Shih Tzu Journal: Sept. 5, 2012

Mom said one of us should get on here and let everyone know how we are doing! I got voted to do it. Mom usually says how many days we have been here, but she didn’t tell me. I only know we have been here at least 14 months.

Mom takes us for a walk once a day — almost every day. We hate it when she doesn’t. This morning, the Man left for work and I jumped up on the couch and pawed Mom’s shoulders and back until she finally gave up trying to work and took us out. Candy still usually doesn’t want to go for walks, so unless the Man is going with us, she leaves Candy here.

Mom says she thinks the grass bothers Candy’s feet, or she might like to walk. She walks really daintily over it and tries to get to the dirt or pavement. She is really, really slow, so when she comes with us, we have to wait for her. Well, she is the most slow on the grass. When we go to the place Mom calls Majestic View, she is better. But when we go walking on the grass behind that big building called Wal-Mart, she is really slow.

I love, love walking! I love chasing birds! I love sniffing under the bushes! I love it all! What I don’t understand is why Mom always holds the end of my leash, but Dottie always gets to “walk herself,” and now, so does Candy. Sometimes Nigel gets to walk himself too. When we are at the park, Mom lets Candy and Dottie walk themselves unless people or dogs approach us. Then, she quickly grabs the leashes. That’s because Dottie usually gets confused and either runs away from or follows the people. Mom says if I walked myself I would run in front of a car because I would be chasing a bird or a kite and wouldn’t pay attention.

Right now, we’re all taking naps, because Mom is being boring, just typing on her computer. I wish we could go for another walk! I hear some dogs are lucky and get to walk more than once a day! That would be so wonderful!