With summer winding down, I thought I would share some photos from the vacation I took with my dog, Fidgit. It wasn’t anything earth-shattering, but we spent time outside, the thing she and I both enjoy most of all.

Fidgit is a Pembroke Welsh corgi, and she is seven. We adopted her when she was 2 1/2. I must note here that people who do not know about corgis assume that because they are short, they are somehow un-athletic. Corgis were bred to herd cattle and they can walk all day – and swim – and climb – regardless of the length of their legs. Fidgit is annoyed by the “short little legs” stereotype.

We went hiking in New Hampshire for a few days. The first day, we hiked to Sawyer Pond.

The trail was very wet from a recent rain, just the way Fidgit likes it. In case you’re wondering, I always have a leash with me and I leash her whenever the situation calls for it. I have a carabiner on the belt of my backpack and I attach her leash to it so I can still use my poles. It works great and she knows not to pull when she’s leashed.

When she’s off leash, I constantly refresh her recalls and commands like “wait” with treats, and she has become an excellent hiking companion.

After the hike, a well-deserved rest on the deck at my friend’s cabin, where we were staying.

The next morning, we climbed up to Zealand Falls, and the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Zealand hut.

The trail is steep and rocky when you near the top, perfect for a rock-scrambling corgi with a low center of gravity and a badass attitude. She always waits for me to catch up.

At the hut, she endured more questions from hikers about how she had managed the climb with those  “little legs” but she took it all with good humor and her usual corgi smile.

We took a quick look at Zealand Falls before heading back down. By this time, she was so muddy that her belly and legs had become a different color. But that’s all part of the fun.

Here’s a dog-less shot to give you an idea of how beautiful it is on this trail and in these mountains in general.

Fidgit sticks to the trail and follows nicely. She particularly enjoys bridges and obstacles.

And boardwalks.

Back at the cabin, relaxing around the fire pit. A great time with my favorite hiking companion.