Synopsis "Tedward"
This is the true story of the dog Tedward, a Labrador/German Shepherd mix, and his owner Caryl, who shared many interesting and often humorous adventures in the Colorado Rockies and other areas of the west. This dog was able to "strike a bargain" with the local coyote pack at Grouse Creek Livery, site of the old Meadow Mountain Ski area, 5 miles west of Vail. He became what one biologist termed an "honorary pack member", allowed to interact and even eat with these coyotes. The fact that Caryl chased 2 of the coyotes away from Tedward near the beginning of the first summer by shouting and galloping toward them on her horse Joe, probably contributed a great deal towards the coyotes' acceptance of Tedward. Caryl, a naturalist in her own right who has published articles on coyote behavior, believes that the coyotes decided not to kill Tedward out of respect for his human and horse protectors. Tedward thrilled many of the horse-riding guests, who sometimes got to witness this bold and adventurous dog playing with his wild cousins. Tedward possessed a remarkable ability to befriend animals of other species, and often to engage them in play. Caryl writes about her pet rat, Moon, who loved to nip Tedward's toes and leap on his back from the couch. Tedward was also an accomplished thief, as he was observed stealing a thick steak from the Grouse Creek kitchen counter and high-tailing it out the door, much to the annoyance of the chuckwagon cook, Dan. He apparently could understand English, as he demonstrated to Caryl when she instructed him to "guard the lodge and don't let anyone inside". (He had been banned by Dave from the chuckwagon site due to an unfortunate incident with a dead marmot.) There was positive proof that he followed those instructions to the letter. Tedward also had quite an impact on the people in his life, from Dave, the manager of Grouse Creek, whom he drove to distraction with his mischievous ways, to the frail little old ladies of the nursing homes, who
