DOG WALKING FOR BEGINNERS

This is the dog for dog walking, also known as ‘my dog.’

She gets excited for a walk, but only if you go as far as she wants to go.

Go too far, make the wrong turn, and she sits down until you make the right turn.

Quite a dog, the best dog I’ve ever had.

But everyone says that.

With her company I walk further than I ordinarily would walk.

How long can you pick them up and lay them down without company?

Walk with a dog and you have a greater purpose; walk without a dog and you look suspicious.

With a dog, you have rules to follow.

 

Unleash The Beast? Noooo

If you’re on a sidewalk and a power-walking couple is striding toward you?

Go ahead and cross the street.

Sure, we all know how sweet and calm your dog is, but if they’re anything like mine, they have preferences.

They may lunge unexpectedly.

It happens, and when it happens around older people, they might lose their balance and fall.

Ask me how I know.

I’ve been cautioned by old ladies, who were probably younger than me, when my dog barked at them and strained on the leash.

I’ve been instructed by old timers, again probably younger than me, to control my animal.

They say this with the unsaid message, ‘or I’ll do it for you,’ because everyone without a dog is a better dog owner than me.

 

If you have a frisky dog like mine, and enjoy their spirit, then be a good listener.

Someone complaining about a dog is doing so out of a position of authority.

They have a right to walk in peace, and anything that disrupts that walk is an act of war.

To them.

To me, it’s a dog that means no harm.

To them it might as well be a grizzly bear that needs subduing.

 

Dog Walking. And Then . . .

Is there anything more restful than taking a cat nap with your dog?

No, there isn’t.

The busy dog is quiet, you’re quiet, the room is quiet.

It could be a house of worship.

The peace and calm is almost palpable.

Compared to napping with a baby, a grand-baby, a dog will save itself if you rollover.

It will wake you up if anyone’s at the door, near the door, or drives by.

And, if you’re lucky, and know the signs, a dog will potty train sooner, which means more walks.

 

The Importance Of A Dog, The Right Dog

Why do I have a dog?

Maybe you ask the same question about your dog?

We’ve been an empty nest a few years and my wife said, “Men don’t understand, but women of a certain age need something to nurture.”

I think she was talking about a woman her age?

So we got a cute furry puppy that turned into a big, strong dog with a strong will.

My wife won’t walk the dog because she thinks it could rip her arm out of the socket, it could lunge unexpectedly and drag her down.

She’s not wrong, either.

I’ve been caught off guard a few times.

From one training session after another, she’s gotten better. The dog’s gotten better.

Wife still won’t risk the walk, and I don’t blame her. This dog is a powerhouse.

I watched a lady walk her two dogs on a strip of grass. One dog lunged, took her down, and drug her.

It was impressive show of strength. (Right, Tyler)

I could see it happening with my dog, so I keep a tight rein.

 

Dog Rules

If you’re got a wild dog, take the good with the bad.

It thinks it can do whatever it feels like doing, but you have other plans.

The big dog wants to bully other dogs? Step in.

Big dog wants everything all at once? Step in.

Doggo lacks social skills? Step in.

Dog rules are set, and have been since the first one was invited to spend the night in the cave.

The dog role is either working, or bringing comfort.

My dog does both.

It makes me work to find better ways to communicate with it and my wife.

It gives my wife a chance to nurture. She nurtures me by giving useful tips on how to handle the dog.

At the end of the day it’s a win/win for all.

That’s what you get with the right dog, (and the right wife.)

 

PS: If some dog-less person gives you grief about your dog, they probably do the same with people around them.

 

PSS: When a man has never had a dog because they’re too messy, take too much time, then they might be a mess themselves and need more time to make a bigger mess.