On Sunday afternoons I usually take the dogs somewhere fun for an off leash walk. Today it was sunny, the snow was melted, and I decided to pack the car and go to the reservoir. I love this trail because it is about a mile of easy dirt road next to the water, then a short trail up a hill, through the woods, and back down to the road. It only takes about an hour, but it is very tiring for Parker and Skye.
There are a few things I always bring along for this walk. They include:
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| Coffee- like I don't have enough to carry around. |
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| Skye's tennis ball and racket | | | |
You see, I used to play softball, and when I throw a tennis ball I stress out an old injury, but if I hit it with the racket I'm pain free. So while it is annoying to juggle it, I can leave it on the side of the path when we leave the road, and pick it back up on the return trip. And Skye loves herself some tennis ball.
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| The misfits- it would not be good if I forgot them... |
Other essentials include leashes and treats, but they lack photo evidence.
Our favorite part is the trail up the hill. I like it for the views, Skye likes it for the hunting opportunities.
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| We hope this doesn't include chipmunks... |
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| Heeeere squeaker squeaker... |
I try to stop the dogs for occasional pictures where they are looking nice and happy and all that, but it rarely works out...
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| We aren't together. |
And before we know it, we're at the bottom of the hill and heading back for the path. It's a relaxing walk on my part, but tires out those puppies for the rest of the day.
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| Can we do it again? |
I find that leash walks don't even put a dent in their energy level, but we can spend half an hour at the beach and they'll run themselves silly. Do you exercise your dogs off leash? If you do a little of both, do you find that leash walks just don't cut it? I often wonder if we could only do leash walks, would they adjust to the routine and not require as much exercise? I can think in circles about it forever, but I'd love you get your input...
Looks like a fun trip to the park for you guys!
ReplyDeleteKari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com
I totally agree! Elli's unbelievably* tired after a good off-leash walk/run; she gets the zoomies after an urban walk, no matter how long we walk! Plus, it definitely seems she loves the freedom WAY more than walking on leash and it makes me happy to see her happy. :)
ReplyDeleteLove those pictures! Especially the one where they're looking in opposite directions, classic!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to try a chuck-it. It's a ball launcher that sends the ball WAY out and has little stress on your arm. I think Skye would LOVE it.
You might also want to get them backpacks. It tires my dogs out and they get to carry stuff for me.
I think off leash play time is essential for my dogs. They don't burn off nearly enough energy otherwise. When our only option is on leash play, I will normally take my bike out with them, otherwise I am tired and done way before they are. I don't think I have ever tired out an adult dog in healthy physical shape with a leash walk alone.
ReplyDeleteOhhh the chuck-it. I tried one a while back with a foster, and failed. I'm fairly athletic and have decent motor skills, but I threw that ball right into the sand at my feet every time. However, if I come across one at a yard sale I may buy it just to master that skill. I'm just as stubborn as Skye sometimes...
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun walk! I'm so envious of people who get off-leash time with their pups. We've got leash laws here in Chicago, and Billy would be a terror off-leash in a busy city anyway. I don't even take him to the dogpark or beach because he's not well-mannered enough not to dive into or cause trouble so all his playtime is arranged dates with dogs I know. On the bright side, it helps me to keep fit trying to give him enough exercise on-leash. And we're going to try carting soon as another way to burn off the zoomies.
ReplyDeleteKirby doesn't get to go off leash, he's too dog reactive and not quite trustworthy yet. He does get to go off leash in my sister's yard and totally loves that!
ReplyDeleteKirby's mom