In the woods today, Fate walked out onto the ice, melting in the sun, to retrieve a stick she saw out there. I might have thrown it on a colder day when the ice was thicker. She walked slowly, the top of the pond was about an inch of melted water. The ice cracked softly, Fate heard it and moved slowly.

She was careful to move lightly, not quickly or with any pounding, and she very gingerly picked up the stick and brought it out. Last night was cold and the ice is thickening again. She has stopped skating and sliding, she brought her stick out. Again, she chewed a hole in the ice to drink some water, as cows and horses do out in their pastures. I believe she is one of those dogs who could live out in nature, she digs holes, finds berries and droppings, navigates the brush and meadow easily, finds mice and chipmunks and rabbits to chase.

She knows where to find water. She knows now what the ice is and how to respect it.