On a warm autumn day, I decided to take a trip to the lake with Splinter. We drove to the starting point of our hike, enjoying the view from the car as the trees began to turn orange and leaves danced in the air around us. The weather was mild and pleasant, a rare treat for this time of year.

At the trailhead, I took Splinter out of his travel harness — one we’ve used for a long time and trust for car safety. I switched him into his new black Hurtta Rover harness, which fits him perfectly. After lifting him out of the car, we began our autumn adventure.

The trail led us along a winding gravel road, surrounded by trees, plants, and countless mushrooms in a variety of shapes and colors. While Splinter didn’t show much interest in the mushrooms, he was absolutely thrilled by sticks — especially the ones as long as he is. He carried them with pride, trotting along with joy.

Eventually, we arrived at the lake’s tail, where a small island lay just across a few wooden logs. Splinter, with his impressive balance, crossed with ease — unlike me, who often ends up with wet feet. Once on the island, he dipped into the shallow water just enough to cool off and stretch out in it.

On the island, Splinter got to be off-leash. He explored, sniffed every corner, and rolled in the tall grass to dry off after his dip. He wore his Rover harness in size 45–60, which fits his 12.5 kg Welsh Corgi Cardigan frame perfectly.