Walk This Way

On Monday it was really nice outside, so I decided to take the dogs for a walk.  I needed the exercise, they needed to burn off some energy, and it was a beautiful day in January.  This was the first time I have taken the dogs for a walk in our new neighborhood.  Here is how our walk went (and really every walk I take them on).

The dogs know that if I put my shoes on there is a good chance they might be going some where with me too.  So Derby tries to bite my hands and feet the whole time I am putting my shoes on, not very helpful.  Then I go pick up their leashes, and they go crazy.  They get put on their leashes at least 4 times a day in the hotel, you would thing they would be used to it by now, but no it still super exciting every time we do it.  They also start circling me like sharks, so as soon as I get one leash on, they are tying me up with it.

I finally get everyone on a leash and ready to walk out the door.  I open the door and they both go running out at full speed.  With Cooper (75lb) and Derby (40lb) both on the leash I have 115lbs of dog pulling me down the street.  Now you would think that going for a walk would be a nice aerobic activity, but not with my dogs, it is more of an upper body strength activity.

So, we start our walk and Cooper has to smell everything we walk by, and by everything I mean EVERYTHING!  And when Cooper really likes the smell of something he locks on to it.  He uses every muscle in body to make sure that his nose does not move from that smell.  Derby on the other hand is trying his very hardest to keep going forward as fast as he possibly can.  So I end up in the middle with my arms straight out, trying to pull Cooper along and keep Derby from choking himself.

In addition to our constant start/stop of Cooper locking on to things.  He must also mark his territory as many times as possible (the neighborhood is now Coopers).  Cooper could have just pooped at home 10 minutes before we leave on a walk and will poop again at least once and up to four times.  Being the good dog own that I am, I have poop bags to pick up after my dogs.  But while I am trying to do the oh so fun job of picking up poo, both dogs are either trying to pull me over as they continue their walk, or have turned into sharks again and are tying my up with their leashes.

Now doing all of these activities while on a walk can start to try my patience.  So, I am usually talking to the dogs to try and make them behave.  It goes something like this: "Keep Walking! Keep Walking!"  "Not there, don't poop there!"  "Derby slow down!  Cooper keep up!"  "Why can't you guys just walk like normal dogs!"  So now all my neighbors, that are also outside on this nice day, think that I am the crazy lady that just moved in.  Awesome

Luckily, on this day we did not see any squirrels or rabbits.  Let me tell you how fun that is.  All 115lbs of dog pulling as hard as they can to chase after the furry creature.  The whole time jumping and crying and straining to get off their leashes.  I have to lean back as much as I can and use my whole body weight, just to keep from flying down the sidewalk face first, as they drag me along behind.

They do get a little bit better the longer a walk is as they run out of energy (and poop).

Anyone want to sign up to walk my dogs?