It's a cool, damp evening out--way too wet for the dogs to play in the dog pen. I was sitting around getting whomped playing Valhalla and feeling slightly guilty, so I decided to risk my life in a different way and take them for a walk.
Just getting them ready is like a major operation: I have to change from shorts to jeans (nobody sees these fat thighs!) and put on socks and shoes. Then I have to put their leather collars on and (shamed though I am to admit it) their chain collars. Then my rain jacket (just in case), a plastic bag (just in case), and make sure I have the house keys IN my hand. Finally we're off.
When we started off, about every fourth step I was giving them a collar pop and saying "Don't pull me!" Then Timber rediscovered the joy of marking everything he could lift his leg on, and they both wanted to check out all the smells, so the collar popping was reduced some. We'd made our first left turn and street crossing and 5 people on bikes came down the street. Neither of the dogs has the kind of prey-drive Stella had, so I didn't have to worry about either of them deciding to take off after them, and in fact they both had their noses buried deep in the hedge surrounding a yard where 3 pugs live. As they passed I heard one of the bikers say "Those look like really well-trained dogs."
HA! I said to myself. Little does he know. Looks can be deceiving.
The plastic bag was put to use. At least they both decided to poop at the same time.
It's been a while since I took a walk around the neighborhood, and it seems that several houses have changed hands--several once-lovely gardens are neglected and overgrown. It made me wonder if I could sneak back sometime and dig a few things up, since the current owners obviously don't give a hang. And I don't feel quite so bad about my yard anymore; at least I'm trying.
We said hello to two people I know, and Timber let a little girl pet him (sort of--he wanted to lick the hand she was trying to touch the top of his head with and she didn't want to be licked or else was afraid he was going to bite) while Taenzer did NOT bark at her. This is a huge achievement for Taenzer, who's always been convinced that anyone under 4 feet tall is a serious menace.
And the last couple of blocks, they were walking mostly on a loose leash. Still out in front of me, but not towing me along.
If this keeps up, we could start taking walks on a regular basis!
It's been such a long time since I'd had his leather collar on Timber that, while it fit over his head, it wouldn't go down his neck; I had to let it out to the last hole to get it in a good position, and he probably should have a new collar the next size up. My grown-up Mr. Boy.
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Your know, it's amazing how similar our dogs are. And besides, our dogs get their chain colors on as well, when we go for a walk, it kind of is routine, as soon as it's on, they know they have to walk nicely. We don't need to jank at them at all. But I tried walking them without the chain, they just know the differnce.
Anyway, Biko doesn't like children, she was exposed to little ones, when she was up to one year, after that we don't had children visiting. Our neighbors have two kids, but rarely are in the backyard, but when they are, they kids scream a lot and run around. Guess what Biko does. She barks like mad. Sometimes Sam follows her suit. I don't want to walk them both by myself, no way. It's not my dogs I fear, but people let their dogs run loose, and they come running up at my dogs, and bark, and that gets them started, and being large dogs, it's always their fault, even on leash. Anyway, you are brave to walk them both at once. :o) Oh, and Biko, she's the boss, because she's "marking" about ten times or more, during a 30 minute walk.
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