Winter has it's ways of stimulating some very effective ways of coping - as we used to enjoy on the homestead in Alaska, with the long nights, the ski trails beckoning, and the Northern Lights dancing across the sky...the fireplace after a long day in the field and a large, hot mug of cocoa to enjoy with good music...
   After a good meal, Beaufort has the Danish method of dealing with the season perfected. 
   Hygge, anyone...? 
   

 

   As Beaufort is a travel companion in his duties as my support system, I've had to make some provision for accommodations in various ways. 
   The Jeep was an easy adjustment,

as the rear seat came out for adequate space and formed the perfect, enclosed "playpen" for our journeys together. 
   I have also pulled into my shop the skiff that, when the restoration is completed, will allow us travel over much of Cobscook Bay, which is right up on our back yard.
   But the challenge has been the 17 foot Kayaq that I'm building for us, especially as it is designed to operate with a rowing "engine" rather than the usual double paddles.

I have been specific in the provision of not only the forward facing oaring engine device, but allowing for normal paddle maneuvers as well.
   The difficulties are in the nature of the craft itself, which require stability, ease of movement and maneuvering, and still have the cargo capacity of it's heritage with the low profile necessary to allow reduced windage - in other words, a low enough profile to lessen the action of the wind over the vessel's structure.
   Then fit in a dog, enabling him to enter and exit freely, while maintaining the stability and watertight integrity of the kayaq - and still allow him to breathe...all while spending several hours together at sea...you get the picture.
   The solution as far as positioning goes cannot be aft of the cockpit, as the strength of the framing would be compromised in the fabrication of an opening in a vessel this small. And as the balance is critical, the solution could only be in the forward area of the cockpit, just ahead of where I am positioned in the oaring seat.

There is the space and buoyancy required, with an interesting variation in the covering design and framing allowing his own "port" forward of mine, but entering through the same cockpit and allowing him both the comfort of a roomy berth, and the ventilation through my working area.
   It will prove challenging to provide him with the opening in a way that not only allows me the freedom to work, but protects the watertight integrity of the vessel, as I must incorporate these features into the entire cockpit arrangement. I have to work through the challenges of sealing around the oaring engine, so the solution must coordinate both areas effectively and still keep his berth ventilated and dry in a heavy seaway. A bit of a challenge, to be sure - especially as most often the weather refuses to cooperate...but what to do as we finish her, giving us time to get it right?
   Maybe we will just cruise together on the Royal Enfield for awhile, and visit family while he gets used to the idea...after all, the view is great from the sidecar - and there's a lot to be said for good restaurants along the way.
   

                                                 Woof!

   Beaufort has a way of working through his problems that can prove rather unique. 
   One such endeavor came about with the difficulties presented in taking care of "business" during sub zero weather. Our temperatures have been hovering through December at -10 to -18 degrees (F), with the wind chill factored in taking it down to under -30 and lower. Poor Beaufort would try to do everything he was responsible for at one time, but with his feet freezing the young pup found it wasn't working, to say the least. 
   So he started using the door bells to alert us, so he could go out and take care of the first "order of business". Then he would come into the boat shop or home to warm his freezing feet, until ready to tackle the second "order of business". Ringing the bells again, he would go out and expedite the necessary process - then he would show his contempt for the inclimate conditions by digging a ball of crusted snow or ice out of the yard and, carrying it as a triumphant trophy would come into the house with his head and tail held high. Trotting up to the hearth, he will then plop down and proceed to munch happily on his treat in front of the fireplace.
   This dog is not stupid - not by a long shot.

   

 

           Then a nap would, of course, be next in the order of priorities...
  

   Training becomes under these conditions more of a form of close order drill, with his basic obedience advancing to off leash and more silent hand signals as we do a lot of our work indoors. In addition, his PTSD focus becomes more diverse, covering areas not normally taught to other dogs in the field. But as a former officer I like to know what's going on around me, so he is trained accordingly. 
   In addition to his successful intuition pulling me out of dark places, which he is becoming quite good at without the usually trained "look for outside gestures" other dogs are taught to respond to (if the kibble bag doesn't run out), he is also learning to spot potential problems that could be a danger for us and others around us. One such alert comes if he detects a concealed weapon on someone close by. 
   Others come if I'm being crowded, or being pushed by too much activity around me. This has proven to be one of the more difficult areas for him to comprehend as he likes people, and has a hard time understanding that these kind of conditions create a tense situation for me - one I need him to guard me from. So I have to train him first, to remain beside me and focused on what I'm doing and feeling, rather than what he wants to do - in other words, what he intuitively needs to do instead of what he instinctively wants to do. He picks up on every other training situation readily, but this one works against the natural friendly nature of a Lab and takes some real patience on my part.
   Especially around children.
   But a regulated order of training, in small enough doses that as a pup he can more easily cope with, enable us to make slow but noticeable progress. He's intelligent as well as loyal, which works in our favor. The efforts to keep my hands as his friends begin now to prove valuable as he eagerly looks to me for approval, instead of pulling away when a kibble bag runs dry. 
   A good thing, because kibbles attract bears...and we'd rather have a good piece of pie in front of a nice warm fire...maybe a large piece...or two...?!!

Then Hygge...

                                           for a Happy New Year!