I have a siberian husky that is young and spry, and she needs a daily walk of a few miles to put her in her rested state. I also have a grand-dog, a malamute blend (heavy on the wolf) that is an old man of 11, and still very healthy and spry, thank goodness- albeit he shows his age so often. He loves his walk too, and will plop his big head on the bedside at 5am, as if to say "old lady time to get this day underway". He's a sweet gentle giant and I do love him. Our son lives in Austin, and the heat there was too hard on the dog, hence staying at grammas. Our morning routine centers around getting them on the greenway for a really brisk walk of (depending on the heat) 2 to 4 or more miles. We know most of the dogs on the greenway, and their owners, and many walkers also. The bicylists ride by too swiftly to even give us notice, but some do. When I stop to converse with walkers, when they comment on my dogs, I am always amazed when they tell me they have dog(s) too. I ALWAYS want to say "why isn't your dog friend walking with you?". I do know that perhaps their pets may not be able to walk with them, due to age, infirmity, or even size (the little ones tire out quickly). Do more of you ladies out there really relish your morning walkies with your friends? I'd love to hear about your adventures. We are blessed to have a wonderful greenway a block from home, and it rolls all the way to the TN. river. I have seen all kinds of wildlife: herons, ducks, geese, rabbits, all manner of birds, coyotes, and there are a few patures with cows that abut the greenway, those calves especially seem to be attracted to the dogs, and they will trot over for a sniff thru the barbed wire. I see runners and walkers plugged into their music, and they are missing all the birdsong and peace on the pathway. More dog walkie/adventure stories, ladies?

walking with a companion - canine or human - is so much more fun than walking alone.

true, Anne- it's a nice pleasure to share the time with canine AND human friends. I have a friend that walks her two huskies also, we are a pack, and it's a blessed part of both our morning routines. Of course, this breed of dog demands daily exercise so as not to get antsy. I'd sure like to hear from more pet parents on their take on the morning or evening walkies. It is such a peaceful and bountiful time, exercise and nature, and the good friends to walk with.

JudyM, I haven't had a dog for about 10 years now, since my last one died. So I don't have any recent stories to share. But I'm sure others do... Let's hear 'em!

We stopped walking with our dogs or taking them to the dog park because of too many inconsiderate dog owners who didn't or couldn't control their dogs. Our neighbor lets his dogs loose in the easement behind our house and on our street. They are big hound dogs and ours are smaller; one's a Queensland Heeler and the other is a Mini Poodle. The Heeler is very protective of the Poodle - she thinks he's her child! - and has almost got into fights protecting him. So we aren't going to take the chance. They get playtime whenever they want with a doggie door into the back yard and in the evening when we're both home. Since they're both couch potatoes, it's not a problem that they don't get long walks. They keep each other fit with chasing games that only they know the rules for! And they keep us entertained while they're doing it. :-)

Hubby and I walk our Goldendoodle and Corgi every morning in the county park, across the street. We try to stay clear of other dogs. While our Goldendoodle is docile, MIL's dog is not.
But our two animals get along great together. They play chasing games and wrestling games. We have an acre of in-ground fencing where they run and have fun. We have had issues with folks' letting dogs run in the park and then not controlling them. But those instances have been few and far between. Thank God. I think the Corgi would take on a grizzly bear if given the chance. Little dogs, like little men, try to compensate for being small! LOL...

we have similar issues on our greenway, especially with the high energy little ones. They are cute but my Malamute really gets revved up by them, and I had to resort to a gentle leader which sometimes does NOT give me the control I need. I guess I appear as antisocial- I go traipsing off the path into the greenery a bit when I view a problem coming our way. I adhere to the no touch, no talk, no eye contact mantra that Cesar Millan has taught- I'll nod to the dog owners but keep on my own course. You have to do what is right with your own dogs. The dog park is a no-go for us, you are correct there that too many owners can't or won't control their dogs.

too funny! The little ones make up for their less stature by standing their ground- you have to admire that courage! Of course, some little dogs just think they are big dogs altogether. My son and his wife have a little bit of a dog, she is a mystery mix but we have narrowed it down (with much fun and contemplation) to her being a whippet and jack russell mix. She totally thinks she is as big as my two- the Husky and the Malamute- and when they get to playing in the backyard, it is a hoot. Since she is a black and white combo, we call her the referee. Don't know is she is mediating or egging them on in the play. On the subject of loose dogs, it always makes me cringe a little- unless you know them and their owners, you don't know if they are a threat or not. My big bugaboo is pet owners not picking up after their animals. It gets hard to dance around all those poop bombs on and off the path. It's a distasteful chore to bag up the doo, but everyone should do it.

