10-8-2010:Khatru is now enjoying the fall sun. You can find him either laying in the middle of the floor of the Mall, or outside lazing in the sun, while laying on the Yellow Stone Walkway. He loves being doted upon by our guests and visitors. It isn’t uncommon to see children down on the floor giving him hugs and having their photos taken by their big personages.

Khatru has been with me for 11.5 years. His entire life. He is a river dog through and through and a trail dog. Not sledding. Backpacking, canoeing and snowshoeing. We have shared countless adventures into the backcountry wilderness and rivers of over 27 states. We have traveled over 150,000 road miles together. He has floated 9 rivers, swam in an ocean, hiked hundreds and hundreds of trail miles (he has his own back pack), and snowshoed in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. He hates floating in the canoe. His love is to run and run and run. You’ve never seen anything like it, unless you have. He would run for ever! and then get in the river and swim swim and swim…pools so long you could fall asleep and take a real good nap, while he would swim along. His cadence was machinelike. His rythmic breathing would break the natural silence as he would swim on and on…and when he was tired of swimming, he’d come up to the boat and I’d bring him (and a ton of water) on board the boat. Shortly he’d start whinning and he’d eventually jump in the water and either swim more, or run. It was amazing watching him…it was like watching a national geographic scene as he’d tear through the brush, solving issues, dodging obstacles and making instant decisions.

Those days are behind us now. At his age, his speed, stamina and agility have become slower. He’s become a shop keepers dog, and I’ve remain his Human, who watches and cares for this very special animal. Khatru (and I) truely appreciate everyone who has been nice to him and shown him love and kindness…especially to those who bring him treats, bandanas (he currently has 32), bones, food and especially ice cream.