There is a myth about dog-walking. Want some exercise? Get a dog! You’ll be walking them every day, year-round. Cardio workout guaranteed!
Not! First of all, walking a dog is bit like walking a two-year-old. I like a nice brisk blood-moving, muscle stretching walk. Two-year-olds like to stomp in every puddle and investigate every bug, rock, or gum wrapper. Dogs are not that different, except they will attempt to eat the gum wrapper, the bug, and the remains of the squirrel who couldn’t figure out which side of the road it wanted to be on. All that takes time, as does the sniffing of each rock and bush that’s required to determine its pee-worthiness.
At least that’s what happens when I walk Winston. The King Charles Caviler breed is known for its strong owner attachment, especially the males. There is no doubt that Winston is Larry’s dog. When I offer Winston a walk, he reacts in typical doggy joy. Jumping, snorting, rolling on the rug, then the walk starts briskly down the street. Then four, five, six houses down the street he suddenly realizes there’s no Larry! OH NO! We have to go home! He suddenly turns around, digs his nails into the asphalt, and literally drags me home. To walk farther at that point would be like walking a sack of cement. It’s just not worth the effort. If Larry goes on the walk, Winston can happily trot for miles, even in the dark, which he usually fears. If it’s just me, there is a radius around the house he is comfortable with, and will go no farther. I have to go and cuddle my cat to assure myself that I am loved. Then I return to my “real” walk – sans dog.
