We got Zack as a 6mo. old puppy with floppy ears. He greeted us right away in the kennel. He quickly learned to lead us while skiing or snowshoeing. Eventually he began to pull us while skiing, which was OK going uphill, but too fast for going downhill. Rich had to buy steel edged touring skis to slow the pace. Then he was with us on our backpacks to the Canadian and Colorado Rockies, the Sawtooth Mountains, the Cascades of Oregon and Washington, and the Sierras of California. He had is own 25 lb. pack filled with his food, water, and extra water for us. He also carried the water pump, garbage, and extra treats for us. He loved to climb steep trails. He was also very smart doing challenging tricks such as rollover, going around tables, weaving through our legs, and catching a treat on his nose. He would sleep in our tent in his "puppy spot' and wake us up at the crack of dawn by pawing our sleeping bags. When we got to a patch of snow he would rub his face in it and roll over on his back and do a dance. When we got home, he would rub and caress the furniture and shag rug. He was very affectionate by nuzzling and bumping his head on our knees and legs. He would do crazy "Zoomies" by running around the house full speed This sweet, huggable dog is irreplaceable. The best 13 year-old dog ever..