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Saturday, February 12, 2011

New Frontiers

I did something Monday night that I haven't done before.  I'd thought about it, but I hadn't gathered the courage to do it yet.  I guess the bronchitis has addled my brain a bit.  At least, that's the theory I'm going with to explain my bout of temporary insanity. 

I suppose you're wondering what it is that I decided to do.  I decided to take Morgan for a walk by myself for the first time.  Of course, I also took Bunny along, too.  We had to get our Idita Walk minutes in before the bitter cold hit on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Fortunately, Monday was just warm enough that the snow on the roads was a bit slushy and not slick as ice like it had been previously. 

Morgan gets serious bouts of Cabin Fever when she doesn't get her regular walks.  Mr. Taleteller has a bit of an aversion to the cold weather walks and I often settle for putting it off when he doesn't want to go.  I could go out by myself and take Bunny, but that seems unfair to Morgan who really needs the exercise.  I'm also guessing that my nieghbors appreciate not having to hear her howl the whole time Bunny and I would be away from the house.  I know Morgan well enough to know that walking her is not like walking the hounds. 

Still, I'm no stranger to walking two dogs.  There was even a time when I regularly walked three Greyhounds at once.  Bunny is used to walking with me and Blueberry, so I knew she could handle it, and it's not like she and Morgan don't know each other.  What could go wrong?  I told myself that we'd just walk the short route and get our thirty minutes in.  That would kill the time it would take Mr. Taleteller to get home from his after work meeting. 

As we started out, I was patting myself on the back.  We were walking along and I even had both dogs' leashes in one hand.  Morgan was surfing the snowbanks while Bunny was demonstrating her perfect walking techniuque for me.  I couldn't believe I'd waited so long to try walking the girls together on my own.  I didn't need Mr. Taleteller to wrangle any dog!  I could do it all on my own.

When we got to the turning point between the short walk and the long walk, I started to think about doing the whole long route.  However, that's when my bronchitis decided to rear its ugly head and remind me that I am not invincible after all.  So, we made a turn and headed towards home, albeit reluctantly on all our parts.  We passed the school and there was some event happening that had a lot of cars parked or driving along the road.  I muttered a bit under my breath about people refusing to stop and let us by and we crossed the street to walk in the church parking lot, which was cleared much better anyway. 

As we passed through the parking lot, Morgan could see people walking around across the street and she went into alert mode.  I talked to her and she managed to make it past them all without showing her wolfy side.  I was so proud of my girls as we crossed the street and got within a block of our house.  At the corner, there was a house with a giant black lab tied out in front for his powder room break.  Morgan was on full alert by this point, but still holding it together.  I kept reminding her that I was there and thought we'd actually make it past when Bunny was overcome by the spirit of playfulness.  She did a little play bow and I said her name with that warning tone that signals I'm serious and must be obeyed.

Morgan's control snapped when Bunny started trying to get the lab to come and play.  The next thing I knew Morgan was leaping over Bunny in a move that the makers of the Matrix movies would have been in awe over.  Bunny ducked under her in perfect execution of her ninja play bow and I braced myself to go down hard as Morgan and the other dog both started to bark.  However, they had managed to twist their leashes together and instead of pulling against me, they pulled on each other.  I had to laugh as they both took a moment to pause.  The woman came to the door and reeled the black beast inside and I convinced Morgan and Bunny that going home was a good idea.  

I learned some things through this experience.  First is that I can walk Morgan and Bunny at the same time.  Second, there's a big dog that now lives along one of our usual walking routes.  Third, the next time I take Morgan and Bunny out together it will be warmer and dry on the ground.  Fourth, if I decide to walk Blueberry with Morgan and Bunny both then I need some sort of intervention.

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosting by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!

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20 comments:

  1. Your a brave girl and it looks like you handle everything well. How fantastic that you challenged yourself and it was a success. I love the inspiration!

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  2. Love those pictures! All the snow looks so beautiful but is precarious when doggie-walking...especially when another strange doggie comes on the scene and you do a spot of ice-dancing!! lols. Well done!! M x x

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  3. Fab photos. You did really well with Morgan.

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  4. There was a good start!!! Morgan will know how to walk with you and Bunny better in the future and she looks happy in the photo.
    I really admire your courage :)

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  5. Well done for convinciing them that they wanted to go home rather than to the lair of the black beast !

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  6. You are alot braver than I am Houndy! I don`t take our two labs anywhere at the same time on leashes! Being drawn and quartered by my pets isn`t exactly how I wish to leave this world.

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  7. Nice work! I would have loved to have seen Morgan's Matrix move.

    Your pal, Pip

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  8. Thank goodness for tangles leashes :D Yeah I'm all fur walkin in warm weather too ;)

    Waggin at ya,
    Roo

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  9. Good job to you and the two pooches. I can visualize the whole play bow and leap scenario. It's so funny that they ended up pulling on each other rather than you!

    Glad that you didn't turn into a dog sled (that's how I visualize myself ending up someday, being dragged by two dogs in overdrive :)

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  10. If you need an intervention, the hu-dad just needs to be committed.

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  11. Walking multiple dogs can be a challenge fur sure! We need to get out this weekend and rack up some miles!!

    Wyatt and Stanzie

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  12. I'm glad nobody was injured in your walk. You are a brave woman. :)

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  13. I hope you feel better!

    See you at the Valentine's Blog Party!

    Hugs,

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  14. First, congrats on walking both dogs! I can completely relate to worrying about handling them both, especially in snow and around ice. I love your descriptions! "... signals I'm serious and must be obeyed." and the Matrix.

    As always, your humor and wonderful writing are a joy. Have a happy hopper of a Saturday!

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  15. Good for you! Glad you all made it home safe and sound even with all the challenges!

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  16. Glad no one went down to the ground! Miss Bunny looks like she could use some garters on those left-sided boots. =) Hope your bronchitis hits the road soon.

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  17. You're very brave to walk them both in that kind of weather...and with bronchitis! I don't even walk Riley and Chloe alone and Chloe only weighs 30 pounds...!

    I love that last sentence about needing an intervention if you decide to walk the three dogs!

    Elyse (and Riley)

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  18. Our mother has already led us to walk together! The three of us...
    Things went well, until the day Kaiser have seen a cat...
    It was terrible! It looked like a horror movie. =)
    But nobody got hurt!
    After this incident nevermore we walk together.


    We hope you have many walks together, and never have problems!

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  19. Gosh, it's hard enough for me to walk one dog!
    Glad to hear no one got hurt!

    Rudy's Raiser

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  20. It is so hard to walk 2 big dogs, especially when there are other dogs that you run into. But once you do it, it is so satisfying to know you can.

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