Walking dogs and toddlers

To preface, most days I try to take the dogs on a walk in the middle of the day. They appreciate getting outside and relieving any pent-up business they have. Normally on these outings, I will put the baby in a backpack because then I don’t have to keep track of her and the two dogs. It is so much easier this way.

I was reminded today why I do this. I thought to myself, today I won’t put Michelle in a backpack. We’ll just walk around the neighborhood, and I’ll keep track of everyone. Silly me.

There’s a two word phrase I was reminded of during this walk. The first word is “cluster” and the second word isn’t “Norfolk”. I don’t know the origin of the saying, but I think it’s the best way to describe the scene. Both of my dogs weigh over 70 pounds, which isn’t huge as far as big dogs go, but they’re big enough when I need to handle both of them with one hand. Meanwhile, the child, though quite interested in walking alongside the dogs, is more interested in anything and everything else that we encounter. Hey a bug! Hey a stick! Hey a pile of dirt on the sidewalk!

Yes, those were the things she found more interesting than walking.

Half of the walk I carried her, but as she’s getting heavier herself, I was winded in this activity. So I let her walk when she was interested, I let her sit when she found something cool, and I picked her up and carried her when she was more interested in running into the road.

As for the dogs, they’re borzois. I’m not going to describe what that entails, but they are dogs known for aloof behavior, and quickly forgetting any kind of training they ever receive. Though they’ve never been the best on manners and pulling and tugging at me, they’ve recently forgotten that I’m attached to the other end of their leash. So I’ve got a toddler on one side, and two ropes pulling me on the other side. I felt like yelling “FREEEEEDOOOOOMMMM!!!” Of course, I’m referring to Braveheart, and the scene where he is tortured.

As I somehow concluded this walk, I thought to myself, “when was the last time you did this?” The answer, only one other time, which happened to be the first time I ever tried it. I recall saying to myself “I will never walk the baby and the dogs at the same time.” I was reminded today that this continues to be a bad idea. I will not make the mistake again for at least another three months.