Having a puppy has brought my ability to run in the morning to a screeching halt. There's no sneaking out of the house with his sharp ears. No quick 4-5 mile run before everyone else wakes up.
But I do give Gus credit for inspiring the whole family to start a new healthy habit.
Each night this week we've headed out after supper for a trip around the neighborhood. Jeff walks Gus. AJ rides his bike. And I walk and push/steer Sydney as needed on her trike.
One of the things I've always loved about our neighborhood is how active many of the people are. It's quite common to pass a half dozen or so other people, out for walks themselves, in just a trip around the block.
We smile. We nod. We wave. And we keep going.
Until this week.
Add a puppy to the entourage and everyone wants to stop and chat. I now know we have neighbors with the last name Gustafson. And another neighbor who used to date someone named Gus. Another girl had no "Gus" story to tell, but sure thought our Gus was adorable.
Most of the time our walk is - at best - a leisurely stroll with frequent stops to investigate smells (Gus), flowers (Sydney) or bugs (AJ).
But at other times, Gus gives me glimpses of the great running partner I think/hope he will be. Jeff and I usually trade off duties by the end of the walk. Jeff pushes Sydney and I take Gus' leash, giving me a chance to jog with Gus. So far we've made it almost a block. His enthusiasm is awesome.
Considering two weeks ago Gus didn't want to walk on a leash at all, he's made impressive progress. Most of his motivation seems to come from wanting to keep up with us. Regardless, I'm happy we've started this process now, so that by the time he's bigger/stronger, he'll already have some idea of what's expected of him.
Not to mention we're having healthy fun together. Jeff suggested the walk the first night, but it's been Sydney who's asked to go each night since. (And as an added bonus, Gus sleeps really well once we get home.)
No comments:
Post a Comment