Hiking with a dog is so many things. Exhuberant, comical, frustrating and sometimes a little frightening, especially if the trail is narrow and the altitude high. Luckily my canine companion enjoys the outdoors and discovering new plants just as much as I do. Nosing in the heather, sniffing through ferns and leaping over boulders, she is filled with excitement and delight. Unfortunately she does not approve of half the dogs we meet, barking ferociously until they are out of site. Gypsy will follow me anywhere, through rivers snow fields and steep rocky trails. She is a a great dog!