A Tired Dog Is a Good Dog

Why are all the girls being so good today? Because they are very tired! Most dog owners know the saying "a tired dog is a good dog" and I have found that to be soooo true. I was off today but had a hair appointment and went shopping. I got home from my errands just a few minutes after Mark had arrived to fix himself some lunch (lucky guy works just a few minutes away from home so he comes home for lunch everyday. Today was gorgeous and he was able to ride the motorcycle to work!). Anyway, Mark warned me when I walked into the house that Payton was especially wound up when he arrived. She was extra anxious to get out of her crate and was jumping up on him which she really doesn't do. She was demonstrating the same excitement, and rudeness, to me so I said "somebody needs a W-A-L-K"! Of course I can not actually use the word until we are ready to go. Unless you want to deal with three dogs going bonkers until they actually hit the sidewalk.

I played with the "chuck-it" and the girls in the backyard a little bit before I put their leashes on. This helps with the initial excitement overload that they usually get at the beginning of a walk. Once we get about half a block away from home they fall into line. Do I walk them all at the same time?!!? Yes I have developed a system that allows me to walk the threesome all at once. When we first brought Payton home I didn't think that I would ever be able to walk all of my dogs at once. Taryn and Kylie were a challenge by themselves. I need to have them both on gentle leaders when they are on leash (If you have a dog that pulls I would recommend this product. It is not a muzzle, but it goes around their nose to keep them from pulling). Luckily Payton is the easiest dog ever to walk. She does not pull or strain or object to the leash in the slightest. The only challenge with her is that she wasn't walked before she came to us so she doesn't fully understand what we're doing when we take off. She wants to look over her shoulder at me to see what my cues are. She is focused after a few minutes of just moving forward.
So here's the pre walk drill: I put Kylie and Taryn's gentle leaders on, put them on a coupler (it attaches both of their gentle leaders to one leash) and I put Payton's leash on and we are ready to go! It is a really cool feeling when all four of us are moving forward together. It is like we're on a mission and we are united and invincible. I am able to totally stop the self talk that is constantly going on in my head and just live in the moment. I hope that happens to the girls too because it is a really cool feeling. Another benefit is that we are burning calories and toning our muscles as we go. My whole body feels it when I return from walking all three of the dogs. I took all three to PetSmart last week and felt like I had worked out with weights. The stimulus of the store made them harder to handle, thus a harder work out.

It is only supposed to be 42 degrees tomorrow with a chance of snow. Gotta sneek in the fun in the sun while it lasts. Hopefully Mark will take me on a ride when he gets home from work!

Peace,

Jamie

P.S. For those of you who cannot tell the girls apart, Kylie is closest to the shed, Taryn is clockwise from her, and Payton is front and center.