogs love most in the world is going for a walk. They like being outdoors with their human companions and the change of scenery it provides. They also usually need to burn off some energy and a brisk walk to the local park or around the block is the perfect way to tire them out. Plus, many dogs are not allowed to roam freely, so they look forward to their daily walks and get upset if they miss one.
For one dog living near Teneriffe Falls in Washington state, he gets the best of both worlds, and then some. The big black dog is named Smokey and he is allowed outside to roam as he pleases. Since he lives so close to the popular hiking spot, he often heads over to the trail head to wait for people to come along and then joins them on their hike. He basically takes himself for walks whenever he wants, and he does it so often that his owners made a special tag for him!
Recently a young couple went for a hike and spotted Smokey gingerly coming towards him as they set off. The friendly animal walked right up to them and then alongside as they started down the trail. After going a couple hundred yards they realized Smokey was tagging along which was fine by them. In fact, the unexpected guest was delightful and very well mannered. He stopped whenever they did and waited patiently as they snapped pictures, he clearly knew the drill.
Once they reached the falls the couple started to worry that maybe the big black dog was lost, and they didn’t want to just leave him in the wilderness after their hike. Seeing that he had tags on, the man, Scott Brown, reached down to check them.
One side of the faded blue bone shaped tag said “Hi, I’m Smokey. I live nearby so please don’t take me. I like to follow hikers sometimes.” The flip side read “Don’t worry, I’ll go home when I get tired. My people love me a lot. Thanks for being nice!”
Upon reading Smokey’s tag the couple laughed with relief. The sweet dog was simply out on one of his walks and they needn’t worry about him because his loving family was waiting for him to come home when he was ready.
With Smokey leading the way they returned to the parking lot near where they first saw him. He waited patiently as they changed out of their hiking gear and prepared to go home before barking once, turning, and heading back to his home.
The couple was thankful that Smokey had joined them and felt he’d made their hike all the more memorable. It seems the fluffy black dog made a lasting impression on them and that’s just one reason why dogs are so awesome.
Watch the video below for the full story:
Please SHARE This With Family and Friends
