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Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Morning Walks with Sadie

Somehow over the years, Sadie has become our most well-behaved walker. This from the dog whose previous owners admitted to us that she had never been on a leash until the day we took her home at 1 1/2 years old!  Through the use of a front clip harness and loads of patience, she is now fairly top notch. 



I cherish my morning walks with Sadie.  I know my day will start well.  And when I'm frustrated with an experience with Maggie's reactivity or Hurley's ongoing puppy training, I know I can put her in her harness, fill up my mug with coffee and spend the next 30 minutes just enjoying life. 

One of my favorite things about our walks is how much Sadie is enjoying life right back at me.  After we stop at each curb, I say "Good Girl" to release her and she bounces to the end of her leash, then looks back with the happiest smile on her face.  She wiggles her butt in greeting when we encounter people and is no longer startled by garbage trucks, hand trucks or delivery people otherwise unloading at the nearby businesses.  And while I'm pretty sure she spends the entire walk on the hunt for cats & squirrels, her on-leash behavior when she finds them is slowly but surely improving.  Her joie de vivre is contagious and it always lifts my own spirits. 

What do you enjoy about walks with your dog(s)?
Posted by Sarah at 10:28 AM
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6 comments:

  1. Kari in AlaskaNovember 2, 2011 at 1:55 PM

    Tori is our best walker but that's mostly due to age :)

    Stop on my for a visit
    Kari
    Dogisgodinreverse.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. SarahNovember 2, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    @Kari in Vegas

    Sadie's improved leash skills certainly also have to do with her getting older too! Though I'm not calling her an Elderbull yet - she's only 6.

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  3. AnonymousNovember 2, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    Turk is a puller and Rufus is all over the place, so my cherished walk is with Ginger. She walks right next to me and turns back to smile at me from time to time. She just looks so APPRECIATIVE of our time together, it always makes me happy. Glad Sadie does the same for you!

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  4. SarahNovember 2, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    @waldobungie
    I couldn't imagine anything less from Ginger! I love how our dogs' joy is contagious - how can you be in a bad mood when you've got a Sadie or Ginger who just appreciates you so much?

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  5. MaggieNovember 2, 2011 at 5:09 PM

    Walking with Emmett is usually the highlight of my entire day! He likes to amble along, sniffing whatever catches his fancy. It's such a great way to relax, clear my head, and spend some nice time with him. Now, with Lucas and Cooper it's a different story... :)

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  6. KateNovember 3, 2011 at 5:52 PM

    That's awesome. Nemo is my favorite walker. He still pulls sometimes, but it's not bad and he's just so darn cute when he does it...

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