Several days a week, Beverly Little and her two Irish Wolfhounds, 4-year-old Quixote and 7-year-old Prometheus, hike up into the hills near their home in Washington, and spend half a day exploring along Tiger Mountain Trail.

"There's lots of wildlife, and the dogs love to sniff the animal trails," says Little, Irish Wolfhound Club of America president. "We walk the trail and ford the streams. Sometimes I take lunch: a sandwich for me and biscuits for the boys. We eat at a wonderful area with a vista where you can see clear across the valley."

Little says hiking with her IWs is one of life's pleasures.

"And a good, brisk walk three to five days a week is a great way to spend time with your dog. They need active owners who will get out and do things with them," she says. "The Irish Wolfhound is not a lumbering couch potato. He is a superb athlete, a very hardy dog."

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