I don't really have anything new to report. Bailey and I walk about 10 miles every day. We've been attending lots of cultural events (a museum visit, two concerts and a dance performance last week), and we've taken in some movies, and are going to a circus later this week. We are going to London on Friday for about five days. Bailey will be staying at her away camp, which she seems to enjoy. Spring is happening. Flowers are blooming and flowering trees are coming out. Buds are forming on trees and shrubs. We've had some really beautiful days. I really like early spring weather. The coolness is great for walking and it's really great on a sunny day.
I try to make sure that Bailey has an opportunity to play with other dogs every day. We go to the big field near the Citadel where people with dogs hang out. It's sort of an unofficial dog park. Lately, however, we haven't been hitting it when other people and dogs are around, or if they are, Bailey hasn't shown any interest in playing with them. I can't force her to play, so we just go on our way and continue our walk. She really enjoys off leash time in the wooded areas and we often encounter other dogs along the way, which provides other opportunities to play.
In the last few days I've been concerned that she hasn't had a good running session with any other dog for at least the past week or more. We've met dogs who clearly wanted to play with her, but she has politely declined the invitation. Maybe it just hasn't been the right dog in the right place at the right time. Still, she seems fine and still seems to really enjoy at least the wooden portions of our walks. I guess she's been getting enough exercise and stimulation without running with other dogs.
Today's walk started out much the same. We headed first to the big field in search of play opportunities. We didn't find anyone there but we did pass another dog on a walk and she went up to him and tried to initiate play. That was the first time I've seen her do that lately and I was glad to see it, even though it didn't happen with that particular dog because they were walking away from us. We encountered other dogs while walking and again she showed more interest than she had lately so I thought that maybe it's just a matter of finding the right opportunity. Finally, on our third pass by the big field we encounter two young men walking with two off leash dogs, a golden retriever and a whippet. Bailey did a play bow with the golden and they had a brief chase, but it was the whippet who really engaged with her.
That little whippet was one of very few dogs we've met who could outrun her. He was fast and he showed no signs of slowing down, ever. He led her in a chase all around that big field, doing huge circles around us but always remaining within sight. After what seemed like a very long time, (although it probably wasn't more than five minutes) Bailey slowed down and came to a rest near me. The golden had long since given up the chase and was off doing retriever things. I let her catch her breath, said goodbye and thanks to the other humans, and we headed back home. She always stretches out and naps after our walks but I think she's going to have a particularly sound sleep when Clay and I go off to a movie this afternoon.
It made me happy to see her run like that again. She can do it when she wants to, I just have to provide the opportunities and let her choose.
A late walk on a wet evening.
This was the first daffodil I saw in bloom but later in the day there were hundreds.
Off leash time in woods is her favorite.
One of our recent walks.
FUCK TRUMP, FUCK HIS WAR, FUCK ICE, FUCK ALL THEIR VOTERS AND ENABLERS.
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