That little dot out there is Bud.

Bud has begun to explore his world, a remarkable thing to see in a dog who spent the first two years of his life in an enclosed pen with no shelter from the heat, the cold, snow or rain. He was here for a month or two when I saw him look up in some surprise at the woods and pastures around him.

He looked at me, and then set off to explore the outer pasture. I know this makes many people nervous, there are coyotes and  bobcats and bears out there.

And so far, I’ve not seen Bud back down from anything.

I watch him from a distance, and no matter how far he goes – the cold and the snow does not deter or bother him, not unless it’s bitterly cold – he always comes when I call him (it sometimes takes a shout or two.)

He was put off by the snow at first, but now romps through it without a thought.

I get the greatest pleasure watching Bud stretch the boundaries of his world. He sniffs, listens, stares at the ducks and geese that are often on the pond. I think he watches the frogs also.

It would be wrong to deny it to him, I think. There is some risk in everything in the world, including cross the street or getting on a train. I don’t want fear or warning to shrink the boundaries of my life, or Bud’s.  This exploration is an important part of his day.