The Calmness of the Night

So a little known fact about my dogs is that walking them has been a rare occurrence for a long time. I know, it sounds bad, but it’s not as bad as it seems. I take them outside every day to play and take them on car rides whenever I can for enrichment, they are happy and active. It is solely the act of walking down the neighborhood that is viewed as risky. This is because of how excited they get. Sincerely, they get so amped up about taking a walk that they will begin to pull as hard as they can on the leash and it’s an overall embarrassing experience.

 With this being said, last night I wanted to take them on one anyway. So I did, and it was the calmest walk I have ever taken them on. They were slow, calm, and simply interested in what was happening around them in a way that is not aggravated. They were just happy to gently walk around, which is a luxury I had never experienced with them while walking. I was so happy to finally see them come around to walking in a calm way that allows it to be easy for everyone involved.

 I wonder if it was because I walked them at night. Maybe that was less overstimulating for them. Either way, I’m going to continue to try things out and see what works because that is definitely a privilege I would like them to have. I want them to have the best lives I can afford them, and taking them on nightly walks would fit in nicely with that goal. I’m pleasantly surprised at how good they did, and I hope to see that behavior more in the future.