It has been my 'old year' resolution to get up every day at the same time as Pete,and walk 'my' dogs with him when he walks B and Mindy.
I want to maximize my time by getting that job done and dusted before breakfast,and so freeing up another 45 mins to an hour during the day.
The only problem is Pete only walks them for around 20 mins,and I want to walk a route which takes about 45 mins.I could probably get him to get up a bit earlier and go for the longer walk,but as he leaves for work at 7 fifteen am,and works really hard I feel a bit mean.
So this morning at 4 thirty I woke up and decided I would walk all the dogs myself.It is pitch black till about 7 twenty,and there aren't many/any people out with dogs till its light around here,so I thought sod it I'm gonna go for it.
My dogs are actually very dog social,but Mindy used to be reactive on lead,so I wouldn't go out with all 5 of them if I were expectig there to be lots of dogs about,I live off a street which is a main way for dog walkers to get to a local park,so there is normally dogs about during the day.
I did take treats with me,and occasionally called the dogs all to give me their attention and sit in front of me,which is what I also do when I see a dog.I like to do it alot when there isn't a dog there so it doesn't become a cue to,'there's a dog coming'.
Mindy hasn't reacted badly to a dog in the street for months now,but I keep it at the back of my mind that when she behaves well I reinforce it.
So I was out the door bang on 6 o'clock,the dogs were good,but there were a few problems.
Firstly,I wore a massive feather stuffed puffa jacket,and my seriously hot hat,I was over heating and that took some of the fun out of the walk.
The other problems were that is was absolutly fine whilst we were all trucking,but one stopping for the toilet,well I needed to anticipate it so they weren't pulled along for a few steps until the others stopped entirely too.
Then carrying the poo was a nuisance even though I had bins reguarly,they seemed to plan it and go presicely between 2 bins,so I had to carry it for the maximum amount of time lol!
The last 'problem' was that there wasn't a lot of room for sniffing.It was much easier if we just kept moving.So on the last stretch,I came off the pavement,and walked along a big grass verge and told them they coud get their sniff on lol.
As expected we didn't see any other dogs.Just one person walking,and 2 joggers,who I think might just be more mad than me,jogging at 6 am??!!
I moved all the dogs to the side and asked them to sit as the people passed.The walker commented on how good they were,and both joggers smiled and said hello.
I think all the nutters out at 6 am like to stick together!:)
Yay!!
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