Dog Walks

     Runtly is nearly seven months old.  The guide book I have for Jack Russell Terriers says it can take up to eight months to potty train them.  It also says that the reason for this is because it takes them that long to decide if they want to follow your plan.   Runtly has not let the author of the book down.

     It's getting better, but I don't think I have trained him, I think he has trained me.  I'm just now recognizing the signal he gives when he needs to go out.  I tried the bell on a string by the door idea. There are bells at the front and back door.  I only had to show him once how to ring them.  Since then, he rings the bells when we go out.........and he rings the bells when we come back in.  

     Being a gift, Runtly came with a retractable 16 foot leash, so when we walk, he can go hither and yon without yanking my arm out of the socket.  He is very smart, he can sit, shake, lay down, roll over, stand on his back legs, and hop like a bunny.  Heel and stay, not so much and the few times he has been off the leash, it becomes a no holds barred competition with all learning going out the window.   I never quite appreciated the retractable part of the leash until it broke.  Walking him with sixteen feet of loose leash ends up with his legs being tangled about every ten feet of walking distance.  I resorted to the short six foot leash and that was a nightmare for both of us since we could not get far enough away from each other to enjoy the outing.  Between potty breaks, I purchased a new retractable leash.

     We walk the same path every day.  Runtly does not care to get too far from home, unless he thinks he is going to his mother's house.  She is never glad to see him, but he hasn't figured that out yet.  We walk around the block several times a day and for Runtly it is an endless adventure.  There is always a new scent for him to sniff or a new article to carry.  It doesn't matter if it is a stick, candy wrapper, dryer sheet or a flat toad carcass, every time I look at him, he has something new in his mouth.

     I remember years ago, the commercial for the anti-litter campaign.  An old Indian chief, standing along side of the road, with a tear running down his cheek.  He was sad because someone threw a bunch of trash out the car window.  I was thinking it might be a good idea to bring that commercial back.  But, if that were to happen someone would be upset that it was not politically correct, someone would protest and then there would be riots in the streets.

     Maybe I will start carrying two bags.  One for the trash and one for Runtly's donation.