That looks like a lovely vacation Lotsa.
Very, very proud of Miss Sirius yesterday. I took her out first because we have been having some fireworks issues and we have less chance of encountering bangs while out walking the earlier we go. She decided to head up the block instead of down towards the park. She has done this a few times recently and then proceeded around the block through the park, kind of a reverse route to what Sky typically takes. This has some potential for problems as it puts her walking against traffic instead of with it and she sometimes decides she doesn't like the cars coming towards her. (Cars on road with parking lane and small grassy median area between road and sidewalk where we walk.)
Yesterday, she decided to stay straight when we went to the corner and then cross at the next intersection. She wanted to go up that street, but that is a very lengthy loop road, and I knew I still needed to get Sky out for a walk. Her second option was to head on up the main street towards the shopping center. Now walking in the direction of traffic instead of against it. Along the way, we encountered a child learning to ride a bicycle, the Ice cream cart complete with jingling bell and man pushing it, and several different individual men walking carrying various types of bags. I did move her off of the sidewalk each time and held her leash at the traffic handle just in case she decided someone needed to be launched at. I also put myself between her and the approaching person to block easy access to launching towards passersby.
She didn't react to any of these potential issues at all. The only things she launched herself at were the rabbit that went hopping off away from the sidewalk and the cat that was chilling a little ways off of the sidewalk.
Sky has really slowed down the past two walks when taking her usual and customary route. The route is about 1.7 miles and consists of walking to the park, walking around the park, walking back out of the park where we went in and then walking around the block. There is a longer extension that we haven't done in quite some time that gives us about 2.2 miles. There is a shorter route which involves walking into the park but rather than looping around the park, following a path that parallels the street behind us. This route is 1 mile. If we just go around the block the distance is .88 miles.
Sky is really a creature of habit and her slowing down the past two days has occured most noticably on the "home stretch" when we are back to our street and heading towards the house. I shortened her to the 1 mile route last night and she still slowed down in the home stretch, but not quite as much and she had a couple of spells where she picked the pace back up a bit.
The 1.7 mile route doesn't seem to be so tiring that she can't get up the stairs when she gets home, so I'm really not sure whether the slowing down is mental or physical. She limps the whole way these days anyway, and has stumbled at least once on each of the past 3 walks. I am thinking I need to find a route that loops around in the park as she is very definate on wanting to go there, but come up with some different exit. Unfortunately the other available options are either longer or require walking past dogs that no one should ever have to walk past and that Sky has gotten into a fence fight with in the past.
Sky has trouble getting in and out of the car these days, so walking from the house is the preferred on most days.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
He'd had quite a long on in the morning, and though he whined to go out at normal PM walkies time, once I'd got ready and went out the front door he went to lie down in the front room instead. Though then of course he was a bit fidgety later and got into 'it must be teatime already' mode about an hour before tea was due.
He's a lovely man but giving treats to dogs when their owners have specifically asked you not to is completely unacceptable.
