Our puppies were somewhat less than thrilled when they were jolted awake this morning by rolling thunder and then violent thunder claps so close that we felt our rain-darkened bedroom shake with the vibrations. Subsequently when they had to go out to the backyard when we first got up they balked at going out into the rain, and who can blame them?

The week-end had spoiled us all, with its mild and sunny appearance, and yesterday was beyond merely beautiful. Our ravine walk with our two little rascals turned out to be an opportunity for them to become re-acquainted with many of their old friends who had been absent in the days previous when, the weather inclement, we saw no one else out.

Sometimes, not coming across anyone else hiking in our urban forest is explained by time-of-usage of the trails; people get out, but just not at the same time as others. In this instance, however, it was largely because the trails were so icy they had become dangerous to negotiate without the precautionary measure of wearing cleats strapped over boots, and not everyone has availed themselves of a good sturdy pair of cleats as we have.

In any event, there they were, one after another, familiar faces and furry ones accompanying them. At one juncture when we were standing about chatting to a ravine friend with her two miniature Australian shepherds eager to continue their run, along came another friend, this time with a new addition to the regulars we see. This young man had a few years ago introduced us to his bull mastiff whom he had partnered with an older Newfoundland. It seems he lost the older dog just recently to old age, and had filled in the gap in his household bestiary with the addition of another bull mastiff, a breed he particularly admires.

So here was the older male, calmly strolling ahead, and after it a much smaller puppy walking a trifle uncertainly, and clearly taken with all it surveyed in equal parts puzzlement and fascination, in the little female's introduction to an exciting world she could never have imagined with its intriguing personages, fragrances and opportunities. All the dogs sniffed about one another, and the bull mastiff puppy evinced more of an interest in our little poodles than the other, larger dogs. Perhaps feeling more assured in the close proximity of dogs whose size didn't overwhelm her own puppy stage.

The adorability quotient of any puppy, irrespective of breed and size, is always assured.