Out for a Walk
Walks with the canines can take on many different forms. There are those that saunter about until a special scent catches their attention – and then look out as you could get knocked off your feet! Some can spend fifteen minutes sniffing all the aromas of a neighborhood field like a delicious smorgasbord especially after the area has been mowed or rained upon and it is now filled with fresh smells. Others prefer the grass to a sidewalk or street.
One thing most enjoy is being out for an exploration away from the normal scent of their own yard. It is this mental and olfactory flora that gives them exercise of another type as they catalog the new with the old. And although they LOVE this activity as it is like a passion to them that they go after it with zest, it tires them out just like computer work or other high screen days can wipe out our energy.
I have experienced pups who started with the most they would do was a jaunt around the block at the beginning of our relationship only to want to stay out for nearly an hour or later if they could convince me. This short statured lady pup learned to love exploring every inch of the various neighborhoods around her house – and at times not wanting to return. We faced challenges together on those walks as apprehensions with big scary trucks barreling down roads, school kids, lawn crews, and the rain. This pup met each one and soared facing them with a friend. She learned that the kids could be loud but were friendly and always wanted to stop to offer a pat to her head.
Another canine friend was notorious in the beginning with taking me for a walk as she was so excited to be out whether at five in the morning on a summer day or around dusk. Her favorite site to see was the park near the golf course and we would catch it on one of her inspired walks that she led me on. No two alike, one past the school yard – a favorite of hers. Another one a jaunt near a pond – she always found the joy in life and often helped me face my own challenges with going up to people randomly. I had to laugh at the way she would guide us to cross a street to where someone was outside to stop for a moment and chat.
With another pup friend, the key reminder for me in the summer months was to quickly get on his summer schedule, going to bed by 8:30p as we were going to be out walking by four o’clock in the morning to beat the summer heat returning just before sunrise. And although he did not like cats, one of our walks he pointed out all the feral cats without a single bark to show me friends are all around us and that I would be meeting someone soon who helps rescue and care for feral cats. On this morning, he showed me where thirteen of them were.
Every walk is different depending on the canine that is with you, and you can be sure if there are two on the jaunt, they will walk at conflicting paces. One will want to sniff everything, while the other will want to keep moving forward. I have found that a state of presence is a necessity for remaining untangled. It is a great opportunity to practice your communication skills as moment to moment the flow is shifting.
For our dog friends, the walk about town is all about finding the joy, pleasure, scents, and beauty of the journey in every moment which is a lesson for all of us to find the enjoyment in every experience.
