Walk Solo

While Foley is doing better, she can run to the bedroom at bedtime (with me, playing defense, trying to block her with my snapping) and she can climb the stairs (if she is in the mood)  she is not the walker she used to be.  Once she does her business she gives Daddy her: “I want to go home now!” look.  Depending on where we are on the walk Daddy either picks her up and carries her until I have concluded my business or her brings Foley home and I get a solo walk.

Being walked alone is wicked cool.  I can sniff what I want, bark at what I want, spend as much time as I need reading tree mail.  When we duel walked Foley would stop because she needed a rest or hurried me through my sniffing because the subject matter did not interest her, or became embroiled in some other senior dog’s tree mail that I was not interested in.  (“It took me so long to pee today.  And I was up three times during the night to pee.  I think it is going to rain on Thursday.  My lumbago is acting up.  Did you see Betty White on Fallon?.  She’s still got it going on.”)  Boring!

Once I am on my solo walk I find my inner swag.  My little tail rises a bit higher.  My head is up sniffing for whatever whafs by.  If I see something I begin to bark to my heart’s content without anyone like Foley telling me to shush (OK, Daddy does but we don’t listen to him.)

And when I see someone all the attention is mine.   There is some small talk from Daddy about how Foley’s knee is bothering her and then it is about me.  Of course I still run up to people and, when they start to show me attention, rush backwards in fear, but I am working on it.  I don’t have the little voice saying “that person is going to hurt you,” because that little voice belonged to Foley.

And I can do my business in peace.  Nothing is worse than when you are in position and your co-walker sees something, gets excited, and starts to pull.  The next thing you know you are being dragged across the grass leaving a poop trail.  If your parents don’t understand this then have someone put a leash on them, have them hold it while they are sitting on the toilet, then take off dragging them after you.  After this they will have some understanding of my plight.

I love my sister and I am sorry she is hurting but I am sure she will be feeling better by summer and joining me for walks again so I am going to enjoy this bit of fortune while I can.