Scott Linden Outdoors

Yes, they are, puppies … safest when functioning in routine, knowing (as much as possible) that certain things happen at certain times in certain places. Then, life happens. We pack, drive, work in the field. In Montana, which is why you haven’t heard much from us for a while.

I too am a creature of habit, steeped in rituals large and small developed over years. A TV shoot bollixes all that, but a big boy can adapt. Not so, Flick. Even with the stabilizing influence of veteran traveler Manny, a jolt out of his still-developing life habits manifests itself in many ways, most not so good.

He wakes more in the night: new smells, sounds, maybe he too is affected by the time-zone change. Virtually everything he encounters is new and requires exploration/wariness/emotional energy: big men, hats, semi-trucks, tree stumps, fire hydrants, horses. Long miles and more crate time than usual throw off his little body’s rhythms.

And then there’s watching every other dog heading away from the trucks to hunt … maybe it’s instinctive, he knows it’s what he will be doing soon and until then simply can’t stand imagine why he can’t go now, today, immediately.

I think that’s a good thing.