Michael Pearce's Kansas Outdoors

There’s a lot I don’t understand about Chicago. How can so many people walk down the streets without acknowledging others with a look or a light smile?

And what’s up with the new “prairie” projects near Lake Michigan when they’ve planted trees every 20 yards? Hey, out here on the real prairie we’re removing trees to keep the prairie pure and authentic!

But the city has things figured out perfectly when in comes to their dog beaches.

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Paws pranced all over Kansas this morning.

After a mother of a heat wave hunting dogs got a solid hint that fall’s not far away.

The temperatures in the low to mid-60s felt like teal season. Heavy dew added to the coolness and fall-feel.

Hank bounced around like a puppy on this morning’s walk-retrieve-pee trip along Sand Creek. Heat had kept us from the early morning treks for about three weeks in favor of a a few simple swims every few days.

But his morning we took a mile-long walk where the male side of Hank sniffed and autographed most trees along the way.I tossed about 20 retrieves.

They ranged from a 30 yard toss on mowed grass to 80 yard blind retrieves using hand signals across the wide creek

No matter, the nine-year-old dog romped like a puppy going and coming.

I probably had a little added bounce in the my step, too.

Mornings like this are also my favorites of the summer.

Evenings at home may come to a close reading in bed, working on the computer or catching one last look at the weather forecast.

The fetching of the newspaper begins every morning I’m home. All of them, no matter if it’s a 4 a.m. start for a duck hunt or sleeping in. No cup of coffee first, no turning on the news, no quick shower. The newspaper comes in before my day can progress.

When I’m gone Kathy has no choice but to participate in the program.

A large, black Labrador Retriever sitting in the hallway, tail thumping, staring first at us and then the front door is the morning reminder when we stagger into a new day.

Hank's been fetching the morning newspaper for most of his nine years. It gives him the mental satisfaction of having a job within the pack.

That simple task is an important part of our relationship. It’s one of Hank’s beloved jobs.

The main reason dogs are so easily trained is their ancient instinct to be part of a pack.

They don’t care if they’re the pack leader or a simple pack member, just as long as they belong.

And like in the wild, each member of such canine packs has their place and job.

Hank started fetching the newspaper as soon as he came to our home when he was  six-weeks-old. At first I teased him with The Eagle and gave it a light toss in our driveway. Within a week or so all I had to do was open the front door and he’d be off, returning within a few seconds with his tail snapping happily and the newspaper in his mouth. It’s as important to him as finding that mallard that sailed off before falling 200 yards from the blind.

He’s happy he’s done something for his pack-leader (me) and I’m happy I didn’t have to walk outside in the rain, snow or cold.

My neighbors are even happier they didn’t have to look at me stumbling down the driveway with a serious case of bed-head bad hair.