Tag Archives: dog walking

My Canine Ice Breaker

Before we bought our house we used to live in a bustling development. However, I’m a bit shy so it took me some time to work up the courage to speak with our neighbors. Then I got a dog, and she did the work for me. Others would walk up to me, say hello, and immediately kneel to pat my dog. Sure, we might strike up a stilted, if polite, conversation, but really the person was talking to my dog. I doubt I would have been approached if she wasn’t out on the walk with me. Sometimes people talking to … Continue reading →

A Raincoat for Lally?

My dog Lally hates the rain. When I open the front door and she catches a glimpse of that horrible wet stuff falling from the sky, her demeanor changes immediately. Pre-walk, she’s usually excited and alert. Once she sees or feels those first few drops, her ears go down, her head drops, and she seems to draw herself in — as if to be a smaller target for the rain. Nothing bothers Moose, mind you. Rain, snow, hail… he’s unfazed. But considering how the Pacific Northwest is known for being somewhat rainy, I started thinking that maybe Lally would like … Continue reading →

Survey Says: Dog Walking Better Exercise than the Gym!

One of my pet-centric newsletters arrived today, with the news that people who walk their dogs regularly end up working out more per week than people who own a gym membership. Five thousand folks in the United Kingdom (three thousand of them pet owners) responded to a survey sponsored by U.K. manufacturer Bob Martin Petcare. More than half of the survey participants said that dog walking was their main form of exercise — that makes sense, since more than half of the survey participants are dog owners! The average dog owner in the survey walked their dogs twice per day … Continue reading →

Bad Weather and Active Pets

Fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest often means rain. And rain means MUD! There are days I want to walk my dogs in hip boots and a full-length coat (at least I have the coat, in a muddish shade of brown so the splatters don’t show). There are some days I don’t want to leave the house at all. Lally (my boxer mix) is the same way! She’s a funny little girl: she hates the rain, and hates getting wet. On days when the skyfall is constant, it’s hard to get her more than a few steps outside the … Continue reading →

Do You Know Your Leash Laws?

Quick — do you know the leash laws in your neighborhood or town? If you live in an apartment complex, do you know their pet rules? More importantly… do you obey the leash laws of your community? It’s a problem I’ve run into WAY too often in my apartment complex. I have at least two neighbors who just open their doors and let their dogs out to run around the parking lot unsupervised. There are so many things wrong with this — the dog could get hit by a car in the parking lot, the dog could get stolen, the … Continue reading →

How Not to Approach a Strange Dog

My two dogs have very different personalities. Moose (my eight year old shepherd mix) is very easygoing. He loves just about everyone, and would happily follow a stranger home if he thought there would be snacks or petting or both. Lally (my seven year old boxer/shar-pei mix) is far more skittish. She’s easily startled by things like sudden noises and quick movement. When we’re out walking, I have to keep a careful eye out for things that might frighten Lally. When she gets scared, she can exhibit signs of fear aggression, including growling, barking, and lunging. I saw trouble coming … Continue reading →

Attack of the Angry Dachshund

Oh yes. The dogs and I had another adventure! I have a few different walking routes through the apartment complex that I use at different times of day. In the early hours of the morning, it’s usually safe to go past the playground — no running kids to get Lally all riled up. During the day, I try to stick to the street side of the complex to avoid kids on skateboards (another trigger for Lally). Late at night, we can walk just about anywhere. One morning last week, I decided to take a chance and walk by the playground. … Continue reading →

My Dog is a Better Man than Most Humans

Just about every night before I go to bed, I take my dogs for a last walk. Sometimes it’s just a short run outside; sometimes it’s a longer stroll through the apartment complex or around the block. Since I’d been out of the house a lot today, I figured the pups deserved a longer walk tonight. I decided we’d walk around the outside of the apartment complex — lately I’ve been avoiding the paths inside the complex since my dog Lally can be skittish around kids. We were halfway around when a large white SUV came roaring by. Someone was … Continue reading →

No Bones about It

I have an ongoing beef with residents of this apartment complex who don’t treat it like a home. The people who don’t pick up after their dogs are a big part of my irritation; people who are irresponsible with garbage are another. I’ve lost count of how many time Moose has found some kind of vaguely edible treat on the ground — bread, fast food wrappers, bones, and more. I hope the litter is accidental, but when I think of how often Moose has crunched down on a chicken bone in the parking lot, I fear that it’s not. I’ll … Continue reading →

I’m So Proud of Lally Today!

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I’m especially proud of my boxer mix Lally today. We were out for a walk and she let three little girls pet her. Why is this a big deal? Lally isn’t as easygoing as my other dog Moose is. Moose loves everybody. When we’re out walking, Moose will gravitate towards any person he sees, hoping for some attention and affection. Lally is far more skittish. She gets nervous around strangers. She gets very agitated when children are running towards her. Other things that frighten her include bikes, skateboards, scooters, motorcycles, bouncing balls… let’s just say that a walk with Lally … Continue reading →