Fat Owners = Fat Dogs

Yep - that's right - Rob and I are officially fat AND so are our dogs. Well, Neo and Brin are overweight (more politically correct than 'fat'); Pru is trim as always. So, with this realization in mind we have decided to get back into shape - all of us!!.

We began our walking regimen this past weekend. We have a one mile track that we have plotted and we have been faithfully walking this each day (four days running -- well, walking :) ). And man am I sore!!!!!!! Not from the walking but from walking the dogs!

Rob usually takes two of them and I take one, Brin. As a reference point let me share that Brin must be touching me at all times; so, walking her means walking with her constantly rubbing/pushing on my legs/hips. She does not pull - or run ahead. Nope. She stays right with me - right at my side - pushing against me with her 150# + body. To counter this pushing I have positioned the gentle lead on the opposite side of her face so that I can direct her away from my side a bit. But, she's a stubborn one and pulls her head back and cuddles up by me once again.

I now have pain in my hip and cramps in one foot from pushing back against her for balance! And my shoulder is sore from trying to pull her head away from me to give my body a break from the pushing. Cracks me up!!!

Now for Neo and Pru: Neo does not like his gentle lead and spend the first few minutes doing acrobatics trying to get free from the lead. Rob has been watching and paying attention to Ceasar's show (The Dog Whisperer) and is now training Neo to accept the lead. So, Neo has been progressing each day and now only fights the lead for a few seconds and then walks right beside Rob as trained. Neo is such a good boy. Well, that is unless another dog comes our way. Then we have all out war! We're working on that too.

Pru does not fight the lead, does not pull, does not push. She walks just perfectly. Her only issue is also with any other living animal. So, she spends her walks ever on guard - watching all around for any 'intruders' into 'her' space. It is truly humorous to watch her eyes as we walk. She has appointed herself protector of the pack.

Yesterday must have been National Rabbits Day. We saw too many to count and so did the three dogs! Needless to say Pru alerted all of us to their presence and then began prancing (she looked like a show horse; she was high stepping!!); Neo raised his hackles and went on attach mode; and Brin bounced around at the thought of a new playmate.

It is all worth the effort. Rob and I both feel better and the dogs are sleeping and eating better. And the humor in the memories -- well, that's the icing on the brownie we eat when we finish the walk!!