Walking

I remember Syd. I recall his puppyhood. When he and I would walk, he'd dash all over, sniffing as he walked briskly, smelling and eyeing nearly everything in sight. I couldn't let him off the leash, since he would dash off and not come back. Over the years, he grew to come, but there was still that twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

When Cubby would be walked, he was dart about, much like Samson, but always know where I was. He wouldn't try to escape, but, like Samson, he would flit around me, and tie up my legs, go under Skally, and pull and pull. He was strong-minded, like Syd, but in a different way.

Skally? As a pup, she would pull, as she does still, but it was to sniff something to its fullest. That hasn't changed. She would also, off leash, go dashing about, following strong scents. I still recall the morning, after we'd been in this house for about a year, when she up and disappeared, only to return, happy, and slightly mellower - once I was downwind, I understood; she had gone into the sheep farm, down the way, and rolled and rolled in the dookey the sheep left just for her.

She would also go after cats in other peoples' yards, coyotes, and anything else. I used to walk her off leash, because it was 3:30 in the morning, and there weren't many cars. It also allowed me to not be pulled by 3 avid walkers, down the hills upon which we reside.

Simon walks along with Samson, but also favors Skally when sniffing things out. He pulls, but not a great deal. He's still learning how to pack, and be with other dogs. I can tell he loves loves loves being walked, and he really enjoys the consistency of the routine - we get up (he stays in bed), I begin breakfast, and eat my grapefruit (he stays in bed), and I feed them chicken strips (he stays in bed, whilst the others are moving about me - sometimes Skally, but she's moving about thinking about going out the back door). Even when I take Samson and Rusty out the front door to make water, Simon stays in bed. It isn't until I go in and change into my walking clothes that he gets up and out, pacing until we actually leave.

Simon's pace is good. He stays with the pack. He's a joy. When we pass by the "fighting fence", which is near the end of the walk, going up the hill, just before the greenspace path (that cuts across the block, and lands us one block away from home), he walks on the other side of me, watching the other three romp and bark, and "play" with the dogs on the other side of the fence - he's just not that sure of himself, yet.

Samson, according to my mother, friends, Mom's friends, and people around the dogpark, is a wonderfully confident 25 pound pup. He cuts through the other dogs' legs, forcing me to stop and grab the lead so the others can proceed. Samson doesn't really think anything of it - it's about being in the moment. He has no fear, typically, which is a point of concern, at times. He's so friendly, but will let bigger dogs know not to mess with him! He skips about on our walks, and is so active, but still in line with the others.

Now, Rusty. When he first came to me, as you recall, he could barely walk, and couldn't go a very long distance without the need to stop, sit or lie down, and rest to catch his breath. At the park, he would spend a goodly amount of time just lying there, barking, wanting something to happen to him - it got everyone's attention, and they loved him.

Today, if I don't grab him, once we're out of the car, he will go dashing off toward the park, with a huge grin on his face.

ON our walks, he knows which way HE wants to go - and rebels and pulls back (of course in the middle of the street), and moves at the same rate as the rest of us. Unless we're going up the steep hills home. Then he lags, and I encourage him to move, which he does for a little bit, and then we're back to lagging - but we're still much, much, much quicker in our pace. No more stops for resting!


I thought about how to post about walks, and realized all dogs are different, but yet, the same.

It is interesting to note that walking four of these is not really all that bad. The worst of all that can happen is being tied up when they wind themselves round and round my little legs. This is quite difficult to contend with, especially when I'm trying to scoop poop, or even tie the bag so we can move forward and find the nearest dumpster. This morning, this happened, and I thought I was going to fall over, flat on my face! Worse, the poop bag (loaded, of course) was in the main leash hand, and I was trying to move leashes and tie it up, but the dogs kept going round and round! I could spin, I suppose, but at 445 am, I'm not really into merry-go-round simulation.

The worst thing that happened to me on a walk, was about 11 years ago, when we were walking past a yard that had Rotweillers who loved to snarl and bark as we passed. Cubby used to get them going, snarling and snapping, after running up to the fence. Syd would wind another way (he hated conflict), and Skally would lunge forth at them. Well, this one morning, we're 1.5 miles from home, and on our way back. Of course, we had to pass this yard. However, Cubby ran around me a different way, Skally went the opposite way around me, and Syd decided he was going to join in, as well!

It didn't work! I went falling like the Chrysler building in Armeggedon. My ankle was sprained. I limped them home, and this ended the daily walks for a short while...alas and alack...After that, I stopped near that area, and we were better able to manage.

Since that time, though, the dogs have passed, and that yard remains empty - perhaps with the ghosts of those who had previously reigned.

Today, he and the others walked jauntily down the street, he on my left, next to the curb - he demands to spend time next to me every morning; it's almost as if he might find himself lost, and he likes the security of being with me. Earlier I had wiped a pile of goop from his right eye, noting he might have an allergy. However, his eyes were bright and clear.

They stopped and sniffed several bushes, the four of them, and one in particular, Rusty found himself immersed in, along with Skally and Simon. Finally, after what seemed hours, they pulled back and decided they would join me and walk along.

AFter coming back home, all seemed well. Then, after breakfast, and after taking my shower, I looked at him, and noted his right eye was quite red and looked as though it had been scratched, and was watering. Knowing how dogs tend to have a propensity for "curing" their own ills, I left it until this evening. At the park, it was noticeable to other people, who asked about it. We discussed it, and then I took the dogs running; his eyes seemed to brighten, and come back to life. This evening, they are back to nearly normal, so it's something we need to monitor. I will do some investigating and figure out what's up. I'm concerned, but he seems okay, and hungry. His eyes, though, are swollen and red. It looks painful. Arrrg!