When the dog stops, is the walk over?
Reevaluating your dog walking routine
I knew she was going to be a good time as soon as I laid down my yoga mat. I walked away for maybe 30 seconds to get footies, came back and she’d taken over — and wouldn’t get up. It took me spinning her in circles on my yoga mat before she finally moved back to the door mat she’d been sleeping on most of her stay at my home. Dogs are underrated comedians and always come with a good dog walking story. But in the middle of being entertaining, dog owners also have to take their not-so-subtle, serious hints into account for everyday living.
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Like clockwork, every morning for the past eight days, I’d see a set of pointy ears peering above my mattress and hear whimpering. I knew the source of those ears wanted to be fed first and then walked. Groggily putting on the first workout attire I could find and brushing my hair into a reasonably presentable ponytail, I felt around for my keys while she happily led me toward the lobby door.
Recommended Read: “My love-hate relationship with dog clothes ~ And why I hate walking (other people's) dogs in the rain”
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If you’re a dog owner, you can already relate to these moments. The dog insists on going outside and even has certain blocks in mind — to do absolutely nothing but smell plants. You head back inside to properly get dressed, have that morning cup of (ice) coffee you’d been daydreaming about and now you’re really ready to complete a walk. But your dog has other ideas in mind now, and they include doing everything but walking with the same enthusiasm.
Recommended Read: “When your dog has to ‘go’ but you just want to go to sleep ~ Keeping yourself entertained during a turtle-slow walk”
It’s easy to misinterpret inconsistent walking behavior as having a lazy dog, but it could come down to you reevaluating your walk.
