In addition to life's usual expectations of me...I'm now house and dog sitting...douse sitting...hoog sitting... doghouse sitting! Like Snoopy, except that if I were really on top of a house, I'd be screaming my head off (envision Peanuts cartoon version of me - nose straight in the air, mouth gaping...)
As with anything else at this stage of my life - my daughter and I come as a package deal. That means we're pack 'n' playing it up at a friend's with her sweet, but slightly nuts dog. He's a good boy, and in the evenings he's a total love bug who just wants to cuddle ... and kiss the inside of my daughter's mouth (*gag*). They get along well - so much so that they'll swap toys without me knowing it.
Fantastic.
Well, they've already frenched so what more damage could be done??
Don't answer that.
So one of the duties as hoog sitter is that I need to walk the dog - AM and PM - not just for the poo/pee activities but to wear his little butt out. By little, I mean 40 pounds of boxer/pit mix muscle. He's little in stature alone - his personality/love/attitude/strength are all larger than life.
...and he's allegedly trained to walk on a leash without pulling.
I'm sure he's just trying to test his boundaries. I've walked him before, and he's done well with not pulling - once we get the lines drawn in the sand. The difference now is that I've either got the baby in a stroller (which is difficult to push one-handed on rolling hills) or she's in my external frame baby backpack (which I LOVE!). Either way, my abrupt "get the hell back here" countertug just isn't the same. So, the majority of the walk is at a foot-slapping, shoulder-separating pace.
I've relinquished control, and I know that's not good.
Sorry to my friend whose dog is now officially untrained. She'll be gone for another two days of damage. Hopefully, I can get out without baby in tow and get him back on track. (Even when I'm not pushing the stroller, he's distracted by it's presence if someone else (ie my husband) is pushing it beside us). So much for the lovely family walk...
Having to get out and walk the dog also means peeling my lazy ass off the couch. This is a positive for me. Exercise (which I can never spell correctly out of the shoot) makes you feel good - releases endorphins - increases energy... not quite true. I'm tired and I now have the Hulk's trapezius muscles (who needs a neck anyway??), and I definitely could use a better endorphin rush.
Maybe we'll go rock climbing the next time I take him out... Here, boy! Come on! You can do it!! *whistle whistle*
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