Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

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This past Wednesday, we were hit with a Nor’easter. I thought it had perfect timing. The bulk of the snow fell in my area late in the afternoon, and was finished by the next morning. All told, we got about 8 to 10 inches of snow. This doesn’t bother me in the least, I love winter, and I love snow.

I know this can be a very unpopular opinion with some people. But what can you do? Haters gonna hate.

The last big snowfall we had, was light and fluffy snow. This snow is dense and heavy, and when you add snow removal into the mix, the sides of the road can get very deep. In most areas, the snow is well above my knees.

Thanks to my neighbor who clears an area around the hydrant. It’s a great place to check p-mail.

This means, potty real estate is at a premium right now. 

I’ve said many times before, my dogs are as opposite as two dogs can be.

One dog, Sampson, is a particular pottier. He only likes to go on grass, and he prefers his privacy. When he was younger and went to daycare, he would hold his poop all day. (They had a gravel area for the dogs to relieve themselves.) The first thing he would do when he got home? Run into the back and poop. When we are walking in the woods, he will push his way through bushes so he can have a little privacy.

On the other end of the spectrum, Delilah goes where Delilah wants to go. She routinely pees in the road, has peed on a dead frog, a newspaper left in a driveway, fresh paint on the road, etc. She will channel her inner Elsa and climb a snowbank to drop deuce on the top.

On top of all this snow, the daytime temperature has been in the upper thirties to the lower forties, with a temperature this warm, the snow hasn’t been able to freeze. This means, the dogs sink into it when they try to climb it.

This basically leaves the dogs with very limited options for relieving themselves.

You put both feet up, you set your bottom down, you look at the snow, then…go to town.

Delilah of course is fine, she has two ways of handling the snow for peeing purposes. 1) she faces the snow, puts her two front paws on the snowbank and pees in the road.  Or 2) she has mastered the sideswipe technique, of lifting her leg.

This is my signature move. You just sidle up to the snow, and lift your leg.

For pooping, she just goes in the road. (I left the photo small so you didn’t have to stare at it.) You’re welcome.

Sampson on the other hand, will walk and walk, trying to find a spot where there is a bit of grass so he can pee or poop. It kind of worries me, because I feel like he’s not emptying his bladder enough, and since he really only goes out twice a day, it is super important to me that he pees properly.

I give up! Where’s a dog supposed to go?

On those rare occasions where he does lift his leg to pee on a snowbank, it sure does make me smile.

You make me smile (or laugh.) The sweet, funny, loving things my dogs do, that brings a smile to my face, or a laugh to my lips.

What did your pet(s) do this week that made YOU smile or laugh?

(Humorous) Tips For Walking Dogs in the Northeast in Winter

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Winter in the northeast can be challenging for dog walking. Cold, ice, dark, road chemicals, you name it, we’ve got it all. For your own safety and sanity, as well as the safety of your dog(s), there are few things you’d be wise to remember.

  • A dog with weak back legs can still kick snow in your face. Author’s Note: Thank Dog there were no ice chunks in it.

She’s lucky I didn’t kick HER in the face. A Lab in a coat, what kind of bunk is that?

  • Always wear boots when there is snow on the ground. Note to self: The day you don’t, is the day your dog will poop in the deepest snow bank they can find.
  • A dog who doesn’t see well, can often times mistake your shadow for another person.
    For the record, a 70 pound lab who mistakes your shadow for a person, can pull your fat ass across a street.
  • When potty space is limited due to large amounts of snow, some dogs WILL poop in the street. Once the snow starts melting, and running down the side of the road, some dogs WILL STILL poop in the street. For those with a curious mind…shit, does indeed…roll down hill. (Especially when it catches  the right current.) 😉

I was playing Pooh Sticks. Read Winnie the Pooh. Also, I won.

  • Always carry a towel for wiping paws, as a dog who gets ice or road chemicals on their paw will refuse to walk. Fact: Using your glove or mitten to wipe a dog’s paw can result in some really cold hands.
  • Be prepared to hunt for **treasure**. Truth: A poop, fresh from the factory will sink like the Titanic. There’s a reason it’s called a steamer’ folks!

These are the tips that come readily to my mind. Can you think of any others? What advice would you give to first time winter dog walkers?

Happy Holidays from Heart Like A Dog

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Ever wonder what your dogs think of all the festivities surrounding the holidays?

I thought this Christmas, we’d take a little peek to see what each of my dogs are thinking.

 

Sampson the philosopher.

 

Delilah, the dreamer.

Any surprises there?

In all seriousness though, whatever your reason, enjoy the season.

From all of us at Heart Like a Dog!

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