Advice from Dogs on Pursuing an Outdoor Life.

Dogs naturally live in the moment — unburdened from the everyday minutiae their outlook is simple; eat, drink, sleep and play. But arguably, they probably look most forward to adventuring with us. There's a reason we have to spell out "W-A-L-K" because they instinctively know that word directly correlates with being outdoors. Dogs are the best adventure buddies because they know the hype and receive the same influx of endorphins when they step outside. So that got us wondering, if dogs could talk, what would they say about living your best outdoor life? 

We recruited the help of the dogs from Heart of the Lakes to share a "loose" interpretation of what this advice might be. Hit the plus signs (+) to see what they have to say!
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Bark loudly for the places you love.

Despite a cool demeanor, Beau likes action. Running for miles along the trails and alerting his hooman to the sounds and scents he encounters along the way. Beau is most content outside in the fresh air, where he feels most wild and free.

If Beau could talk, we'd reckoned that he'd tell you to bark loudly for the places you love - because the outdoors is one giant playground, so why wouldn't you protect where you play?

Hooman: Jonathan J.
Favorite Open Space: Riverview Natural Area

find your stick.

Or, in Jack's case, the bigger, the better. Be curious and confident when finding your outdoor niche. It can be as relaxing as watching the birds or as exciting as hanging your head off the side of a boat. Whatever your adventure style, Jack says to stick with it and remember you can always find a bigger and juicier adventure when you're outside.

Hooman: Janet B.
Favorite Open Space: St. Johns Marsh

follow the scent.

Smells can trigger our memories. For Watson and Lily, having a full snout bank reminds them of the places they've been — forever connecting that specific scent with a location. Whether you flare your nostrils upwards or point them low to the ground, exploring new places keeps the memory collection going.

Hooman: Ginny L.
Favorite Open Space: Border to Border Trail

Bask in the sun.

Once a day, the sun will move into perfect position over your favorite spot, and when that happens, take Mulligan's approach and bask in it! The time is right for only a short period, take it all in while you can and look forward to repeating it all over tomorrow.

Hooman: Pete D.
Favorite Open Space: Hoffmaster State Park

take the path less traveled.

You can explore open spaces everywhere and some have more hooman traffic than others. Though he does enjoy the hooman interactions, Doc prefers to find the less popular places to recreate responsibly. Fewer distractions and more room to roam can make all the difference in enjoying the outdoors.

Hooman: Brad J.
Favorite Open Space: Huron Lake Shoreline

Get your tail wagging.

The outdoors is exciting, especially when you're going somewhere or trying something new. Honey encourages you not to fight it and let your tail wag wild! This is your own experience, don't let bystanders diminish the swiftness of your tail.

Hooman: Anne F.
Favorite Open Space: North Country Trail

Start 'em young.

It's never too early to introduce the littles to the outdoors. Even if they tend to eat anything they find on the ground like Daisy. We can learn so much from the outdoors — about ourselves and the natural environments around us.

Growing up with an appreciation for the outdoors develops us into better stewards and defenders of the outdoors.

Hooman: Steve M.
Favorite Open Space: Clay Cliffs

Save the snaptweet.

Whenever Sherman and Radar are outside, their only focus is what's around them. They don't know what Snapchat or Twitter is — instead, they wonder why your attention is on the device in your hand rather than immersing yourself in the sites, sounds and smells surrounding you. Take the picture, return to the moment and save the post for later.

As the hoomans might say, don't let FOMO take over, or something like that!

Hooman: Chris B.
Favorite Open Space: Cashion Lake

Bark when it counts.

Take it from Lexi, learning a new skill takes time and patience. You won't be an avid fisherman when you bark at the fish before the hook sets. Put your hours in and learn from others — then before you know it, you'll understand to bark as soon as that fish catches the line.

Hooman: Janet B.
Favorite Open Space: St. Johns Marsh

Welcome everyone.

The outdoors looks different for everyone and how you enjoy nature may not be the same for another. Leroy happily welcomes all to his play domain (the more the merrier if it were up to him!), but if your not into chasing and peanut butter kongs, he will respect your interests.

There's room for everyone outdoors — whether you're a dog, cat, big hooman, tiny hooman or even a chicken.

Hooman: Ross H.
Favorite Open Space: Boardman Lake Trail

Always Be Ready.

Adventures can come when you least expect it (and according to Schuyler — so can treats from the UPS hooman!). Keep your ears perked and remember that no adventure is too big or too small if you're always ready for a challenge.

Hooman: Pete D.
Favorite Open Space: Hoffmaster State Park

Be a good steward.

There's always time for fun, but there's also time to keep where we play exactly how we found it. Hudson would never leave his toy floating in Lake Michigan (c'mon, that defeats the whole purpose of fetch!). As thrilling as it is to find another's left behind toy, Hudson knows it's better to leave no trace — especially when you come across those smelly doggie bags.

Hooman: Tom N.
Favorite Open Space: Palmer Woods

Embrace your puppy.

The outdoors has the power to turn up a frown and make us feel young. Even the lowkey Zeke can find his inner puppy when he steps outside. It might take a few sniffs, but once that fresh air hits — it's on!

Hooman: Anne F.
Favorite Open Space: North Country Trail

take a break.

And take your time to stop and smell the flowers (and bush, tree — maybe that pole too). Everything moves so fast around us, so Greps likes to take his time, observe and appreciate the little things you find along the trail. The rush of every day can wait and sometimes so can the rest of the walk. So find a bench and take an extra break!

Hooman: Andrea L.
Favorite Open Space: Quarton Lake Trail