Today I was thinking about what I have learnt from my puppy, and definitely the first thing is the need to have patience with her.
Today I am feeling frustrated because it appears that at the moment, I have a puppy that doesn't much like walking! The first time I took her out, it took us 25 minutes to cover a couple of hundred yards. Everything had to be sniffed and examined, looked at and investigated. I thought that was to be expected on the first walk, but a week later and after several trips out to various places, it is still much the same.
This morning we spent fifteen minutes and got about a hundred yards, with her being carried for part of it as I felt so frustrated. When we turned round to come home however, she scampered along quite nicely, so we have both come home to think this thing through.
The fact that she is happier to come home rather than walk out makes me think she is still just a bit nervous of the outside world. I guess I just need to persevere with short walks and taking her out often and I will build up her confidence.
So why did I feel so frustrated this morning? In the first couple of weeks I mopped up wees and poos in the house with plenty of patience. Now that she is making good progress towards being house trained, she is trying our patience by chewing everything she can get her paws on. So I am happily prying her jaws open several times a day to remove some small plastic object which she has somehow managed to get hold of. That is a little frustrating, but hey, she's teething, we can deal with it. So why do I feel so frustrated with the fact that she won't just come out the door and walk?
It is of course, because of my expectations. One of the main reasons that I wanted a dog was because I love walking. Walking is like meditation to me, I love being outside absorbing the sights and sounds of nature around me. I love the rhythm of movement, letting my thoughts flow and eddy around me. It makes me feel really good.
So I wanted a walking buddy. Someone who can come with me to enjoy the great outdoors, or even just meandering through the town, people watching as we go. When I was younger, my grandfather looked after a golden labrador called Clare, and we used to roam around the fields near my grandparents' house together. When I daydream about the happiest parts of my childhood, I am sitting on a bank in a field in the Cotswolds in the sun watching the clouds drift by. And often, leaning against me is the heavy bulk of Clare, smelling a bit doggy and panting slightly as we watch the clouds together.
So, back to today and to a little dog that is now crashed out by my feet as I type. She is of course a small puppy. We aren't quite ready for big adventures just yet, but we will get there. I just need to have a little more patience.
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