I'm tired, don't take my picture!

So, since the puppies are now fully vaccinated, we can take them out on walks and into the general public. That means, we have changed our usually shcedule. Our new schedule goes something like this: Dogs wake up around 5:30 a.m. Dogs go out to play and pee. Dogs eat breakfast, and then return to playing and peeing and pooping (lots of pooping). Between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., dogs begin to get tired. At that time, I put on Eden's new Easy Walk Gentle Leader harness and take her for a run/walk while Rai is in his crate, barking as if he's in a sinking boat. We got both the puppies the new harnesses (Eden's in red, Rai's in green.) The new harnesses have three straps that go across their chests and bellies and backs, and the leash clips to the strap on the front on their chests. When they pull, the chest strap pushes on their legs, and turns them back towards me. These harnesses have been wonderful, because before, the dogs would pull so hard they couldn't breath (because everyone knows that it is more important to jump on strangers than to breath). Anyways, after I run Eden into the ground, she is dead tired, and such a wonderful walker! Then, I put her in her crate, a.k.a. sinking ship, and take Rai for a run/walk. While Eden is an excellent runner (staying to one side, running next to me), Rai seems to be more of a meandering runner. He goes behind me, he goes in front of me, he darts ahead and then cuts in front of my legs. We're working on that. (This weekend, Chris and I have taken the dogs out to run/walk together, cutting the whole sinking ship debacle from the mix, and we have realized some funny things... 1) Rai does not like being left behind when running with Eden. 2) When Rai is disgruntled about being behind Eden, he will run and whine at the same time, sounding something like this "Whine" pant "Whine" pant "Whine" pant "Whine" pant, on and on until he catches up. 3) When Eden gets tired, she walks slower that ketchup pouring out of a glass bottle. And 4) When Rai gets thirsty, he nudges my leg and whines and stares at the water bottle.) During the week, when Chris is at work, after the run/walks, I put the dogs in the backyard to flop down and cool off and get some water, while I pack a bag for the park. Then we go to the park and run around there for awhile, meeting other dogs and people and smelling things and chasing birds and sniffing trees (where other dogs probably urinated). Then we sit down on a shaded bench. I read a book while the dogs' leashes are attached to my leg, and they sniff and dig and watch people. Around 11 a.m., we go home. The dogs usually fall asleep in their crates on the way home, and sleep until 1:30 or 2 p.m., when they get up for lunch and a quick potty break. Then they go back in their crates until 3 or 4ish. Then they get up and play. We try to get in another walk when Chris gets home. Then, hopefully, they are in bed by 7 or 8 p.m. This new schedule allows us to sleep in until 5:30 or 6 a.m. the next morning because they are so tired. Yay!


Here's Rai after a run. Notice his new dog tags? He's got a brass circle with his name/phone number/vet/etc., and a silver fire hydrant with his rabies shot information. Eden also got the same ones, but they have HER name on them, not Raisin. Anyways, when we get home for a run, I let them out back, and they go the bench and flop down.

Here's Eden. she's not panting as hard because she finished her run about 30 minutes ago. But see the wet spot by her nose? That's from her tongue hanging out of her mouth as she pants. Also notice her folded back ear? Sometimes, she sits out there too long with her ears folded back, and they get sunburned. Ouch!

Here's Eden doing a little pant. Chris thinks she looks mean, but I think she looks like me (squinty eyes, big smile).


Here they both are, just trying to cool down. They get along so well after they've both been run pretty hard.