When I was a kid, every summer day had a storyline.

I was either the space explorer discovering strange new worlds...an Old West bounty hunter with a toy six-shooter and a bullwhip...or, occasionally, I was a detective solving mysteries no one else knew existed.

No matter what role I was playing, three cast members never missed an episode: my collies—Captain ("Cappy"), Friskie, and Honey.

Almost every day we'd disappear into the woods behind our house.

I thought we were on *my* adventure.

Nope. 

Looking back, I realize that while I was climbing over fallen trees, following little creeks, and pretending I was tracking down outlaws or alien civilizations, my collies? Well, they were nearby with their noses buried in a pile of leaves like they'd just uncovered the biggest clue of the day.

As a kid, I figured they were just... being dogs.

Now I realize they were experiencing the woods in a completely different way.

To me, it was a place to see.

To them, it was a place to *read.*

Every scent told a story.

Who'd been there?

What animal had passed through?

Had another dog visited that morning?

To Cappy, Friskie, and Honey, it was basically the morning newspaper... just written in *smells* instead of ink.

Funny enough, dog trainers today even encourage what they call "sniffaris"—walks where you let your dog slow down and follow their nose because it's incredible mental enrichment.

Apparently, my collies were way ahead of the trend.

I just thought we were wandering around the woods.

But again: Nope! 

They were following their own storyline. Looking back, I still wonder what exactly that was.

I know mine involved space explorers and bounty hunters.

Theirs? Probably involved, "Human appears lost again... better keep an eye on him."

As a kid, I thought my collies were following my adventures... turns out, they had adventures of their own.