Calla is one of six dogs who were brought to Alberta from the North West Territories in search of finding homes. The journey here was a long one, due to the pandemic the usual flights these dogs would take were all cancelled.
It was the dedication of Garcia Rescue that brought Calla and 5 friends to Cochrane, AB. They drove 12 hours straight to the border where they met with even more dedicate dog lovers who had brought the pups part way in this convoy. Due to border restrictions they could not go into the territories but a designated lot at the border where the dogs were swapped vehicles. It was a long haul back with a very full truck.
After the parks opened back up it was time to take a patient Calla on her first adventure of Alberta!
Calla loaded up easily, although she seemed to doubt our definition of "fun" would align. Sure enough, the ride was longer than she expected, some panting and pacing in the back of the car. So we pulled over at our first stop to stretch our legs and test the leash skills on some flat ground before continuing higher into the mountains. Her leash manners were far from the worst and you could just tell she was overwhelmed with the excitement of all the new smells! There were even cows down in the valley, though only the smells interested this curious girl. This was a short loop with a view so we loaded back up with ease and moved on further up the mountain where I knew a lake would hide. Sure enough Calla seemed to enjoy dipping her toes in, though it quickly filled with people (and a few dogs), so we retreated as today was all about uninterrupted exploration. Calla has been known to get over-stimulated with other dogs and much prefers to go without any canine mingling. She is amazingly smart and has learned the cue "ignore" and is very good at ignoring dogs and other distractions.
The temperatures sky rocketed, and Calla does have a thicker fur coat meant to keep her toasty in the winters, though not as ideal for a 30+ celsius day. It was not quite peak high yet, so we made one more trek to a river spot I have been wanting to check out. So glad I did, Calla lead the way sniffing without any pulling on her leash all the way down to the waters edge. Together we dipped our toes, Calla quickly realized she loved the water and ventured as far as her leash would allow. My toes lasted a few meager seconds as she found a pocket she could paddle in circles.
Emerging from the water she had the biggest smile on her face and came racing up to me the happiest she had been all day! Together we explored the rivers edge, making plenty of noise before rounding corners, and avoiding the sections of noisy water; I know neither of us wanted to test our patience with any bears.
Calla is the last of the six travelling companions from the NWT, she is in no rush as she really wants a family who understands and loves her unconditionally. Despite not liking other dogs in her personal space Calla really is a sweet and affectionate girl.
If you are looking for a way to give back to a dog who has given nothing but love in her life please consider fostering a dog like Calla, and even better if you are looking for a new best friend! Feel free to reach out to @garciarescue on instagram or via email at garciarescue@yahoo.com