Walking 101

We are back in the walking habit.  No excuses, the weather is pleasant, school work is under control, the holidays are over.  Time to get out and walk!



Here's Baylee, waiting for the others to come out

I decided that to motivate myself to get back in the habit that I needed to re-think the whole dog walking thing.  I love to walk and it is easy enough to put on the sneakers, grab my phone and go.  But throw four jumping, barking, twisting, turning dachshunds in the equation and it didn't work.  I hated the hassle of getting them hitched up and out the door.  Honestly, yes, a little obedience training would be a good thing.  But in the meantime I worked out a plan.

First, hitch them up outside and off the ground.  I found that by taking them out on the deck and putting them on a chair, one at a time, to put on the harness was the solution.  They caught on to the routine and have become much calmer, even with attaching the leads.

 

Second, walking all four was hard work.  Like driving a team of horses, so I supposed.  I was exhausted and didn't enjoy the walk.  I tried walking two at a time; that worked good, but there was a lot of crying by the ones left behind and I felt guilty because they all deserved  a good walk.  The solution was to put Baylee in the stroller because she doesn't like to walk very much, but she loves to ride.  Walking just three on the lead is much easier.

 

Where there's a will, there's a way!

 

My Mama puts a harness on me, but I don't walk-I ride!