Sunday, August 10, 2008

Sadie: a high-energy dog

My dog, Sadie, has far too much energy to have ended up in the home of a couple of people in their sixties. Unfortunately, I'm deeply attached to her, so I make do.

I've never been able to turn her loose, because she's been off like a shot running around the neighborhood, once she's free. That would be OK in this country area, except my last dog died running across 224 highway. I don't think I could stand losing another dog that way.

So Sadie has been turned loose each day for our walk in the pasture, then confined either to the house, or on a tie-out in the yard.

Since we've moved back further from the road, though, I've been giving her a little more freedom: For instance, when I put her out to potty, I no longer hook the leash to her collar. I stand on the front porch and watch her, and she comes right back when she's done. When I take her to the tie-out, I've stopped hanging onto her collar for dear life because she's stopped her desperate runs for freedom.

Yesterday, each time I went outside I took her along, sans leash. She did great.

This morning she had a relapse. The minute I went outside with her, I could see she was in her "escape" mode. I no sooner got the words "Here, Sadie" out of my mouth than she was gone.

I should have remembered to have a Frisbee session with her, first thing, because on the days we don't walk and give her a chance to run, she's a mess. She's passionate about her Frisbee, and I can wear the edge off her energy that way.

All's well that ends well, and Sadie showed up back at home after about twenty minutes. I scolded her and she acted sufficiently contrite. I gave her five minutes to think about her sins and repent, then took her out for the Frisbee session she should have had earlier.





When we're done, I tell Sadie to take the Frisbee to the house, and she does so quite willingly.

I do believe Cliff has cleaned up the Gold Wing for a reason: It's perfect weather, and we'll ride today!

I'll throw in this picture of yesterday's sunrise at no extra cost. One can't get too many sunrises, you know.

2 comments:

  1. We can never get too many sunrises.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We really can't trust our dogs much to stick around. And the roads are so close.

    ReplyDelete

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