In today’s blog I thought I would talk about something that happened earlier this week.
On Tuesday, I decided to join a friend, who walks an Australian Shepherd named Bogie.
Early in the walk Bogie stopped to do what dogs do. I took a hold of Bogie’s leash so that my friend could grab and bag. When I walk a dog I put my hand through the loop and I grab a hold of the lead with a looped overhead grip. I realize that I could be injured if the dog pulls suddenly but I will assume that risk instead of losing control of a dog in my care.
Even though I have proper snow boots, I don’t always choose to wear them. I often figure that I can get by with my Doc Marten’s. Pro tip, I can’t.
We received an accumulation of snow the morning of the walk and it was still unseasonably mild. Although Bogie had already made a healthy deposit, he needed to make another. He pulled onto the boulevard to search for the perfect spot to squat.
When Bogie started to hunch, I turned away to afford him a little privacy. As near as I can figure, another spot had more appeal. Did I mention that this particular boulevard sloped down towards the street? No? Bogie’s sudden change of direction cause me to slip ever so slightly. I managed to regain my balance but Bogie pulled again and I slipped significantly.
I could not recover this time and down I went. I used to spend a lot of time on ramps in the skate park, so I know how to take a fall and I did not get hurt. When I hit the ground I scared Bogie and he came charging back to me. His little canine face was awash with concern. It was like he was trying to ask, “What the hell happened?’ I think it goes without saying that once he ascertained that I was okay he went back to his business.
Usually I try to marry my posts with images that are ‘inline’ with my subject but as I don’t have any photographic evidence of my recent lack of grace, perhaps you will enjoy…
You know, I kind of feel like they are laughing at me.