Second Day of Maintaining One Resolution...

One of my resolutions is to take our three dogs on a walk every weekday. (I'm not going to commit to Saturdays and Sundays...will play those days by ear.) I think I need to add here, that I detest exercise. I THINK about walking the dogs a lot, but it just never really works out that I actually DO walk them. To complicate matters, the two youngest children always want to come along if I DO actually get out the leashes. You have not experienced stress until you walk three fairly good sized dogs (probably a combined total of 200 pounds) at once WHILE trying to monitor a hyperactive ten year old and an over active six year old and keep everyone out of the line of traffic!

I think it is going to get better, though. The kids and the dogs were both much more responsive and quickly obedient on today's walk than yesterday's walk! Yesterday was our first attempt. I was exhausted and cranky after just 30 minutes and informed the two children they would not be allowed to come on the next walk. But, today was a gorgeous day and Grant was away at the office all day...so, when it came time to walk the dogs, Doug and Rayna got to come, too, by default. I am pleased to say, though, that they were a joy to have along today! We walked for an hour and 45 minutes and would have gone longer, but my legs got tired. The dogs were pretty good, too. Gloria was a jewel...never gave me a moment's frustration. Rivendell tries to forge, but otherwise was good. Ransom...well, Ransom is still a bit of an ill-mannered pup, bless her heart. She got to practice NOT barking back at other dogs and NOT pulling ahead. She needed a couple of million corrections during the course of the walk, but she is steadily improving. I was disappointed to see, though, that at the end of the walk she was just as energetic as she had been at the beginning of the walk. She raced into the backyard and began leaping like a gazelle and barking at the world on the other side of the fence with no less enthusiasm than she had been full of before the walk. Maybe Darcy needs to don her roller blades and wear that pup out for me!