The Smell of Freedom

© Dan Brodie

I have often said, "The smell of a wet dog is like the smell of freedom."

For me, there is no greater peace attained than that of the time spent in the field with a sporting dog. Autumn is especially fine as it is the time for bird dogs to do what they do. Early mornings and the changing weather seem to keep the crowds down and the world can sometimes feel like your own. Working with an animal that is so eager to please is an absolute delight and when you are able to communicate and operate as a team with very little distraction, the outings are very rewarding. It's too bad that the spaces to do this are becoming ever so hard to find. Very often, instead of exploring wild places, we end up at a dog park and just pretend to be Rene, the young orphan and Big Red, the champion Irish Setter, preparing to take the canine world by storm. lol

Maybe I'm just an idealist romanticizing about days better left behind, but honestly, is there anything better than the smell of freedom?