Scott Brown and his wife, along with a group of tourists, set out on a hike to the mountain waterfalls near the city of North Bend. As they left the parking lot at the base of the mountain, they noticed a dog closely watching them. Initially, Scott didn’t think much of it.
However, as they climbed up the mountain path for a couple of kilometers, they again spotted the same black dog, seemingly purposefully following the tourists. The dog appeared friendly, and Scott felt compelled to get to know him better.
They soon realized that the black Labrador was interested in joining their hike, wagging its tail with excitement. Scott suspected that the dog might be lost, as it persistently pestered strangers like them.
To ensure the dog’s safety and warmth in the mountains, Scott decided to take him along. The Labrador happily followed them, barking in a friendly manner and showing signs of trust.
Curious about the dog’s owners, Scott checked his collar for identification. To their surprise, they found a note on the collar that read, “Hi, I’m Smokey. I live nearby, so please don’t take me. I like to follow hikers sometimes.”
On the other side of the tag, it assured, “Don’t worry, I’ll go home when I get tired. My people love me a lot. Thanks for being nice!”
It turned out that Smokey was a regular hiking companion and loved to join hikers on their journeys. His owners had gotten the special ID tag to inform people that he was not lost, just a friendly adventurer.
As Scott and the other hikers descended the mountain and headed back to the parking lot, Smokey happily rushed towards nearby houses, bidding farewell to his new acquaintances with inviting barks.
