Why have I made this change? Because this is the most common activity when I walk the Trio:
Don't judge us - we just love to sniff.
Is that so wrong?
I took the dogs out this morning before work. I told The Husband, "I'm going for a walk." Our 1.5 mile jaunt took us nearly 40 minutes. AND we were almost passed by an 80+ year old woman who was not moving particularly rapidly. That, my friends, is not a walk. Thus the re-labeling of our trip...
"Sniff-tastic" -- because the Trio thinks sniffing is fantastic
"Adventure" -- because for the Trio sniffing their way around the neighborhood is akin to an adventure quest
"Stroll" -- because 1.5 miles in 40 minutes does not qualify as walking
So what in the world has gone wrong?
I used to walk the dogs so quickly and with such purpose that The Husband called it a "forced march." Now it's a stroll.
I blame it on this:
Darn you, Alexandra Horowitz. You've written "Inside of Dog." A book that has caused me to think in more depth about how my dogs see the world. A book that I enjoyed so much that I've altered the things I do with my dogs.
Now I want to let them sniff on a walk. It provides them enjoyment and information about their world. Now my walks don't really qualify as walks anymore. Now my dogs stop and sniff everything that's of interest. And almost everything is of interest.
Maybe I've gone too far. I need to find a balance between Sniff-tastic Adventure Strolls and forced marches. Or maybe not....
Great post! I totally agree! My dogs are the same way! I haven't read that book, but I did read Patricia McConnell's The Other End of the Leash. So when I feel myself losing patience on a slow walk, I remind myself it's for the boys. Fortunately I have several areas were it is safe to walk w/o the leash and I just keep chugging along, and they catch up at a run. If I really feel the need for more exercise, I go back out on my own after their walk.
ReplyDeleteI would probably make pre-work outings a 'forced march' and save the strolls for times when I had no particular place to be. Oh, and at dog shows I would want the outing to have purpose as well. Nothing more annoying than strolling around a hotel's grounds for 30 minutes while your dog sniff everything but doesn't do his/her business.
ReplyDelete