The online school is keeping me busy during the week. I have to be online for classes from 7:20am through 2:45pm (I make myself available for contact until 3:15pm). Every day this week I have walked the four younger dogs by 5:30am in two-dog shifts for two miles each, which adds up to four miles for me. Yesterday I even totaled 7.15 miles, after walking with Gretel after school for another two miles sola.
I've gotten used to the routine, getting the dogs started in the dark with the light of my cellphone guiding me through the darkest hours. I am not the only dedicated dog walker this early in the morning, though. I'm starting to recognize other neighbors who walk that early along the dirt roads, with the smell of horse and chicken urine wafting through the chilly morning air. We wave silently at each other, with our eyes watching the actions of the other dog.
I enjoy these morning walks. Not only do I get the dogs exercised, I also get my four-mile daily quota in early. But what concerns me lately is how mild the weather has been these last two weeks. It's still getting into the 80s during the mid day, but even in that hour before sunrise, temperatures are a mild mid 50s. I get by wearing a thin sweatjacket over my t-shirt; no need for hat or gloves. Yes, we had a three-day cold front come through in late October that brought temperatures down into the 30s overnight that numbed my hands and ears. Even that cold front was unseasonably early, too. But once that cold front blew out, it's been back into the more spring-like weather. I hope this isn't a precusor to what the winter will be like. We haven't had those cold winds, either, that help denude the trees in the area by this time. Our two deciduous trees still have all their leaves, even with the yellows are only at 90% right now.
I must give credit to Sweetie during these leash walks. She is my wild child, but I enjoy walking her on leash now. She is quick to react to small animals and still has a high prey drive. She is easily reactive to the other dogs who may want to play with her in a manner she doesn't agree with. Do not piss off Sweetie. But despite all this, she has learned to walk well onleash and taps her front legs with joy whenever she sees a leash. She doesn't bark at other dogs or even lunge at rabbits frozen in fear in the early light. Walking her on leash has been a pleasure this past month. I'm thinking of taking her on a hike up Carr Peak next week for my monthly peak bagging hike.
Where Sweetie is calm and quiet, though, Hansel takes over. I know I should get him neutered as his testicles are getting huge. I don't want them to explode and have GSD semen all over the neighborhood. He has gotten very strong and pulls hard on the leash. Only loud "STOP IT!" calms him down...for a few seconds, before he pulls again. The only thing that calms him down is walking him with Zeke, my devoted mellowman. He is going to be one very strong boy once he reaches adulthood. He is gentle with Kevin and me, but a klutz when he jumps on the bed (landing mostly on Kevin) and then literally walks all over us to get to our faces so he can lick us.
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