Crowdie: Clair Hutchings
Schiehallion 28th August 2008
My name is Crowdie and my chosen human was Clair. I remember the day I chose her, she came to look at a dog named Texas who was ready to go, so I had some convincing to do for her to pick me. She took us both out for a walk and Texas was a bit older and a bit more mischievous, he tried to chase a rabbit and me, well it was my first walk so just stuck to her legs. After a few head tilts, some sits and some rolling over allowing her to rub my tummy she picked me. I couldn’t go with her that day as I was still needing some jabs so I could be ready to be outside straight away. It seemed like forever before she returned to get me.
During our first few months together, I went to work with her every day, walking across fields and undergoing sheep training to ensure I did not chase them. Why I would want to? They are scary, they stamp their feet and chase me away. My human also took me to training classes on a motorbike, took me caving, running and cycling. Then someone suggested we climbed hills, so off to the Brecon Beacons we went. It was fun especially some of the bogs, this was our initial training before heading to Scotland.
Our first Munro was Ben Nevis via the tourist track – I am not so sure what sort of tourists go there, but as a small border terrier, some of those steps seemed very big. Our next stop was the Cairngorms and life was amazing. We had a short trip to Skye and we looked in awe at the mountains, they looked huge and craggy, and that is when she left me at the bottom. I was sad, why would I be left behind? I was sure I could manage so I sulked because my human climbed without me. I made my frustration known by not leaving her side and making sure I was well behaved. My human then purchased a rucksack where I could happily sit inside when rock climbing or abseiling was required. So, the adventure began and every weekend and holiday we would jump in the campervan and complete the six to eight hour drive to Scotland to continue our quest to complete the Munros and Tops.
If there was a cycle ride into a Munro I would sit in a little basket on the front, I used special boots to protect my paws on the rough gabbro, I had a little harness and stretchy lead when we climbed snow gullies and I had my own fleece jacket, life jacket and waterproofs. I learnt to stay in the snow steps my human cut out for me. I grew snowballs in loose fluffy snow. If it was too difficult, I would be put in the rucksack, my human always ensured I was safe. I loved to glissade on snow and heather and I loved the way it rubbed on my belly. My human always used a map and compass to ensure we never got lost, I am not sure why as it always seemed obvious to me just follow the smell of food, people always left crumbs and I could always find my way to the summit, guess I was better at navigation then my human. We had nights away sleeping in a tent doing the Fisherfield Six and I had to protect my human from deer during the night, I am sure they would have stepped on the tent if I hadn’t barked.
Over the next few years, we quickly completed the Furths, a few Corbetts and all of the Munros. It was coming up to my human’s last Munro and I was still missing the ones she had done without me in Knoydart and Skye. So off we went and with the assistance of a friend I caught up with my human and completed my missing ones. The bond between was unbreakable I trusted her even though sometimes I got scared. I wasn’t perfect though as I had a weakness for two things; boggy peaty puddles and mountain hares. Once I jumped in a boggy puddle and realised it was too deep to get out and my human had to come back to find me. I was black, head to claw in peat. The other time we were in Scotland and this white mountain hare was too much to resist so I gave chase, I did come back but I was very tired and my human was very cross and afterwards I was restricted to the lead when on hills when hares were present. I know I shouldn’t have done it, but sometimes dogs do what they shouldn’t.
We had many fantastic days enjoying each other’s company and sometimes friends would join us. Our last Munro was Schiehallion where we were joined by many two legged and four legged friends. It had taken us a little over four years. After the Munros, we went on to complete the Nuttalls in England and Wales and I was the first dog to complete these according to the register. I slowed down as I got older and my human carried me more, we had a bike trailer where I could rest in between bits of running by the side. I walked everyday taking my human out in all weathers until I could walk no more and it was time to leave. No matter how hard I tried to train my human to navigate I could never get her to use her nose rather than a map and compass.
Crowdie 1998 to 2014.
