There are those days when it just won’t stop pouring and you’re pretty much stuck inside. Unless you’re a dog mom, dad, or dog walker and still have to take your pups outside. I happen to be both and we had one of those rainy, cloudy days earlier this week, so after I diligently avoided puddles and muddy areas with my client pups, I came home to my own pups and loaded them up into the car for a little rainy adventure at one of our favorite parks in the area, Raven Rock State Park (below picture was obviously NOT taken on that rainy day!).
By the time I got home, the intensity of the rain had dwindled into softer showers and I figured that the foliage of the woods would keep us from getting drenched. Well, I was wrong as far as that theory was concerned because the rain picked up again while we were en route to the park and we ended up getting thoroughly soaked.
It’s Not The End Of The World
So YES, our Ruffwear backpack & harness were dripping wet as neither are waterproof, and so were my rain coat, tennis shoes, and treat pouch.
It wasn’t a big deal especially as far as the backpack was concerned because it didn’t hold anything that would have been spoiled had it gotten wet (which it did).
Ruffwear does sell a waterproof cover for this particular backpack (and one other, the Palisades Pack) for $24.95. If you’re planning on having your pup wear the Approach or the Palisades Ruffwear pack on an overnight hike and it holds food or electronics, investing in the Hi & Dry Saddlebag Cover might be a good idea.
If your pup has a backpack by another brand that doesn’t offer a waterproof cover, you could always protect the contents with a plastic bag on the interior of the pockets.
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Either way, a little (even a lotta…) rain is not the end of the world. While we did get soaked, we had towels in the car for everyone and Yours Truly even brought another set of fresh socks and shoes as well as Buzz’s harness to change into.
Crisper Colors & Smells
I find that one very positive side effect of spring and summer rain is the seemingly crisper colors and smells it brings along. Missy & Buzz definitely agree with the latter as they were busy sniffing every bush, tree, and blade of grass we came across.
I myself enjoyed the bright green color of the leaves, especially when we stopped at a little wooden hut that offered some protection from the rain and made it possible for me to look up into the trees without getting an involuntary face wash.
You Could Find A Treasure
Another bonus of rainy days is the increased likelihood of finding little treasures along the way as less people are out and about. We came across a little treasure in form of a penny! Can you find it in the picture?
I will say that the pups and I actually tend to find quite a bit of change when we’re out and about. During one of our hikes at Raven Rock State Park, we found just shy of a dollar – 3 quarters, a dime, and several pennies.
I started collecting our walking treasures in a mason jar that sits on the kitchen counter. I’ll see how much it holds by the end of the year and will invest it in some christmas treats 🙂
You’ll Appreciate Your Warm House/Couch That Much More
I find that different angles and perspectives are everything! For Missy, Buzz and I that meant appreciating the warm, dry couch so much more once we were back home. We tend to take our creature comfort as a given, so our excursion into the rain was a welcome reminder of what we have.
Bottom Line
I’m glad we decided to brave the elements and didn’t just lounge about on the couch all afternoon. The 30 minutes we spent at the park were a decent enough time to stretch our legs, pick up new smells, and fill our lungs with fresh air. We even returned home a penny richer – what else could we want?!
When’s the last time you went for a rainy walk? As always, we’d love to hear from you in our comment section!
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