I know from whence you speak, Anne. I always SWORE when my beloved Maggie passed away a few years back, I would never ever ever have another. I had always loved my neighbor's Huskies, and I had read up on them and their breed, their needs and such- I was just intriqued by them, and they would come over and visit with me often, play in my backyard and have some treats, etc. Then one day, out of the blue- my husband went to the gym- and I had a phone call from him while there. He sounded kind of trepidatious, but the conversation went sort of such "Babe, I just saw a card on the bulletin board here for a husky that is being fostered by Angel Paws...she is young, healthy, and ready to be adopted- you might want to go check her out". That wonderful man! By 5PM that same day, I had been to the vet with my neighbor husky owner, we looked over and played with the dog, I fell in love, the rescue service came on a home visit to evaluate our home AND us - and home she came with us. Sad part was, she had been (and always will be, as she's proven- microchip and vigilance) was a ramblin' girl- and her previous owner couldn't keep her contained. 4 ft. chain link needed to be raised to 6 ft. board fencing. She had been bred her first heat (we got her at 6 months) and they had taken the pups from her when she was spayed, she had a long incision there and a horrible scar on her chest where she got caught on some chain link fencing and tore herself open. Poor baby. She had never had a name, or a toy. All she ever wanted was love, petting and good food, glad to oblige there! We were so lucky to get her and now she is part of our family, as well as our son's big Malamute. Work, yes. Expense? Yes. Exercise, special food, just cleaning up after them, it's hard sometimes. But the benefits outweigh that so much. Glad to have them in my life.

What a wonderful story, JudyM!

My husband wears leg braces and while he is active, he wouldn't stand a chance if a large dog jumped up on him, even in a playful greeting.

As a child his family has enjoyed a small poodle, but he was not a large dog person.

However, our last dog was a fairly large dog. My ex had bought her for my son, perhaps for his 8th birthday. (He's 31 now, so the years somewhat dim my memory as to exactly what birthday it was. All I know for sure is that he and I were divorced, and Steve and I had met and were married. So the that age is about right.)

My ex and I had joint custody of the kids, but when I learned about the dog, he promised me that Steve and I would never to care for the dog, which was a golden retriever/hound mix of some sort.

Long story short, within a year my ex had cancer and was in and out of hospitals and Steve and I had full custody of the kids - and the dog. When my ex died, friends and family told us we should get rid of the dog. But with two young kids who had just lost their father - I couldn't bring myself to take the dog from their lives as well.

So "Lucky" moved in with us full time, and for awhile, had to live in the lower level of the house, until we trained her not to jump on people. She was so smart and so intuitive - just the best dog.

As my son grew and no longer had time for a dog, she became my constant companion. She went to work with me, rode in the car on errands -- of course she loved going to the bank because the tellers gave her dog bones.

When she died it was if I'd lost a child. But I don't want to have to go through training a new dog. So for now, we are a dogless family.

I can't imagine life without a dog, Anne. I tried it and was miserable. We have been a two-dog family now for almost 16 years. Our current two, the Heeler and the Mini Poodle, are such a joy. Training Spud, the poodle, took a while because he had been abandoned twice by the time he was 10 months old. We've had him for 4 years now, and he still forgets once in a while and marks something in the house when he gets excited and anxious, but those occasions are very rare. Peanut, the Queensland Heeler, is 10 but acts like a puppy. When we brought Spud home, she acted as if he was her puppy and corrects him and protects him like a good mom should. Having two dogs is a blessing most of the time, because they keep each other company and well-exercised. Peanut was devastated when Archie died and went into a depression for a couple of months. But she perked right up when Spud came to live with us; it gave her a job and a purpose.

Never thought I'd admit it but two dogs are great. Most of my life I've just had 1; but when MIL passed away, we inherited her Corgi. The Goldendoodle and Corgi love each other; they play and have a great time together. They're a joy to watch. So I'm thankful for the two,even though they're double the work.

Jabber, that sounds great for all involved, you and the dogs.

Wow, Anne, that is such a heart-rending (and still heart warming) story. I can certainly understand your hesitance to get involved with training a new dog, because they ARE just like children, they depend on us so for training and boundaries, love and care (and they give so much back in return). Lucky surely was one lucky canine to have such love, care and companionship.