Took a Double-Dawg Dare

So I was preparing Ellie Dawg for our regular morning walk when house guest Dasher the Wonder Dawg made it clear he damned well wanted his own walk, too. Dasher is a big yellow lab -- 100 pounds, plus -- who will celebrate his 6th birthday this Christmas Day. So he is hard to ignore. Meanwhile, Ellie the 8-year-old rescue dawg guards her exercise prerogatives zealously. She is a retriever mixed with (possibly, my theory) Carolina coonhound so she is plenty assertive and energetic. And she is 70 pounds but able pound-for-pound to hold her own in roughhousing with Dash. So they both crowded around me demanding a walk(s).

You might say they double-dawg-dared me.

Well, no way this old man could walk them at the same time. I need to hold my walking stick with my right hand to keep myself upright -- an essential element of walking. So I took Ellie Mae on one of her regular routes around the perimeter of the community ballfields, and then when I got back, I fashioned Dasher a leash and collar ('cause none of Ellie's fit Dash's neck) and took him on a brisk neighborhood walk.

Did I mention the temperature was in the 30s (F), a bit of a challenge for an old fellow with a redone heart who is forever reading about the perils of cold weather. No worries. Didn't get out of breath at all. But now the big test comes, even exceeding a double-dawg dare: Taking Big Mama to the mall in Christmas shopping season! The dawgs are lucky -- they're already settled for a long Winter's nap. Me, I may wind up setting a steps' record with my Garmin Vivofit (already up to 6,000 and it is still morning).

                                          © Robert G. Holland  2016